Eel tank source

[Goose]

This will be placed indoors, have its own drainage and tap water intake attached to the tank along with air.. Some of the things I'm lookin in a tank is: insulation //cover //rectangular in shape //hold 36+ eels(70gal.??)

Changing water every other day gets old. Useing bigger values I think could make water changes alot easier.

I can't kick the mini van outa the garage so it can't be to big either.

From experience... any good sources or ideas anyone???

[mikecc]

Tony
Go look at a few feed and grain stores (Agway) they sell "Universals"
used as watering tanks for animals. they are Black (good for eels) and come in a variety of sizes. also comes with a drain

[capesams]

and most come in black which I do beleive is the best color for keeping eel's.

[snake slinger]

why do you like black.thanks snake

[Roger]

Originally Posted by Goose

This will be placed indoors, have its own drainage and tap water intake attached to the tank along with air..

You'll need to get rid of the chlorine in the tap water too.

[Goose]

Roger, anything in mind?

[Roger]

Charcoal filtration will work, but I don't know how big of a filter is needed. I suspect it has to do how much chlorine you have. So.. I don't know.

Exposure to air also allows the chlorine to escape, but that involves standing water for 24 hours. It gets away from your concept of open the drain and turn on the fill.

Aquariuim fish can take a 10% change directly with tap water, and eels are a bit tougher. I just don't now where the limit is.

[Goose]

I was hopeing to hear a teaspoon of this or that...goal is less hassel not more.

[mikecc]

Tony I posted a link but i do not see the post any longer. maybe removed ??

try equatic eco systems they have a website. they will answer any questions that you have.They have filtration systems ar big as Tractor trailors down to 5 gallon tanks

Found my lost post here is the link

http://aquaticecosystems.com/

[capesams]

I've had black eel's go from ..black to lt.green to lt.grey in a white tank.

[Van]

Do you want a plastic 55 gallon drum?

[cheferson]

If your gonna use a filter itd be wise to start cycling it now with some gold fish or other hard to kill varieties. Having a cycled filter will really help keep the water cleaner, and the eels alive and stress free longer. It takes about 30 days to cycle, do a search at aqaurium websites on cycling tanks, will give you the rundown.

[redcrbbr]

tony, you could always come by my house and get water. not too far from you

[MakoMike]

If you want to cycle a filter you don't need fish, just dump an ounce of pure ammonia into the water. If you run into ammonia buildup problmes down the road there is a product called "Amquel" that will neutalize its effect on fish. A google search should turn up sources for it. It come in gallon sizes which are much cheaper than the little bottles you'll find in pet shops.

[snake slinger]

thanks cape.ive goten off colar eels at some shops that would explane it

[Goose]

Tanks alot guys.

At the Aquatic site they had just the tanks I was lookin for but I think I can find or make something and end up saving a ton. Thanks anyway Van & Red

[mikecc]

Tony
I got the catalog at the store.it can give you a lot of ideas

[Goose]

Just thought I'ld throw this out there....

I had a furnance guy doing work at my place today, I asked him what he thought about which way was the best to keep water cool to keep bait alive. He said if I could get my hands on a water bubbler it would work well. He said they have thermostat in which I control water temps. I would think 'The Want Ad' would have that sort of thing used. He also mentioned if you know office buildings, schools or food stores that are to close down they often give those away so if anybody comes acro$$ one lemme know I know somebody who's lookin for one

[Mr. Sandman]

I thought of putting a a big bait tank in but I have a shop so close by and decided against it. If the town tinkers with your water, (and the do several times each summer) they all die. Nothing like 200# of dead eels stinking up the joint. I know buying by the # is alot cheaper but I worked out a decent deal and always keep 5-10 doz scattered around the island in buckets tied to docks or morrings.
What I would really like is a walk-in freezer and an comm ice maker! (A friend just bought a used comm ice maker, I told him " we need to talk")

[chief10]

Goose- i use a black rubbermaid 75 gallon feed tank you can find at a agway dist. they are about $100.00. inside I have a 1800 gph rule pump with a hose attached. I built a plywood top that is bolted to the plastic tank and cut out a 5" +/- for an aerator. during the herring season I can keep 36 herring for a couple days. The bottom of the tank comes with a drain you can attach a hose with shutoff valve. I have a 25' garden hose I run out of my garage and down a slope to drain. I only use the tank to save time on my fishing days ,rather than keep them for long periods of time. In the summer ( june/july most of august) I don't use it. In the fall I'll start buying eels and I'll keep them in there until late november. With eels I barely use the aerator , just the pump. During the herring season I use baitsaver and foam-off they both work well.

[Goose]

Sandman, I hear ya on the ice maker. I bring frozen water milk gal.,its alright but nothin like cubes. Cheif that sounds like a sweet set-up. It looks as if mine will be strickly eel tank. I'm going to use a fish tote, I'm putting a large rubbermaid container inside which I will drill out to act as a strainer to retreive them. Just useing the pump what was your alive/loss ratio??

[chief10]

Goose- the kill ratio was next to nothing. I think taking them out putting them on ice, transporting them to the beach, then bringing the unfished ones home resulted in some dead ones. I also used a small amount of stress coat solution, you can find it at any pet store. it takes the chlorine out. back to the herring tank, I weighted the hose down on the 1800 gph pump so it wouldn't go ballistic in the tank.when I put the first batch herring in I checked on them about an hour later, they were all stacked up in perfect rows about 4 wide, staging into the current made from discharge.

[Jessejames]

Hey guys-Recently registered-first post.

I just started using eels last season and made do with picking up bait as needed. I have a 100gal black rubbermaid tank with a constant input/overflow system pumped from a runoff creek next to the house- seasonally used for ice fishing(shiners), it works great. I 'm wondering how long I can expect eels to last in this thing.

[piemma]

The eels change color based on the color of the bottom of where they are living. I use to use an old Igloo cooler that was white. My eels would turn light green. I painted the bottom black and they stayed black.

[Fishpart]

JJ Welcome. They will last forever, I keep eels in a hole filled bucket in a stream and they last a long time.. If you can keep them shaded even better. I don't know what to feed them, but I know they get hungry. Earthworms maybe...

[piemma]

I have a spring fed pond on my property and for awhile kept eels in a shiner bucket in the pond. Fine until mid-summer when it gets too warm and they die.
As for food, the eels I keep in my tank do get hungry and I found that you can get tiny dried shrimp at any pet supply store. About 3 bucks for a can and it will last you all season.

[RIROCKHOUND]

P,
What about sinking them in the pond (like a metal eelpot with no escape/entry holes... used to use one at the dock till it rusted out (a few seasons) kept em out of the sun a bit too....
B

[Jessejames]

Thanks guys,

I hadn't considered feeding them-figuring the food would just leave with the overflow. I'll have to think about that one?

[piemma]

I did sink them in the pond. The water apparently got to warm and they expired.