Night Tournaments

[Whack'emGood]

My dad is my fishing partner and it is his boat we fish out of... It is a 2003 (i think) Nitro NX882. There are 3 settings for the valve-- Empty, Fill, Recirculate. His livewell is 2 sided with a permeable divider (they share virtually the same water). As far as I know, both pumps are the same-- just one on each side. Lets call the first one pump 1, and the other is already labeled "auxiliary" on the console so lets just call it that. Pump one on the console is labeled FILL/RECIRC and you can turn it to 3 positions OFF, AUTO, MANUAL. The auxiliary pump is labeled FILL/RECIRC and has the same 3 positions for the switch as the other. The pumps will both either pump in (and oxygenate at the same time) water from the lake, or they will just recirculate (and oxygenate) the water that you have already pumped into the live well. Which act they perform depends on which setting you have the valve on (FILL or RECIRC.). As I mentioned, there are two settings (besides off) for each pump-- AUTO or MANUAL. On manual, the pump keeps either filling/recirculating the whole time you have it on. On auto, it comes on every once in awhile and pumps for a minute or something-- i haven't timed the frequency or length that the pump works on this setting, but it works well. I generally use this AUTO setting on both pumps and let them work for me all night. It doesn't constantly pump, but it pumps plenty of oxygen into the water. It has worked well for me.

So here is how I get the livewell going. 1. Turn the valve to FILL. 2. Turn both pumps on to MANUAL and fill the livewell to desired level. 3. Once you have the desired level of lake water in the box, switch the valve to RECIRCULATE. 4. Add Catch-n-Release chemical and a little ice to the livewell. 5. Switch both pumps to AUTO -- and with the valve on RECIRC., this will auto-recirculate the chemical/ice water. 6. Periodically check on your fish to make sure they are doing well and that your pumps are doing their jobs. I have never had a problem in dads boat, but I still check once in awhile (between catching fish) to make sure everything is working fine.

Now, that is how this particular livewell works. I don't know anything about the Champions (other than they are nice boats). If you are not sure if you are running your pumps and such correct, you should talk to a Champion dealer, or call the company direct and ask questions.

Whack'em

P.S. Getfished... i guess the bottom line is (and like I said, I don't know anything about your Hydro-Air Pump), both of my pumps work the same. When the valve is on FILL, they both pump (and oxygenate) water in from the lake--- When the valve is on RECIRC., they both just recirculate and oxygenate the existing water in the livewell. Your pumps may well be 2 different kinds of pumps and don't work the same as mine. Someone who knows better than both of us may come on here and correct both of us.... but what I do with my pumps works well, regardless... I know that for sure. Good luck with your pumps and your fish!!

[getfished]

My dad is my fishing partner and it is his boat we fish out of... It is a 2003 (i think) Nitro NX882. There are 3 settings for the valve-- Empty, Fill, Recirculate. His livewell is 2 sided with a permeable divider (they share virtually the same water). As far as I know, both pumps are the same-- just one on each side. Lets call the first one pump 1, and the other is already labeled "auxiliary" on the console so lets just call it that. Pump one on the console is labeled FILL/RECIRC and you can turn it to 3 positions OFF, AUTO, MANUAL. The auxiliary pump is labeled FILL/RECIRC and has the same 3 positions for the switch as the other. The pumps will both either pump in (and oxygenate at the same time) water from the lake, or they will just recirculate (and oxygenate) the water that you have already pumped into the live well. Which act they perform depends on which setting you have the valve on (FILL or RECIRC.). As I mentioned, there are two settings (besides off) for each pump-- AUTO or MANUAL. On manual, the pump keeps either filling/recirculating the whole time you have it on. On auto, it comes on every once in awhile and pumps for a minute or something-- i haven't timed the frequency or length that the pump works on this setting, but it works well. I generally use this AUTO setting on both pumps and let them work for me all night. It doesn't constantly pump, but it pumps plenty of oxygen into the water. It has worked well for me.

So here is how I get the livewell going. 1. Turn the valve to FILL. 2. Turn both pumps on to MANUAL and fill the livewell to desired level. 3. Once you have the desired level of lake water in the box, switch the valve to RECIRCULATE. 4. Add Catch-n-Release chemical and a little ice to the livewell. 5. Switch both pumps to AUTO -- and with the valve on RECIRC., this will auto-recirculate the chemical/ice water. 6. Periodically check on your fish to make sure they are doing well and that your pumps are doing their jobs. I have never had a problem in dads boat, but I still check once in awhile (between catching fish) to make sure everything is working fine.

Now, that is how this particular livewell works. I don't know anything about the Champions (other than they are nice boats). If you are not sure if you are running your pumps and such correct, you should talk to a Champion dealer, or call the company direct and ask questions.

Whack'em

P.S. Getfished... i guess the bottom line is (and like I said, I don't know anything about your Hydro-Air Pump), both of my pumps work the same. When the valve is on FILL, they both pump (and oxygenate) water in from the lake--- When the valve is on RECIRC., they both just recirculate and oxygenate the existing water in the livewell. Your pumps may well be 2 different kinds of pumps and don't work the same as mine. Someone who knows better than both of us may come on here and correct both of us.... but what I do with my pumps works well, regardless... I know that for sure. Good luck with your pumps and your fish!!

Whack Em, Thanks for the response. It sounds like the setup on the Nitro is plumbed different than my Champ. I don't think my aerator pump will pump through the spray head. I could be wrong but I will double check with the dealer soon. I think when I want to fill my well I have to turn the valve to fill and then turn on the aerator pump which has a manual and an auto mode. Once filled to the desired level I shut off the aerator pump and turn the valve to recirculate and switch on the hydroair pump which recirculates the water through a spray head thereby oxygenating it. I also add some ice and and some rejuvenate.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread but wanted to make sure I'm properly handling my catch.

One last question. What's the final word on hydrogen peroxide? I think maybe no good but I witnessed my fishing partner dump some down the gullet of a deeply hooked bass and then placed the fish in the livewell that was treated with rejuvenate. the fish was basically belly up for a short while and then little by little that fish came back to full vim and vigor. I'm not sure what to attribute the fish's recovery to but needless to say I was stunned and my partner says peroxide will do wonders. Is he right?

GETFISHED !!!

[Whack'emGood]

Yeah, I bet our pumps are plumbed differently. Either way, both livewells should do a dandy job-- as long as we do the other little things that we both do to help the fish.

Thats a good question about the hydrogen peroxide GF. I have heard of that, but never tried it or saw it done. Hopefully someone who knows will enlighten us. By the way, I'm sure nobody minds about us "hijacking" the thread on this one... We are discussing ways to take better care of our fish and, I'm sure, nobody on here minds that kind of good constructive talk.

Whack'em