Basic live well build ?

[gm280]

I've searched and searched some more on here and while I have found bits and pieces on live wells, there just isn't one thread, that I have found anyways, devoted to building a basic live well. So here goes such a thread. And if this is in the wrong forum, please move it to the appropriate place...there will be no hard feelings on my part.

As I approach building my new live well for my 14' tri-hull fishing boat refurbishing project, I wrestle with building it big, but not too big, to suit my needs. But honestly I really don't know what size to go with. I want a nice size, but don't want to carry around lots of water weight as well. So there is a fine balance between the two needs. My idea is to use a new, or even an old, cooler for the basic design and then build a shell around it to install it permanently in the floor of my boat project. I know how to plumb it and have already built the aerator circuitry to cycle fresh water through it when there are fish in it. But the actual size is still up in the air. I have been looking at 48 quart coolers and wonder if that is too small or what. And whatever size I go with, I will build a custom plywood shell around it and even use rigid closed cell foam sheets from the Lowes type stores to help with insulating it to keep the fish cooler and alive. Of course that shell will be polyed and CSM/1708 in place as well. Then the top will be hinged and customized with matching vinyl to match the seat so everything looks uniformed. But what should an adequate size be? Any suggestions as to building and/or plumbing and size would certainly make this a total go too thread for future searchers. Oh and this build is for fresh water and not some huge deep sea fishing capability. And I do understand that any cooler I chose will not be filled to the top, but merely about 2/3 of the way set be the stand pipe or overflow outlet. So bring on your best ideas and building designs...

 

[bonz_d]

gm, the well in my Alumacraft is 46.5x10.5x12 deep. When full there is about 9" of water in it and when full I can feel the extra weight in the boat. As to sizing it I suppose it will much depend on the fish you're after. I fish for a lot of pike so the extra length comes in handy. If it was just bass and gills a shorter tank would work better.

 

[smokeonthewater]

No need for extra insulation.... The water temp will be the same as the water you are pumping in... With any quality cooler the fish will run out of oxygen before they overheat...

I've had boats with live wells and honestly unless you are going to cull your catch a cooler full of ice is a MUCH better way to deal with fish you are going to eat.

With a cooler for a live well you can go either way.

Personally I would purchase a brand new one... Since the yeti coolers came out the other manufacturers have stepped up their game.

Igloo has some new heavy duty coolers with better insulation and stronger shells along w stainless hardware.

My last thought on this is if you can build a space to drop in a cooler, semi-built in.... You could have quick connect fittings and swap out your live well for your party cooler depending on the plans for the day.

Might or might not appeal but just a thought.

Good luck

 

[gm280]

Ha great ideas and suggestions from you both. I will be fishing for bass and crappie most of the time. So not a huge fish (especially the ones that manage to catch themselves on my hooks) so I don't need a long type setup. As for the temp, I was thinking about using some 16oz plastic frozen water bottles to regulate that, but also I have an aerator system to cycle on and a spray bar to help oxygenate the waster as it comes in. So size is really the primary issue. I would love a nice size live well but knowing the weight of water, it becomes a trade off issue. Water weights about 8.25 pounds per gallon, and that does add up with live wells. But thanks for your replies... :thumb:

 

[dozerII]

Don't know if your interested in this idea or not, but it is a simple portable livewell. When I'm catching fish to eat I like to keep them alive till it's time to clean them. One of the things I don't like about built in live wells is you have to drain it then try to catch the fish in it to put them in something to take to the cleaning station, if it a wack of perch, there are a lot of sharp pointy fins trying to stab you. With a cooler you can unplug the aerator and take the cooler to the station. I took a 48 quart Coleman cooler with a flat top, no cup holders. In one side of the lid I cut an 8" diameter hole to drop the fish in and cover this with a cheap poly cutting board that I hinged with a stainless steel hinge, it serves two purposes, cover over the hole and a cutting board for your bait. On the other side of the lid I fastened a small plastic tray about 8" x 10" I think they were old surplus airline food trays, to set misc, knife, pliers in. To keep the fish alive I use a Mr. Bubbles aerator, they are available be in12 volt as well as a D cell that will run for 72 hours. I have been using this set up for 4 years and love it.

 

[bently]

I have built several in the past an I have found that Rubbermaid makes a very durable rubber like plastic tub (many sizes). I use their different sizes to find one that fits where I want the live well and size. Use aquarium grade silicone to attach the lid permanently to the tub, install all of your plumbing to it and then build your frame around the tub. Spray foam the sides and cut a hole in the lid the same size as your access to the live well will be. create a spacer to go between the lid to the tub and your access hatch to create a water tight seal (aquarium silicone). This method alloys you to build sort of a custom size live well for your needs.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Having built the built-in coolers in my boat using 1" thick foam board (insulation board). I could not find any without the mylar, so I simply peeled very slowly from one corner to the next. I use PB to bond it to 1/4" plywood for the sides, 1/2" ply for the bottom, and 1" thick for the top. 3 layers of matt and a whole lot of resin and gel and they were ready to install. These were then supported from the deck with PB and screws, and then foamed into the hull/stringers/bulkheads. Access thru the top via purchased hatches. They have drain fittings that are 5200'd in place and run to the bilge. they will hold ice for a week if I do not open the lid too often, or for a whole weekend of boating.

after going thru that work, if you can get a cooler, make a tray, add plumbing. do it. it will be much less work.

 

[idonthaveaname]

+vote on the cooler route. That's all I use and you can buy a used cooler cheap. Mine is a basic cooler that is plumbed to pull water from the outside along with an aerator for bubbles and it works well. Mine has mostly shrimp and sometimes shad for saltwater but the concept is the same for fresh.

 

[gm280]

WOW even more interesting ideas. dozerII, bently, Scott Danforth and idonthaveaname, could you guys post some pictures of your designs for myself and everybody else to see so this becomes the "live well" go too for such things. Some really great ideas and designs it seems... Post away! :thumb:

 

[smokeonthewater]

I suggest you forget trying to cool the water..... first the shock of going from warm lake water to cool water is hard on the fish, second the temp will fluctuate up and down as you cycle the aerator .... just pump in water at the temp the fish are already acclimated to.

either keep em in water or ice... not both lol

 

[gm280]

I suggest you forget trying to cool the water..... first the shock of going from warm lake water to cool water is hard on the fish, second the temp will fluctuate up and down as you cycle the aerator .... just pump in water at the temp the fish are already acclimated to.

either keep em in water or ice... not both lol

Good point smoke, but I wasn't going to cool on warm on norm days, but some of the very hot lazy days of summer it would help. And certainly as trailering home to help keep them a little cool and alive until...well their final demise!

I have another question. I see everywhere live well installation kits and they all use the same plastic flexible ribbed hose. But has anybody actually used some regulator car heater type hose in 5/8" or even 3/4" sizes. Since the inside of that type hose is smooth it would seem to flow better. And being nylon thread reinforced rubber it would also handle the colder weather a lot better as well. It would seem to last forever in such a situation as an inlet and outlet for a live well. Just wondering...

 

[smokeonthewater]

Look into smooth bore bilge pump hose... But....

The corrugated plastic hose will flow WAY more than enough and will last 20-30 years....

I kinda doubt garden hose would last any longer

 

[64osby]

I use a big igloo cooler, an old 500 gph bilge pump and 6' of hose. It is stand alone.

Drop the pump in the water to fill, place it in the cooler to have the water circulate, works as an aerator. Put the hose over the edge to drain. The pump plugs into a 12V outlet and has an inline switch.

It easily moves from boat to boat.

 

[gm280]

So many great ideas and it seems so many have their own live wells that work for their needs. So I think I will take from all these comments and build something with those ideas in mind. And I will post that progress on here as well for others to see. If you can snap a picture or two of your live well designs and post them here. I'd surely be interested in seeing them... :thumb:

 

[bonz_d]

If primarily fishing for bass and panfish then I would think a 52 to 70 qt. tank is all that would be needed. Something that can be filled to about 9"-10" deep. Just keep in mind that the smaller the tank and the more fish that are in it then you are going to frequently need to refresh the water so that it doesn't become toxic to the fish. It's not just the temp of the water that becomes deadly.

The tank in my Alumacraft is made from hard plastic and then installed into an aluminum box on the side. There is no insulation surrounding it and it works very well. If I recall some of the marine dealers sell those hard plastic liners for the wells.Look around.