Bass Fishing Forums - The Bassholes banner

Livewell oxygen injection systems, oxygenators, hydrogen peroxide and science

7K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  billnorman 
#1 ·
This is for you guys that appreciate real fishery science as it related to conservation, tournament bass care in angler bass boat livewells and livewell oxygenation. If you the fisherman that likes advertisement and infomercials, you might be turned off with the science and facts offered here.

You might choose to look at the science before you waste more of your hard earned money buying and rigging up more (junk) mechanical aerators, water pumps, oxygenators and 3% hydrogen peroxide trying to oxygenate you livewell water.

Sadly, most fishermen fail to understand the difference between air and oxygen which are 2 different gases. Air is mostly nitrogen and check out Henry’s gas Law in any Chemistry book (check out the real facts, Google Henry's Gas Law and see how this really works for yourself).

The Law says the amount of gas that will dissolves in water at any given temperature is dependent on the partial pressure of that gas. That’s why aeration, adding more air or water pumps etc. won’t/can’t increase the dissolve oxygen and you’re just wasting your money on a meaningless exercise that won’t work.

If you want more oxygen then you must add more oxygen, more than is in air. That’s why when people need oxygen, you see oxygen mask used in hospitals, not electric fans pretending to be administering oxygen… not to be arogant, but the difference is very plain to see when you understand what you are really seeing... get it?

You have some choices: If you really want to fix your low oxygen problem because you say you’re a conservation minded and want to take the best possible care of your fish in your livewell, the technology and know how is here and has been for several years… well, here’s the science published by Texas Parks & Wildlife, Inland Fisheries Division, San Antonio, TX, you must decide just how much fish care you’re willing to provide, that’s the true confessions part.


Enjoy the fishery science fellows:

Published 6/2011
Oxygenation of Livewells to Improve Survival of Tournament-Caught Bass by Fishery by Biologist Randy Myers and Jason Driscoll
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/didyouknow/inland/livewells.phtml

Published 6/2011
Oxygen Injection Systems http://www.slideshare.net/raminlandfish/livewell-oxygen-injection-8773301
This is how all fish hateheries oxygenate their livewell transport water hauling live bass. They are real experts.

Published 2-14-2012
Hydrogen Peroxide - A total of 12 one-hour experiments were conducted with oxygen levels measured every 10 minutes. http://www.slideshare.net/raminlandfish/hydrogen-peroxide-for-bass-boat-livewells

Published 2-14-2012
AquaInnovations Oxygenator
http://www.slideshare.net/raminlandfish/the-oxygenator-how-effective-is-it

TD
 
See less See more
G
#2 ·
I'll say this. I use to only recalculate the water with a spray head and ended up killing fish. I then changed the head over to a flow rite and then added a 2nd aerator with a flow rite air intake and have had no problems since. I'm sold on that system and there is no study in the world that can prove my experience wrong. Truth be told, I understand the science of adding real oxygen to the live well but it just cost too much to the average tournament angler. I enjoyed reading the results you posted, in particular the H2O2. I always thought that was a gimmick, good to see some proof behind it. For me, i'm taking away from this, if your in a bind, a bottle of H2O2 may be the ticket to save the fish.

Thanks for the post! Look forward to your future ones!
 
#4 ·
I also changed out my pumps to bigger units. I added an air pump also. I always add ice and rejuvenade and change out the water often. Iv never lost a fish since I started doing this, and they are so lively they wont be still when they are being weighed. I understand the Oxygen system is a great thing, but I dont believe you will ever see a lot of them in use unless the cost comes down. I like the way my system works and I see no need to change anything.
 
#5 ·
The oxygen system doesn't have to be expensive. A diffuser, small bottle of oygen, inexpensive regulator, and hose is what is needed. The diffuser you can find, a 20 or 40 cubic foot cylinder of oxygen for welding is all you need for an outing, the purity is the same as medical O2, I used to fill them. Just find a way to secure the cylinder, run the hose and hook up the diffuser and you are good to go.
Rodney
 
#6 ·
More Science to Much on before the nest tournament.

We all know that Salesmanship is all about making money and that is the point of the tournament bass fishing industry from the boat mfgs., to the rod and reel mfgs., to the to the tournament organizers.

You get to choose between testimonial and advertisement vs. fisheries science published by fish physiologist (real fish doctors) when it comes to those livewell additives.

Are you buying livewells chemicals because of peer pressure because according to this research, the bass in your livewell don’t need any of this stuff. You may have been “had again.”

Effectiveness of Livewell Additives on Largemouth
Bass Survival
Kenneth G. Ostrand,* Michael J. Siepker, David H. Wahl
http://fwspubs.org/doi/pdf/10.3996/092010-JFWM-037

CONCLUSION OF STUDY

Our results suggest that the use of livewell water
additives, such as salt and ice or their combination, does
not significantly reduce tournament-related mortality. Collectively,
these results suggest that the addition of livewell
additives does not enhance fish survival following
competitive angling events… our results
suggest the use of salt and ice are not warranted.


As a result, we encourage
anglers to practice proper fish handling practices as well
as maintain good water quality within livewells, as
opposed to altering water quality with additives.

Back to these studies and research (posted above) from TPWD about the paramount importance of dissolved oxygen in the scheme of maintaining good livewell water quality.

Am I hearing some of you say that buying a $100-$200 oxygen injection system to provide the best possible bass boat livewell care cost too much and isn’t worth it when your riding in a $35,000 bass boat, fishing with a $400 rod and reel, sporting a $300 pair of sunglasses… is that really your choice of bass care? Don’t mean to put you on the spot but that is the reality of bass tournament conservation from the fisherman’s point of view for the vast majority...
Really?

TD
 
#7 ·
for anyone that thinks the cost is to much think of it like this . what if a dead fish penalty cost you money i know over 20 years penalties have cost me way more than a couple hundred bucks . then theres the image and we've all seen it after a hot post spawn tourney of dead fish and those about to die at landings. tourney fisherman have a bad enough rep in some places without this image . this thread had good timing as i was just searching around for better livewell systems after i stayed for over an hour Saturday after our tourney reviving fish in a oxygenated tank.good news is i think we saved about a dozen that would have otherwise died .
 
#8 ·
A livewell O2 system should cost under 100$, a 20 cubic foot bottle of O2, a single stage regulator, hose and diffuser are cheap. You only need enough pressure to star the diffuser bubbling and O2 refills are cheap. As far as water quality, why doesn't any one mention the build up of CO2, lactic acid, ammonia and a few other negative byproducts of live fish? These can cause as much long term harm as a lack of O2, they are best addressed by changing out water, not all of it but enough to cut back on the amount of the chemicals. Ice is good, cooling the water a bit allows for more O2 to be dissolved into the water, care must be taken to not lower the temp to where you are shocking the fish when you place them into the water or you can cause long term damage. Bass are a hardy fish and can withstand a fair amount of mistreatment but it should be kept to a minimum.
Rodney
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top