Need Help improving 2200v Livewell

[Paintman77]

04’ 2200v new 800ghp Tsunami Pumps. I’ve been very conscious of not overloading my livewell. I honestly feel like I’m putting no more than 30 in the tank but still finding them belly up by noon. Any recommendations on improving the oxygen distribution or whatever keeps them green. Not all fish are dying but there are more than I’d like. This time of year we run offshore quite a bit and fish Menhaden primarily. If I can keep them alive I can keep anything alive. Thought about putting a taller standpipe in the release well and just run two Livewells, it’s just a lot of weight in the rear of the boat. Thought about building a large portable tank for in front of the console. Again weight distribution issues. Thanks ahead of time. 

[FINCHASER]

Pogies are one of the more delicate baits to keep in a well.  Post a pic of the interior of the well not sure what set up was being used back then.  Your main culprits would be to much ammonia buildup, baits getting beat up from runing in rough conditions and high water temps (low oxy). 

     Ammonia cant be avoided but can be improved thru ensuring theres a good turnover rate of the livewell water, theres info on this online and you need to determine what your set up is putting out.  This involves putting in the standpipe and filling the well manually with containers of known quantity in order to determine the gallons it holds, then the next time you are on the water time how long it takes for the pump to fill the well and thru some math figure exactly the GPH the pump is putting out.  Could be the pump itself does not produce what its rated for and or the plumbing itself is causing less than the max flow

[Bamaskeet]

Some of the fresh water striped bass fishermen use a oxygen bottle to keep Shad and bluebacks frisky.

[jh141]

First I would follow Finchasers recommendation making sure you are getting good GPH. On my 22' TRS I now have a ClearView Filter and a longer stand pipe. This allows the well to hold as much water as possible and gets me as close to a closed well as possible. The less "wave action"  you have in your livewell the better. My well also has a recalculation pump. I run both pumps when carrying white bait or bait other than shrimp or crabs. 

Keeping the ammonia to a minimum is key. Inputting new water at two different levels helps. Does your "04" split the incoming new water? Even though I have a Clearview Filter I still use the face plate provided by MBG. I keep the end with the most opening to the bottom hoping to expel as much water from the bottom as possible. All these thing may help but when it comes right down to it only a larger capacity ( hopefully round ) live well will decrease dead lose.

[SCFD rtrd.]

Only 30 Menhaden at a time???? You got a water problem Paintman77. I agree with FINCHACER and jh141 with regard to low GPH or too much fish poop in the live-well. You have to make sure all your valves are opening fully, that nothing is blocking the discharge hose and that your strainers (if you have them) are clean. Then check GPH per FINCHACER's method. If all this checks out, then consider adding an additional discharge to the bottom of the live-well to stir-up the water and discharge the ammonia.

[Paintman77]

I read somewhere that menhaden work best with 1 bait per gallon. I’ve noticed a big improvement by not overcrowding the well. It’s not horrible and it definitely gets the job done I just feel like it could be a bit better.  So here’s the setup. One input at the top of the tank with one stand pipe. The second picture I’m not sure where these go. They came with the boat with the factory standpipes.  I never use the release well for its intended purpose more so the opposite. I use it as a fish box. It’s held some large cobia and a respectable mahi as of yesterday.  What if I ran the pump for the release well to the center well providing 2 pumps. One at the top one at the bottom. It may overtake the standpipe, but I could keep an eye on it and shut one off if need be. 🤷🏽‍♂️

[jh141]

That sounds like a plan. If the second pump is to much for the drain you could then plumb the top and bottom to a single pump. That is the way the newer Pathfinder wells are setup, An improvement both ways.

[SCFD rtrd.]

Two pumps into one live-well might work, but you should have a valve to gate down the water coming into the live-well from one of the pumps. The rule of thumb for drains is that the drain should have 3 to 4 times the surface area of the intake. This is because the intake is under pressure from the pump, but the drain is only gravity fed.

[smilemaker]

you need to add a bubbler.

get a 12 volt bubbler and run a off on switch

the next part is hard to explain but easy to do. 

go to big box store and buy a male and female nipple fitting to fit the bubbler hose. when screwed together you have the barbed fitting on each end. 

you will notice that the male threads have a hex lip for the wrench and the female has its edge. carefully drill a hole at the top of the livewell next to the shut off valve that is exactly the size of the male threads.  then screw the two together with silicone if desired and the lips will hold it in place. sloppy drilling is not tolerated. 

now you can mount the bubbler high  in the bilge and connect the small aquarium size hose. inside the livewell add hose and large flat aquarium stone.  you can remove the indide hose and air stone when not needed

 Your bait will be much happier.

on another note pogys don't like a strong spray beating down and foaming all their waste. external water coming in is best put in at the bottom of the tank so just add a hose on the existing fitting.

forget the recirculator and use the bubbler

 

[Paintman77]

Thanks for all the help guys. I went ahead and plumbed the other pump to the livewell at the bottom of the tank. I’ll try it out and see how it works. Neither input has a spray head in the livewell. Fingers crossed.