Bait tank questions

[broke]

What is the best location for the filter intake hose, at the top to pick up floating debri or at the bottom? Just wondering if scales float and would be picked up if the intake is at the top? I always see some scales on the bottom when I pump out the tank and also see them in the filter.
I have the pump on the bottom of the filter and the setup I have creats a circular flow to the water in the tank. Is this perferable or should the water be pumped straight into the tank so the water does not flow in the circular pattern? The moving water forces the bait to continually swim. Is this a good thing?
The water at the top now runs by gravity through a 1 1/2" hose into the top of the filter. There is a 1/2" mesh screen over the tank side of this hose. I empty the net into a tub with water in it and then transfer the bait fish to the bait tank with a small net. This seems to keep the water in the bait tank cleaner.
I also have a Cabelas "Power bubbles" aerator with the stone at the bottom of the tank.
I never see anyone on this forum talking about putting air bubbles in their tank. Is this neccessary?
Thanks
"Broke"

[mwardncsu]

Get a Dannco venturi aerator (http://www.danncollc.com/venturi.htm)- does a great job putting air into the water. The only downside I see is that it can affect your water temp as it is pulling ambient air and pushing it into the tank - so in the summer it will raise the temperature of the water over time and in the winter it will lower it - even with a good insulated tank.

As to location - the Super Bait Tank II & the Creek Bank have the intake on the bottom, with flow then going to the filter, overspill from the filter box then feeding the holding area for the pump. My SBT-II will hold some scales and debris in the center of the tank due to the circulation of the water - every so often I might stir it up to get the crap back into the water to filter out.

[broke]

Thanks, I believe I have it figured out now.

"Broke"

[CorneliaGale]

I looked at the different videos on the internet and figured out that most of the tanks feed out of the side at the bottom, gravity feed into a screen into a filter and pimped back into the tank, some into the top and some into the lower part of the tank at a angle to help the bait swim. some inject air into the tank. Lot if interesting videos and ideas out there, I am currently working on mine, a 30 gallon inside a 55 gallon drum, with a filter system like the superbait system, then most likely a air inject system to help with O2 in the water, insulating the tank with some closed cell foam and tyvec covering.
Good luck with yours

[broke]

I came to same conclusions as you have. I am remodeling my tank to work in the same manner with the exception the filter will be outside the tank and insulated.
I'll let you know how it performs. Luck with yours as well

[Brian]

I'm confused by your description of "gravity feed into the filter" The pump is before the filter, right? It pumps from the intake to the top of the filter and then runs through the filter into the tank?

[CorneliaGale]

I did a google search for filter system, and I found the Bluewater system and looked at it and it explains and shows a picture of the tank and system, I used the model and came up with my own filter system somewhat like the one they use. here is a link to the site

www.bluewaterbaittanks.com/filter.cfm

so you can see how it works the same as the Superbait II I think