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Thread: Making a Livewell Recirculating

  1. #1
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    Default Making a Livewell Recirculating

    My fill motor went out on my livewell and it's got me thinking about redoing the entire set up.

    Currently there is a hole in the bottom of the boat that goes to the fill motor which fills the livewell from the top left corner. There is an overflow on the top right corner. Current state I'm using a tube in the center hole in the bottom of the livewell to "fill" and allow drainage. I'd use a combination of fresh water (filling) and a bubbler to keep bait alive with mixed results. Seemed about 2 dozer herring is about all I keep. 3 dozen would die off pretty quickly.

    I'd like to do away with tube and have a fill and recirculating option. Would prefer to be able to do this without reaching below deck to turn a valve every time.

    How difficult is this? What are my options?

  2. #2
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    They would need a diagram drawn to scale if you want the experts' opinions...
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  3. #3
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    Default

    What tier

  4. #4
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    If you redo your livewell/baitwell, do the "cooling mod" where the recirculating hose runs through an ice well or ice cooler to reduce the temp in the bait well. Also, insulate it. Good luck.


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  5. #5
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    O2 bubbler is all you need.

  6. #6
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    Pour a 5 gallon bucket of water in there every 10 minutes. I always kept a bucket stashed in my boat when tourney fishing just in case I lost the livewell- had to use it once or twice over the years and it worked just fine- even worked with menhaden- it's all about water exchange.

  7. #7
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    Man I’m glad the 5 gallon bucket worked for you. Didn’t work for us and ended up costing us about 10k because one of our redfish died when my pump went out.

  8. #8
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    Not sure about you’re pump situation but...
    For Herring you should be filling up your live well with water out of the hose and treating it with Prime and salt. You are only hurting herring by adding lake water to the tank during the day. A good bubbler Is fine for that small about of bait.
    Last edited by SWAMPLIFE z71; 10-20-2020 at 02:31 PM.

  9. #9
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    If you are running your fill pump enough to keep fresh water coming in shouldn't that keep them alive? If you keep your inlet and outlet in the same locations in the tank then I don't think recirculating will get you anything more.

    You currently have a fill in the top left (from pump), an overflow in the top right (to thru hull, above water line?), and tube up the middle that can fill and drain?

  10. #10
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    Not possible without adding a three way valve on both the supply side and the drain side of the livewell or blasting two additional holes in the livewell and creating a stand-alone recirculating system.

    ETA: You could do away with raw water supply and just recirculate but would still have to valve the bottom to allow the LW to drain.
    Last edited by FishSticker; 10-20-2020 at 02:45 PM.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by FishSticker View Post
    Not possible without adding a three way valve on both the supply side and the drain side of the livewell or blasting two additional holes in the livewell and creating a stand-alone recirculating system.

    ETA: You could do away with raw water supply and just recirculate but would still have to valve the bottom to allow the LW to drain.
    Hummm...not sure I follow. I’ve looked at some flow-rite stuff and I think I can do it. I’m currently waiting on them to send me an actually diagram.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by BET View Post
    If you are running your fill pump enough to keep fresh water coming in shouldn't that keep them alive? If you keep your inlet and outlet in the same locations in the tank then I don't think recirculating will get you anything more.

    You currently have a fill in the top left (from pump), an overflow in the top right (to thru hull, above water line?), and tube up the middle that can fill and drain?
    For the most part you are right. Most automatic recircs use a mixture of fresh water and resirc for oxygen. If I do nothing I’m going to at least add a down tube With holes in it on the fill nozzle To get the fresh water down and to push water in a circular motion.

  13. #13
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    I've thought about doing the same thing. This, a section of hose and some 5400 sealant is all you'd need...

    https://www.amazon.com/attwood-T500-...3224633&sr=8-3
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



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  14. #14
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    just put a bubbler in

  15. #15
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    Submersible pump and some 1/2" PVC to make a T. Make T long enough to get above the waterline, drill holes in the legs of the T for water streams. Gator clip pump to a battery and your done. Buy a cheap aquarium thermometer and add frozen water bottles as necessary. Good thing about this one is you can move around if need be.

    Be sure to either get a pump with foam filter to catch scales or buy a bag of filter material and make your own. Only issue with this style is if you have to clean the filter while fishing you have pull the whole unit out.

  16. #16
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    Forgot to mention be sure the pump has suction cups on the bottom.

  17. #17
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    See below
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    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



    Charles Barkley: Nobody doesn't like meat.

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