Custom Bait tank
 

I have been thinking of upgrading my bait tank, I have the 5 gallon bucket with the basic 360 GPH. I was looking at this (http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2811537) and was wondering if this can me made to fit on the x-factor and would like others feedbacks and pictures of their custom tanks on x-factors or something similar to its design to fit it in. Maybe get a thru hull pump to fit thru the scupper hole?

That looks cool. I'm going to go check them out. But, in my opinion you can't beet the common 5 gallon bucket. No corners means the bait lives longer and is less beat up. Especially sardines. Plus, I found that whatever the shape and size you choose it just fits better when it's placed in a milk crate. The xfactor has a molded seat for a milk crate.

Dude that looks like it will work

I also like the idea of having the hatch facing my back to make it easier on getting the bait, it's a little PITA doing Marco Polo game on the 5 gallon bucket with these mackies. I'm gonna stop by the PetSmart to see its dimension and confirm the fitment before I go ahead with the idea.

Petco tank
 

I think I saw those at Cosco for $27.00 last week.

I have an X-factor and I have one of those containers to store my dogs food in. It will fit in the rear of the X-factor, only down side is that the container is pretty big, it might be a little to much weight when you start filling it up.

Somewhere in the archives here on BWE there is a thread from a guy who used a pet food container to make a bait tank. The finished project looked good. I can't remember if there were any reports on how well it worked.

If I were working on the project, I would model the water intake and drain system on the Hobie LiveWell which has a similar shape. Just make sure you design it so the water will not drain out when the power is turned off, (a flaw in the current Hobie design that is easily fixed).

The OEX stores are currently selling a bait tank similar to what you are planning to build. Here is the link. http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/...it-Tank/Detail

It does not have a through-scupper intake system but probably works very well anyway.

Bob

Bob-how is the Hobie water problem easily fixed? Mine drains out. I never thought about fixing it...now i want to! :cheers1:

bait tank
 

I built this ones in an hour out of seven ply water proof glue plywood ,stainless screws.and gorilla glue.It's two years old and there has been no matenance at all.If the water level is too high you just keep adding holes till it stabalizes where you want.I have had twenty nice greenies in and the only ones that died were those that were injured while being caught.It will hold a couple bass for those release tourneys too.Cost was less then ten bucks but then I did have the plywood laying around....a 4x8 sheet should build about six of these.

:eek: Will that plywood swell up or put heavy weight on the yak?

I beat you to Pet Mart. I bought the new bait tank for $20. It's on sale now. I added some stainless loops/screws to tye down the tank. I added marine goop to the inside of the screws to keep the bait from getting torn up. The tank combined with the 500 keeps the bait perfect. For my drain line I went to Home Depot and bought a 2 ft section of pool/spa hose in plumbing and got the matching white pvc pipe with threads and a threaded cap. Use a rotozip or dremel to carefully cut drain holes in the cap. The only thing I have not done was make a angled base to keep the tank level. The tanks sits at a slight angle in the yak. It still works at the funky angle. I take some photo's of it when I make the base.

I agree...(sort of) Lots of guys use the pet food containers cause they come with the cool spin off lid. Other than that the standard bucket is best due to the round shape. Before the Hobie tank I currently use, I used a 3.5 gallon bucket from OSH hardware. It has the same size lid opening as the 5 gallon version only it is lighter and is the same height as a milk crate. Saves a bit of weight since 5 gallons of water is not needed to keep your dozen or so macs alive all day and works just as well with 'dines and 'chovies. If you really want a lid on your tank and like the spin off type on the petco ones, you can find them online and just put it on your bucket.

-Steve

The corners are rounded in the pet food container. The bait does not get messed up. I even left my last bait in the tank with a little sea water when I went home. My boys wanted to try the mackrel. 5 out of 8 were still alive after a 20 ride home. Crazy.

Geoff,

Check out my post in the Share Your Innovations thread. Basically you attach a 90 degree elbow to the pump and put a piece of hose on the end of the elbow. The hose should be long enough to extend above the water line in the tank when it is full. This way, if your tank gets turned off, (I do it all the time by mistake), the water will not drain out. The mod costs pennies and takes just a couple of minutes to install.

If you have specific questions, please PM me.

Bob

It's not light,compared to me just a feather weight, but the price was right for me!Once it is wet it just kinda stays wet and salt water keeps it from rotting...probably get another two or three years out of it.The next one I'll make about two inches shorter.

Pet food container bait tank. I don't use the lid.

http://home.earthlink.net/~webpics/images/%2313.jpg

My $.02
 

I have been meaning to post my projects in the innovations tab.. but for starters..

I used a standard 5 gallon bucket. I put that inside a mik crate. My pump sits inside the crate (in the front corner) and goes through the scupper just like the hobie tanks would. The crate makes a great housing to work with and mount the pump, hoses, drain, and battery box in.. And keeps it all contained, but not inside the actuall bucket. I have also mounted rod holders to the back of the crate. There is room inside the crate still to stick waters, lunch etc.. its very versatile. The pump has a $5 "check valve" from hom depot mounted to it. This prevents backflow when turned off, and eliminates the need to re-prime once turned off/on. See pics..

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...9/DSC05184.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...9/DSC05185.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...9/DSC05186.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...9/DSC05187.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...9/DSC05190.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...9/DSC05200.jpg

that angled pet container is tits -- got mine at petsmart. OEX has all the hardware to trick it out and make work nice. holds 20 greenbacks easy.

I use exactly what you are talking about and am very happy with its performance and versatility. I don't know what the dimensions are for the X-Factor rear well, but it fits nicely in my Trident 15. Mine has water level adjustment, scupper feed and exhaust and doubles as dry safe storage for surf launches and landings. I can easily keep cured Sardines alive and lively for 10 hours with no pump malfunctions.
http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/u...w/P3300221.jpg
I have the pump and exhaust tubes running through the scuppers. The inlet on the tank is on the top, so no back-flow problem with the pump off.
http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/u...w/P3300222.jpg
My pump fits well down inside the scupper making it nearly self-priming (need to lean to that side a little). Thinking about just adding the anti-siphon valve to prime once and forget about the lean.
http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/u...w/P3300219.jpg
I also use a piece of foam to hold the pump in place securely in the scupper, and have a screw on connector holding a piece of window screen on the bottom.
http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/u...w/P3300217.jpg
The exhaust tube is also the water level adjustment piece too. The PVC tube slides through a compression fitting allowing me to raise, lower and drain my tank.
http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/u...w/PB030249.jpg
http://i650.photobucket.com/albums/u...w/PB030247.jpg
Since this pic I have cut off about half of the outside piece protruding from the bottom. The PVC pipe will slide into the tank completely in the high water level position, but does not extend below the bottom of my yak in the lowest level that I would use. If you want more info, feel free to pm me.

you can buy those twist off gamma lids in black, at True Value.

Thos epet food containers not on sale are damn near 40 bucks.