When fishing up on LOW, there are days when we’re out for all day with 8 fish in the livewell. But, usually they start going belly up before we’re ready to go back even when I run the aerator continuous. I’d like to have them kicking when I get back to the cabin. I’ve heard good things about the Oxygenator. Do you reccomend the “Oxygenator” or is there another trick like the chemical additives for the water. It’s for a 619 if it matters.
good luck with them -they don’t work, i’ve got one that sits in the garage.found that if you use a 12 volt air pump that is used in minnow tanks works the best. 
I had one didn’t do anything more than a standard aerator. Save your money.
I have the $94. model you can have.
Thanks everyone. It sounds like I heard the wrong info. I won’t be drilling a 2″ hole in my livewell anytime soon. Is a 12 volt aerator for fishtanks hanging over the side the best option then? Anything else that has proven to work?
What kind of live well do you have?
We have kept fish alive for days just by giving them fresh water occasionally.
The Oxygenator isn’t good for minnows (it may actually be detrimental) but from my experience it is great for fish.
I talked to the owner and commented that it didn’t work for minnows for me and he agreed, gave me some reasons, can’t quite remember what.
Brian, is that the non-built in model?
Circulating the water with fresh lake water is about the best you can do so you can keep the water temp down and ammonia levels down.. 8 hours is a long time though and on a warm or hot day a cooler with ice is the best thing IMO
I used a portable oxygenator last year that holds 2 or 3 AA batteries for a tournament in July. It kept my fish the alive and well. At the time of the weigh in the walleyes were in very good shape. They make the oxygenator available for livewells now on most boats. They do work for fish, maybe not bait. 
BK you can send my our oxygenator whenever you like.
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but from my experience it is great for fish.
Are 7″ bullheads bait? No let me ask this. How do you kill bullheads?!
The one I have is connected to a 12v battery via clips.
This one was the second one I bought…fool me twice….
Sorry folks pick up only. I’m not even going to spend the time to mail it. 
It is my big livewell in the back on a Ranger 619. I run the pump on the highest set of the rheostat.
It isn’t for bait, just walleyes. I never have problems with minnows or leeches in the front baitwell.
I’ll expand on my experience.
The first unit, the smaller $50. model that was battery operated killed the bullies when I had them in a cooler with wheels on (don’t recall the quart size). Found out that by adding bait shop water, they died because the bait shop put salt in they minnow water. I bought a dozen minnow and added them to the bullies.
The salt turns into chlorine when using the oyegenator.
Called the company and they told me not to do this. So I didn’t.
Week later I held 8 bullies for 36 hours…well they didn’t make it 36 hours. Talked to the company and they said the water needs to be agitated to get rid of the ammonia. Well shoot, if it needs to be agitated, I might as well use a bubbler.
Sold it or gave it way. No doubt it’s in someones garage.
Fast Forward…Company gets bought out. I start hearing of the improvements and a number of manufacturers are making them standard equipment. I gave it another try.
Same style of cooler with 24 bullheads in it…figured the bouncing in the front of the boat would be enough to agitate the water. Wrong. Dead bullheads.
The idea is wonderful in theory, just not practical in my use.
Your mileage may vary…considerably. 
not to be confused with the whizzinator????????????? 
Now there’s a product that WORKS! 
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Talked to the company and they said the water needs to be agitated to get rid of the ammonia.
Agitate the water? Thats a first. You weren’t using the spin mode instead were you.?
Ya know, that might have been the problem!
Brian you never like to agitate things, maybe stir the pot a little
I think not, That usally ends up in the lake directly anyway when it is dumped. 
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