Cleaning Livewell

[DeltaBound]

What is a good procedure for cleaning livewells? Simple Green or some other non toxic cleaner that would kill Quaga Larve?

[ash]

I use simple green in my livewells and bilge. Let it slosh with the water on your way home, pull the plug out empty the livewells and viola squeaky clean.

[big_gorilla]

BASS did a show on how to clean them a while back.

Fill up your livewells and pour in about a 2 cups of bleach. Then turn on your aerators and let them run for about five minutes to allow the bleach to run through it. Then drain them rinsing them out real well with the hose.

I did this and it worked real good. When I got to a lake i filled my livewells and ran them a little and then put a fish in to make sure it was ok. I realesed the fish a few hour later with no problem.

Good luck.

[scottsweet]

WOW...this is an expensive and laborious way to solve the problem after every tourney...2 cups? You would go through gallons of bleach. Also, a lot of work.

There is a less costly and more efficient way to accomplish the same result as mentioned. If you dry your livewells and drain your sump and then wipe the livewells down with something like a Simple Green, Tom Phillips product or even just Windex, you will get the job done.

I guess I would be a little concerned of remnant bleach around as well. If you didn't do a thorough rinsing and left concentrations of bleach anywhere where the water is, you could kill your fish that are put in the livewell. I used to be in to aquariums quite a bit and chlorine/fish do not mix well at all.

Just some other ideas to consider....

[Oldschool]

The bleach is the right chemical to use, just a lot less; 1/4 cup of bleach to 20 gallons of water will purify and kill the bacteria. The residue of any bleach after draining the water will not bother the bass or any other fish. Soap of any type can be fatal to fish becuase it coats their gills and prevents dissolved oxygen to be breathed.
If the live well have lots of scales and crawdad parts, you need to clean out the screens manually, then rinse out the well, followed by purify it with the bleach treatment.
Tom

[tunaman]

[clip] If you dry your livewells and drain your sump and then wipe the livewells down with something like a Simple Green, Tom Phillips product or even just Windex, you will get the job done.

Amonia is as fatal as chlorine, so I certainly wouldn't wipe mine down with Windex. That also won't do anything for the bilge area, which can't be wiped down and most likely has some residual standing water even after draining... I do believe the bleach process is most effective if done properly, but also Phillips' mussel treatment is effective, harmless and officially sanctioned.

Roger

[big_gorilla]

Scott it is the best way to clean it and I don't do it everytime out. I do it probably every 3 to 4 months. You don't have to use that much bleach you can cut back, and as for left over residue that is not an issue cuz I do rinse it out real well while running my aerators at the same time.

The cost isn't much and it should be the least of your concerns. Paying what we pay for boats and tackle we owe it to the fisheries not to transport native species.

Sorry to hear about what happened to you on the water at Castaic over the weekend. Hope you get your motor fixed soon.

[npangler]

I have had great results with the bleach method, works for me.

[buddy brown]

You guys are way off. Two shots of jagermeister kills everthing in the well. As for the bilge, a couple slices of kimchee will destroy everything.. I know not funny

[Bill Brown Jr.]

The bleach method works great, but only use 1/4 cup. Chlorine is a corrosive and will damage metal and pvc parts.

Make sure you rinse out the live wells and run clean water through your pumps as mentioned earlier. Also, check your fittings. The chlorine will break down and weaken the plastic and pvc plumbing which will make it more rigid. The first point of compromise will be where the flexible hose connects with the fitting. The hose will move more than the fitting and it will begin to crack at that pressure point. If you use cartridge type pump motors such as Mayfairs, remove the cartridge and carefully check the inside of the housing for signs of wear. This only needs to be done about once a month, if you are cleaning your livewell and bilges weekly. It will reduce the possibility of a system failure during a tournament.

Just my $0.02.

[big_gorilla]

OK next time I will use less.

Like others have said the key is rinse well with fresh water.

Kimchee is just nasty. ha ha

[Splash]

SureLife Laboratories (makers of Catch and Release and Please Release Me) make good livewell cleaner also.

[mark poulson]

When I was a kid, I raised tropical fish to sell. My Mom decided to help me one day. She was a heavy smoker, and, when she cleaned the inside of one of the tanks, all the fish died from the nicotine on her fingers. It doesn't take much to kill fish if it's the right chemical, for sure.

[scottsweet]

Thanks for the wishes...I lost my main engine right after the launch. Took it in on Saturday afternoon to a local Mercury dealer. They have ordered the replacement part and it is suppose to be done today.

I hope so...I have another tourney this weekend .