20 Gallon Bait Tank Build Project

Blue_Runner

Blue_Runner

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I want to start doing some livebaiting for stripers on the area lakes using mainly hickory and threadfin shad. These boogers require an act of congress to keep them alive. I had a 20 gallon tub laying around for years that I've alway wanted to use. My good buddy Garrett has an extensive background in stucco work, that coupled with his desire to catch the landlocked freshwater stripers is all I needed to get this project going. That and the ever-so-important input from the V20's most notorious striper king - Reelapeelin.

Here's the build pics. They are pretty self explanatory. I don't have the pump in yet and Reel says we gotta insulate the bottom so I'll circle back and add those pics once done. The tub is wrapped with 2 layers of 1/2 inch styrofoam, then another 3/4 sheet of styrofoam. Next is 2 layers of fiberglass mesh bedded in with some kind of rubber coating stuff and topped with an additional 3 - 4 coats of the rubber-like stuff. Garrett did a fantastic job...I only helped a little with gluing the first 2 layers of foam, he did the rest.


Here it is:
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Thanks guys, I wish I was that good Rwilson....that is my buddy in the pics. He did most of the work. At first we planned on making a redneck bait tank but it morphed into this. And I'm glad it did. It turned out about 100 times better than I ever thought! It will be interesting to see how well it holds up. I still have not found anywhere local to get the pump system Reel told me to get. I'm not too worried about it b/c I'll be at the beach this weekend and near a West Marine. They should have it if not sold out.
 
Shawsee, get yourself a round or oval tub/container b/t 20 - 30 gallons....I'll tell you exactly what we did and all the materials you need.

Piece of cake! Reely!
 
I don't think it was actually stucco...heck I don't know what it is. It is some kind of rubberized waterproof coating over fiberglass mesh. I do remember him saying he could use the other stuff but it would be 10 x heavier than this stuff. Thanks Tsub! I'll send the compliments to my buddy.
 
BS - I've had it for 8 or 10 years. One of my bro-in-laws got it for me. I'm not sure where he got it but it did not contain liquid, rather I think it was a container for some sort of beads. I wish I knew where to get my hands on more.

All of my projects seem to be on this 8 - 10 year plan, go figure.
 
Blue you dont need a pump. just put a overflow pipe in the top with a piece of mesh on it and pour on a bucket of water every once in awhile, wprks great
Nice job
 
That is awesome! Isnt' there a west marine in Columbia?

Also, I have two of those tubs, and would love to build one of those! Can you pm me the materials etc? What a great job! Is it portable, or will it be mounted in the boat... Thanks again. Craigan. Oh, and i'm just on the other side of columbia above camden, sc. Nice to find other scarolinians here.
 
Oh, and I bought the tubs I have I got from a yardsale one day. The guy said they used to contain some sort of beads like Blue said, and were used at a local plant somewhere down near Conway. Not much help, but for what it's worth the guy was selling them for 50 cents a piece and the two I have left have lids with them.
 
It is a portable tank. It will be self-contained and primarily used with hickory and threadfin shad in my V and in dad's little boat.

BC here is what you need:

1/2" styrofoam sheets - enough to wrap around 2 x
3/4" styrofoam sheets - enough to wrap around 1 x

Clean the exterior of the tub and dry thoroughly then ruff up with coarse sandpaper and you are ready to start.

Use 3M Sta-Put spray adhesive (follow instructions on can) to stick the foam on the tub leaving an overhang which you can cut off with a sharp knife later.

We used the sta'put in the blue can.
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Once you stick the foam and trim edges - we beveled the edges - you can use sandpaper on the foam to smooth out the bevels.

On the fiberglass mesh, we used stucco mesh as seen in the pics. Below is a pic of some I found online. Basically he put a bed coat of the rubberized coating directly on the foam and pressed the mesh into it, then went back over the whole deal 4 more times or so w/ rubberized coating, smoothing each time. He let the mesh overhang on the top and bottom then put slits every inch or so in order to wrap the bevels.

Then paint and lid. The yellow seal on the lid is an old garden hose w/ caulking.

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Today I ordered the keepalive conversion kit part # KA200CB. It converts a Rule 360GPH bilge pump to an aerator. The kit was $48.31 which included the shipping charges.

Next I promptly ordered a Rule 360GPH bilge pump (non-auto) on eBay for $23.95 (I know I paid too much but can't find this locally!!).

I should get this stuff next week and install it soon after. Will update.
 
Appreciate it Slinger....Thanks to Reel for giving me advice! Its nice to have somebody with a couple decades of experience in keeping shad alive. :clap:
 
Looking good BR.....suprised that Walmart didn't have the pump you needed, or Gander Mtn, or Bass Pro (easy drive to either from your crib).

Let me know when you figure out the fish, I want to learn too.
 
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