livewell suggestion

I just bout a 16.5ft Xpress, 2004 model with a 50hp Mercury motor.

It has a livewell, which is kind of small, but I bet itll be fine for 3 fish tournaments...anyways all it has is a fill pump and then a drain plug.

I want to have quality water in there for the fish, so what do I need to add? A pump out? Or an overfill tube so new water can be pumped in? Recirculator?

Or can I just open up drain plug while boat is in water and let it lose some water, and then pump some fresh in there?

Just want to be able to keep at least 3 fish healthy for tournaments for 6-8 hours.

thanks

joho5 said:

Or an overfill tube so new water can be pumped in?

Click to expand...

^^^^ This is what I would do.

Ictalurus said:

joho5 said:

Or an overfill tube so new water can be pumped in?

Click to expand...

^^^^ This is what I would do.

Click to expand...

If the overfill tube empties below the water line, will it still expel water when it gets that high?

joho5 said:

Ictalurus said:

joho5 said:

Or an overfill tube so new water can be pumped in?

Click to expand...

^^^^ This is what I would do.

Click to expand...

If the overfill tube empties below the water line, will it still expel water when it gets that high?

Click to expand...

Yeah. If your overflow drain is below the waterline the water will just back up in it a little ways. As long as the top of your overflow drain is above the waterline you are good to go.

I'd do this and pair it with a timer.

Check your plumbing out, my Xpress's livewell has an overflow that is tied into the drain line already. It functions as y'all discussed above. With no plug in the LW, and the drain line exiting the stern below the water line, mine will fill to about 4" deep sitting still (up to the waterline on the hull). If I plug the drain hole in the LW, I can fill it to the overflow, which then allows the extra to exit through the drain line.

Caution though, my fill pump will supply far more gpm than the overflow can drain. So if left on, mine will overflow into the boat. Yeah, been there, done that.... Having the fill pump on a timer is a good idea to keep a good supply of fresh water in there, just make sure the timer isn't set to run long enough to overflow your livewell.