Eel Tank/Aquarium Pump
 

I need to get something good for a tank that's 10-15 gallons. The filter I got ain't gettin it done. The water gets really murky after about 36 hours.

Hoping someone can recommend a good brand and model that will allow me to go longer without having to change the water.

thanks!

-Luds

I would be interested in hearing something as well...I wind up changing the water just about every day. My tank is much larger about 45 gallons, so if i only have a a dozen or so eels I can go a few days without changing the water. Once I get about 10 lbs I have to change everyday, and sometimes twice a day when its really hot.

Luds, just go to a pet store and get a heavy duty filter that is meant for a 30 gallon tank and that should do it.

I was looking at your earlier thread and this one was mentioned. I may pick it up today. I think I'm going with the 40 gallon.

http://www.azgardens.com/filters_pumps.php

yeah that would totally do it! right now I only have two eels left in my rubbermaid container, which prob holds around 15-20 gallons and the water has been in there a week without any changing and it's all good. A dozen would need more changes though I would imagine so that is a good bet.

What pump are you using?

Just an aerator, no filter or anything. I started with 6 eels in there and I changed the water after 4 days

For what its worth, I use a 20-40 gal aerator I got from walmart for like 15 bucks. In my large tank I use 2, more so for the fact that if one fails I have a back-up. I also keep a spare one ready to swap in if one fails. I had one fail on me last year, only using one pump and I lost about 10 lbs of eels. It sucked as I had to toss them all since by the time I got home from work they had been sitting for at least 12 hrs.

10-15 gallons is too small. Get a 50 gallon plastic barrel, put a big spigot on the bottom to change the water. I use this set up with one air pump hooked up to an airstone and a foam filter and also have a powerhead attached to a foam filter. I keep 30-60+ eels no problem. A few die now and then but not many. I get by changing the water around once a week. Put this together for around $60-70. I ussally start off with low numbers for the first 3-6 weeks until the benefitial bacteria get going .

A chiller would really help but they are $$$$$$.

You should consider a tank that has good easy drainage. Eels need air and clean water after 36 hours.

Night prowler I use a 55 gallon live well,I use a Whisper 700 w/ a 4"air stone and a Aqua clear power head 702 with the foam filter attachment.I change the water every 2 week's or so depends on the death rate.
I clean the foam filter every so often,like when it gets cloged w/ dead skin and other goodies these slimy bastards leave behind.:yak4:
I do need to get some more bait saver.

If the water stays cool there doin alright!I would like to get my hands on a water tank cooler(office space type) That would be cheaper than a chiller.

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1 more.

Nice, whats the temp stay around with the tank buried in the ground? How do you change the water???? i have thought about using a cold plate for soda/beer in a cooler filled with ice to to chill the water.

A cold plate would be nice but you'll have to change the Co2 every so often,unless you can get it for free:musc:

I have a submersible pump that I drop in for a water change,it has a 1/2" hose and drains it fairly quick,I'll do a 60/40 water change when I need to.
Heres a pic I took last week during the semi heat wave,it was 89 outside and 62 in the tank!The tank get's zero sun light which is a big plus.

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wow
that is impressive 5/0
if i owned I would consider doing that. I never thought of actually buryig the tank to keep it cooler, thats a great idea.
I have an old trash can that I drilled a spigot into the bottom to drain with about 6 ft of tubing to keep it away from the house. I have a hose attached to the top for easy filling. I run the two pumps, which is 4 tubes with air stones on the end. I think it is a bit much, but as I said, I had a pump fail on me while at work and don't want that to happen again.
I keep it on my back deck, which gets minimal sunlight. When I first built the tank, I had a small space under a deck that was an ideal location. It was similar to where you have yours. The water never got above 65 degrees even in the hottest weather. That was before I started buying eels by the pound also, I probably only had about 2 dozen at the most at any given time. The required changing the water every 3-4 days.
Depending on how much water I put in and the amount of eels I have I don't have to change as frequently.
On really hot days I will throw in a bunch of ice before I leave for work in the am.

Awesome set up in the ground. Use mother Earth for the chiller.

This thread is too funny. Since I moved to Hyannis I have been very bummed at the average size of the eels (a lot smaller than Boston) and the hours the shops keep are just not condusive to my schedule.

Last week I bought a 10 gallon aquarium tank with a 20-30 Gallon aerator. I ran a small splitter off the main tube and am using two small stones. I am keeping it in the basement workshop so temp should not be a problem. I just treated the water with a teaspooon of Ammo Lock and a Teaspoon of Foam Off. A small sprinkle of Bait Saver Crystals and I think I am good to go. I am not going to use a filter as of yet. I will do the change 1/3 of the water every few days and see how that goes.

Off to get two dozen eels (my max until I know what my capacity will be). I also now have my Barnstable shellfishing permit and it allows me to fish eel traps and those go in this weekend also. Horseshoe crabs be scared.lol

I will updae in a week or so.

Anyone else use baitsaver crystals??? That the stuff some shops use that turn the water blue? What is it a anti-fungal /bacteria?? Prices?

I agree, 5/0 very impressive setup....

Thank's Guy's:kewl: I've burned through enough eels in my time to realize there's a better way to keep-em alive.There not getting any cheaper nor is gas so I've been improving along the way:scatter:

BP I think that Bait Saver Crystals is a big plus in keeping them fiesty,the Ammo Lock helps turn the ammonia to a film which cause's it to go the top of the tank,but it also prevents any other toxins from leaving the tank,kinda incase's it,I guess if you scoop off the film it'll help.
At one point I used a three stage mechanical filter,the middle stage you could put activated carbon in.I would mix in ammo chips,the chips would absorb some of the ammonia from waste and the carbon would do some cleaning.My filter chit the bed,so then I would put the Carbon & ammo chips in nylon stockings hang that in the tank & change every so often,it would work better if the water is forced through it.
Let us know how you make out w/ yours.

eels
 

I built a floating bait car with a screen bottom that I keep in a local stream. It's 24x24x 10" deep and the water flows thru it . I've had as many as 30 eels in it for weeks . One year I forgot about it in OCT and in Dec I was walking my dog and spotted it in the stream 2 months . 3 eels had fed on the other 5-6 and survived being frozen in the ice . I let them go inthe stream. Even in dry years as long as there is flow they will survive.

anybody feed there eels???
if so what?

If you have access to a stream or river that's the way to go,only problem is somebody stealing them:devil2:

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Why would you feed eels? there not pets, I've had eels for months and they don't need to be fed. 5/0 has proven to had success with filters ect. but I beg to differ, I mean you don't see shops with filters(at least the ones I've dealt with.) Eels themselves are hardy as long the water is clean. Eels will regurgatate(bait in pots) what they have eaten once you put them in the tank, its important to change that water more regularly at first but after they've been in there for a while the water doesn't need to be changed as frequently. The whole idea is to make it easy to keep eels then its worth it.

wow... thats committing right there. did ya call dig save before going down?

nice jobe.

I have never fed mine, and have had some for months. I have noticed that the ones that have been in there for a long time, tend to be very slender by the time i pull them out. Usually they are the smaller picked over ones anyway.
I seem to remember seeing something either here or in an article that people feed them to fatten them up.
For 3+ years I have never fed them anything and haven't had any significant issues.

heres a live well i use on the rare occasion i use eels or other live stuff...

Piemma made it- its got a bilge pump wired up for 12 volts that i have pugged into an inverter- when i want to, i can put it in my truck and take snapper blues or other baitfish for a drive..

Dont look to good, already a floater in there :hee:

Eh he's just getting ready for the early morning stretching routine.1-2-3:wiggle: 4

J/K Eben.
I don't care who you are,we all get floaters now & again.

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