Need help designing a livewell !

I have a 14 ft. polarcraft flat bottom jon that has a gravity feed livewell in the middle bench seat that i would like to add pumps and aerators to to make it automatic. I dont have a clue how to go about this, if there is anyone that could help me i would be grateful.

post up some pics

It is a rather easy concept, but will take some doing and a bit of skill. You will need to mount your pump so that you can get fresh water (usually done through the transom). You would then need to run the hose to a filler hole or spray bar. Then you run another hose as an overflow. You wire the pump to and automatic timer and that is about it. The pump will put fresh water in the livewell via the automatic switch and it will overflow through the overflow hose. Pretty simple, but will take a bit of skill to get it accomplished.

Where do you live? Maybe there is a member that is nearby.

Go to system builder-- https://www.flow-rite.com/files/flash/systembuilder.html

I am very interested to see how you do this. I have a "livewell" in the middle seat of my boat (basically a tank with a drain in the bottom) too and I have been ruminating about how to make it functional with aeration etc.

Yep, pretty easy. You will need a thru hull fitting like one of these:Thru Hull Fittings
Put this where your drain is now, this will be your water pick up. You can also find clamshell or strainer type water pick up thru hull fittings of you frequent water that is real mossy or grassy.

Your over flow needs to be at least 2 times the size of your pick up. So 3/4 inch pick up needs 1.5 inch overflow; otherwise your pump may overburden the overflow and start filling the boat. You can also use 2 3/4 inch overflows if you need to. The over flows need to have strainers on them to keep the bait on the livewell; they also need to be easily removable so they can be cleaned quickly when they foul.

If you also want too re-circulate the water you can install a 3 way bypass valve or 2 regular ball valves; this way you either pick up water or re-circ; depending on your location (middle of lake or close to bank, etc). An extra hose fitting makes for a handy spot to attach a small garden hose (those curly springy kind) to wash down the boat or empty the livewell quickly.

Most of this can be done with flex hose and PVC; you will need at least two thru hull fittings (pick up and overflow) and a pretty good grasp of plumbing (or at least be a quick learner)!

I think my design is very simple and eliminates a lot of confusion, and is a lot cheaper and definatley a lot easier to do.... you don't need to mess with over fill tubes or seperate hoses for filling that need to be tossed over the sides... check it out in my mod thread.

I too am trying to accomplish this. Although I removed my middle bench seat I still have the thru hull hole below the water line and I want to turn the livewell and make a box for it to sit in. I think I have a grasp of the concept but im not 100% sure. So if I attach a pump in the thru hull hole below the water line I can run a tube through the drain to pump in water then towards the top of the livewell I just need to install an overflow hole with a tube running above the water line out the thru hull hole? I see how this would keep pumping fresh water in and an automatic timer would make sure of that but is that sufficient aration(sp)? I guess instead of just pumping water in from the bottom I could rig up a spray bar to help this. I just don't have a large livewell and the less stuff I have to put inside of the livewell the better. with all the boats with factory installed livewells someone has to have rigged theirs up.

perchin said:

I think my design is very simple and eliminates a lot of confusion, and is a lot cheaper and definatley a lot easier to do....

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Where's the fun in that? :mrgreen:

There are lots of ways to do this, mine isn't the only way; neither is Perchin's. Take a look at as many as you can stand and then start buying parts!

Howard said:

Go to system builder-- https://www.flow-rite.com/files/flash/systembuilder.html

Click to expand...

Basshunter Try the link as provided by Howard. This will show you what you can do and how to do it. It would take an hour to type all that would need to be said, or send me a PM and I can call you.