How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

[chad711]

I just bough my boat and it's my first one. I know how to get water into the livewell but how do you cycle water out and fresh water in? I'll be on the lake for 6+ hours at a time and was wondering about this?

It's a 95' Nitro 170 TF

Thanks

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

Very similar to a toilet it has a tube that overflow water flows out of back to the lake. The pump brings fresh water in and gravity pulls it back out.

 

[chad711]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

ok thanks. Is there a time frame you follow for how often you cycle it?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

the floaters will clue you in.

Serously, all fish are different; some suck out all the O2 quickly and some could live forever in a baggie. depends on fish size and numbers, plus size of tank.

Durnig your six hours you'll be moving around; run the pumps any time the motor is on. And you shouldn't run down a good battery running it for a couple of hours stopped. You can also get cheap battery (D cell) aerators to drop in there if you are nervous about the boat battery.

This is also why some folks have two batteries although IMO on a 17' it may be too much.

 

[chad711]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

Thanks. I have two in there now but one is for the troller

 

[Boatist]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

Boats I have been on have two pumps a fill pump and a circulate pump. If you running in fresh water and your fish or bait are also freshwater fish, then when your running turn on the fill pump. If salt water and your bait is a salt water fish then same thing. Make sure the over flow line is open and not plug up. Overflow should have a screen to stop bait from plugging up the overflow or stopping it up. When you stopped or drifting then you set the fill pump to the timer side. The fill pump on most boats I have been on have a manual fill but flip the other way and is a timer mode. Some timer are fixed but I think most are adjustable. Example in timer mode the fill motor on time is adjustable. You can set to be on for 1 minute in every 5 minutes. You can adjust to on 2.5 minutes out of every 5 minutes or any where in between.

If you have salt water bait or fish and you run up a fresh water stream for gas or lunch then you turn off the fill pump and use the circulate pump. Some of these pumps also have timer switches. Only thing here is you need to keep an eye on the temperature and add ice to keep it cool. The circulate pump also sucks some air or sprays back into the water to create air in the water.

Some baits like anchovies will die if you use a aerator.

http://www.iboats.com/Marine-Electr...767975956--submit.x.24--submit.y.5--view_id.5

 

[5150abf]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

Youc an get a livewell timer, either set time or adjustable that will run your poump every so often to keep fresh water in the well.

I am sure you can get that here at iboats adn for a good price.

On mine I have a pump in, pump out and a recirculator, this requires 3 pumps a couple switches and some wires but it is pretty handy.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

Livewell timers for single pump systems are very effective. Set it to RUN and the pump will run continuously. When the livewell is full, set it to AUTO and the pump will cycle every 3 minutes or so and run for 30 seconds or so. Excess water simply goes out the overflow. They can be had for $30 - $40 and are simple to install in place of the existing ON-OFF switch.

 

[HAV2FISH]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

Check the live well switch on your boat, I'll bet you already have a live well timer on it. Push the switch up and it turns on the pump continuously, push the switch to the down position and this will run the timer on the pump, the middle position is off. Most bass boats come set up this way now.

 

[chad711]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

Check the live well switch on your boat, I'll bet you already have a live well timer on it. Push the switch up and it turns on the pump continuously, push the switch to the down position and this will run the timer on the pump, the middle position is off. Most bass boats come set up this way now.

My boat is a 95 Nitro Rick Clunn Edition. I don't think it has it but i will check.

 

[Boatist]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

Make sure the drain plug is in and turn on the fill pump. When live well get full water will run out the overflow and back into the water.

 

[mccormrj]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

Novice fisherman/boater here. I have a 1997 Wellcraft 160CCF. Not quite sure how to operate or T/S the livewell. Livewell under seat. Switch to livewell but it doesn't fill but manually drains if I add water. Is the pump located in the rear with or adjacent to the bilge pump? Do I need to have the "Acccessory" switch on also? Any suggestions to operate, locate, or troubleshoot would be most appreciated.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: How do you cycle fresh water into livewell?

Novice fisherman/boater here. I have a 1997 Wellcraft 160CCF. Not quite sure how to operate or T/S the livewell. Livewell under seat. Switch to livewell but it doesn't fill but manually drains if I add water. Is the pump located in the rear with or adjacent to the bilge pump? Do I need to have the "Acccessory" switch on also? Any suggestions to operate, locate, or troubleshoot would be most appreciated.

I have a 99 Wellcraft a little bigger. I don't know how they set your model up but mine is set up with a combination livewell/washdown pump in the rear next to the battery compartment. The pump is black in color, under the center console there is a lever that switches from washdown to livewell. Turn your switch on and stick your head in the bilge compartment if you hear the pump running the pump is probably OK and the lever under the CC is probably turned to washdown. Oh also if this is your setup there will be a hosebib with a black cap on it somewhere in your center console, take the cap off and connect a hose to use the washdown. If the pump doesn't work it will cost you about $125 for a replacement. It is a Johnson washdown pump. I never use the washdown because I boat strictly in saltwater and I can't see spraying everything down with saltwater.