Eel tank drainage?

[Young Salt]

How are you guys draining your eel tanks? What I did last year was screw a garden hose to a plastic valve near the bottom of the tank. Problem is that i cant find any plastic valves that fit garden hoses. I want to keep it simple and avoid using metal hardware if i can.
I keep my tank outdoors, how do you basement guys drain the water?

[Diggin Jiggin]

I've got a barrel that I use that I drilled small 1/4 inch drain holes all the way around the top maybe 6" down. In the lid which fits securley, I drilled a hole about 1" around, big enough for the hose.

I stick the hose in and push it to the bottom of the barrel, and turn on the hose for 3 or 4 minutes. The old water gets pushed out the drain holes at the top...

[GattaFish]

Originally Posted by Young Salt

How are you guys draining your eel tanks? What I did last year was screw a garden hose to a plastic valve near the bottom of the tank. Problem is that i cant find any plastic valves that fit garden hoses. I want to keep it simple and avoid using metal hardware if i can.
I keep my tank outdoors, how do you basement guys drain the water?

Try lowes to get a garden hose adapter that will fit your ball valve... If not then a Plumbing supply house should have something,,,,

Boater supplier should have a thru-hull fitting.

[Goose]

Young Salt,, that's the same valve I use, drains fast. A good valve is important

[piemma]

I use an old cooler, Just open the drain and refill

[riverrat2]

I use an old feed tank, Fill it up with about 15lbs of eels, when I use em all I turn it over and re-fill. Keeping eels is about as far from rocket science as possible.

[tpoliti]

Young Salt, pick up a nipple to fit that valve, then attach a pipe to hose connector, which will allow you to hook a hose up to it. The threads are completely different between pipe and hose. It's no big deal, just another fitting or 2. Any hardware store will have what you need.

Tony

[Gunpowder]

Originally Posted by piemma

I use an old cooler, Just open the drain and refill

yeppp same here... hows RI going Piemma... lots of birds yet?

[5/0]

Submersible bilage pump my tank is 55 gallons & four feet under ground.

[keeperreaper]

Bob your eel condo is the HEAT!!!!

[Nebe]

youngsalt, you can use a garden hose with that valve- you just have to screw in an adaptor.... Id just use 5200 and caulk in a piece of plastic tubing that just fits in the threads..

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Gunpowder

yeppp same here... hows RI going Piemma... lots of birds yet?

Hey GP:
Don't know as I have been traveling on business "forever". Currently up in Napa Valley CA till Sunday.
No fish but a lot of wine.

[ProfessorM]

Make something you machinist you. I have done it many times. You need a piece of PVC ? or go to plumbing supply store get right pvc pipe fitting to fit the ball valve on one end, chuck it up in lathe and turn and thread other side. Take you 5 min. I have a 100 gallon tank buried in the ground I use for herring and eels. I just drop a small cheap sump pump in the thing occasionally and pump it out in 10 min. Has garden hose on other end which I direct at the neighbors shrubs. Here are a couple of the 7 I have. First one is my herring transport tank. Second my boat livewell. You can see where I glued in a piece of PVC that was threaded for a garden hose on all of them. I also make and install a large 1.5 inch plug at the very bottom of all my tanks for easy fast draining. Dave you should be able to handle it. If not take it out and send to me and i will do for you.

[ProfessorM]

A couple more. Barrel is 4 feet in ground. 7 foot overall length. I got tired of digging to put it all under. Fitting at ground level drains about 1/2 of tank rest is done by sump pump but normally don't drain all the water. 1/3rd is usually plenty to refresh. Pretty hard to kill eels. Herring are another matter.

[Young Salt]

ok i went to lowes and found a fitting the works. I swear i went to 2 different home depos before posting this thread and they didn't have it.

Sorry I took so long getting back to this tread....got lots of other fishing stuff going on lately.

Paul, i couldnt make this at work because i have about 4 other projects ive been meaning to get to

[Young Salt]

here's another livewell I made last week...watertight and the best part is it's just barely short enough to fit inside my truck with the cap on it.

[Young Salt]

last pic

[ProfessorM]

Looks good. Better if you can buy it than make it sometimes.

[Young Salt]

ya....it would've taken me longer to find the tools and some stock....for the $2-3 it cost it wasnt worth it.