How to Use a Minnow Bucket Aerator

To keep minnows or small bait fish alive, you need to give them water, oxygen and food. You can supply both water and oxygen if you place an aerator in a bucket of water.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Dechlorination Drops Or Tablets
• Screen Mesh
• 5-gallon Plastic Food Grade Buckets
• Bucket Aerators
• Minnows
• Used Ice Chests

1. Use a recycled 5-gallon food-grade bucket.
2. Clean the bucket. Be sure to rinse it well.
3. Place the aerator inside the bucket using suction cups or the bracket provided.
4. Fill the bucket one-half to two-thirds full of non-chlorinated or filtered water. Use chlorine-removing drops or tablets found in pet stores if needed.
5. Start the aerator.
6. Scoop a little water at a time out of the aerator bucket and into the minnow bucket so that the minnows can adjust to the change in water temperature.
7. Pour minnows from their bucket into the bucket holding the aerator.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use an old ice chest for your aerator instead of a bucket.
• Feed your minnows and keep them in clean water if you are planning to keep them for a long time.
• You may want to put a piece of screen mesh over the top of the bucket to keep cats out and the minnows in.