Livewell oxygen injection

Livewell Oxygen Injection Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Inland Fisheries Division San Antonio District Office (08/04/11)

Dissolved oxygen is the single-most critical factor for maintaining health of black bass retained in livewells.
Various oxygen equipment was tested to determine a simple, effective, and safe system for maintaining desirable dissolved oxygen (>7.0 mg/l) in livewells.
This presentation recommends system components and describes installation, operation, and safety.
Complete oxygen injection system

Custom engineered for livewell oxygen injection by Premier Industries.
Industrial grade and not considered a medical device by FDA or Texas Department
of State Health Services.
CGA540 inlet and ¼” barb outlet.
Oxygen Regulator
Fixed-flow, LPM is factory pre-set to 0.1.
Dual-stage design which maintains LPM at 0.1 in response to changing PSI.
High quality PSI gauge which indicates fullness of oxygen bottle.

Use of a CGA540 valve permits use and refill with welding grade oxygen. Use of medical grade oxygen is by prescription only.
Bottle top will often be painted red by oxygen supplier to indicate its filled with welding grade oxygen.
Appropriate size oxygen bottles and associated specificatio ns Size classification Capacity Diameter (inches) Length including valve (inches) Number of 8 hour fishing days for full bottle MD or D 15 ft 3 4.4 20 20 M9 or C 9 ft 3 4.4 14.2 12

Securely mount bottle protecting it and the regulator from impact and excessive vibration.
Consider different bottles sizes when choosing mounting location.
Its preferable to route oxygen hose on port side of boat away from wiring and cables located on starboard side.
Do not locate bottle in boat bilge or in compartments containing oil, gas, or batteries.
Remove oxygen bottle from boat when not planning to use.
9 ft 3 bottle mounted with fire extinguisher bracket in compartment under seat 15 ft 3 bottle mounted with fire extinguisher bracket under console 5 lb. fire extinguisher bracket and large hose clamps 9 ft 3 bottle mounted in wood box in compartment under seat

There are no federal or Texas regulations specific to use and storage of oxygen equipment on recreational fishing boats.
Aluminum bottles require re-testing every 5 years
Oxygen by itself is not flammable, however the pure form is a dangerous accelerant and highly reactive to oil-based products.
Do not smoke around oxygen equipment
Do not use products containing oil on or around oxygen equipment (e.g. WD-40, silicone, etc) or combustion of these may occur.
Test all connections with soapy water to ensure there are no oxygen leaks before use.
Cable/zip ties were inadequate
Use hose clamps or more secure connectors
Frequently re-check hoses and connections for leaks and damage
Do not fill oxygen bottle from another bottle (i.e. transfill). Bottle or valve failure could result.

regulator livewell 1 livewell 2 1/4“ barbed tee
Most modern bass boats have two independent livewells. The single
oxygen line from the regulator is split to form two lines to facilitate oxygen
injection into both livewells.
This “T” connection should be made as
as near as possible to where oxygen
will be routed thru the rear wall of
the livewell.
Durable ¼ “ ID reinforced hose should
be used between the regulator and
livewell.
The hoses running from the tee to the
livewell wall fittings should be equal
length.

¼” barbed tee oxygen diffuser rear wall of livewell
Use the soft, flexible hose inside livewells to allow diffusers to remain stable and upright.
Use equal length hoses inside livewells.
Use teflon tape on threaded
livewell wall fittings

Turn the knob counterclockwise on the CGA540 valve to inject oxygen. Turning the valve clockwise will shut-off oxygen flow.
Diffusers will take 3-4 minutes to pressurize before producing oxygen bubbles.
Both diffusers have to be submerged in water to work properly.
Recirculation (air-water mixing) can be used simultaneously with oxygen injection, however oxygen in excess of saturation level with be volatized off.
Diffusers can be cleaned using fine grit sandpaper.
Operation

Safety should be the primary concern if modifying system or
substituting components.
Lower quality diffusers are much less efficient and may not achieve desired oxygen level at the recommended oxygen injection rate of 0.1 LPM.

Use oxygen injection together with other proven livewell management and fish care techniques.
Cooling the water
Addition of stock salt
Periodic water exchanges
http://assets.espn.go.com/winnercomm/outdoors/bassmaster/pdf/b_con_KeepingBassAlive.pdf
Fizzing
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20110202d
Overall Livewell Management

Component, Cost, and Supplier list Costs do not include shipping or tax, prices are subject to change. Equivalent items are available from other vendors. 1 This model diffuser is available only while supplies last because of manufacturer discontinuation. Item Part Number Cost($) Supplier Aluminum Oxygen Bottle 9 ft 3 capacity (M9) with standard CGA540 valve T540M9 61.95 Cramer Decker Medical OR cramerdeckermedical.com 15 ft 3 capacity (MD) with standard CGA540 valve Y540MD 69.95 (877) 222-0200 Oxygen Regulator (Model 4700) Premier Industries CGA540 inlet, 1/4" barb outlet, flow set at 0.1 LPM 50-11530-01 65.00 nationaltorch.com (763) 786-4020 Oxygen Fill AirGas Welding grade oxygen 11.00 or Other Local Supplier Bottle Mounting Bracket Hallmann Sales Larsens 5lb fire extinguisher bracket 821 14.99 hallmann-sales.com (866) 966-9596 Diffusers, Fittings, Tubing, and Clamps 2- oxygen diffusers AS101 102.90 Aquatic Eco-Systems OR aquaticeco.com DYFP6N 1 76.00 (877) 347-4788 5 ft. ¼” ID black vinyl tubing BTV40 2.25 15-20 ft. ¼” ID reinforced clear vinyl tubing TVR40 12.60 1 - ¼” tee (barb) connector 62064 .65 2- 4” hose clamps for fire ext. bracket SSI 4.10 10 - ¼” stainless steel hose clamps SSAA 9.40 2 - ¼” barb X ¼” MIP hose barb adapters A-192 4.64 Home Depot 2 - ¼” barb X ¼” FIP hose barb adapters A-197 4.36 Total (DYFP6N diffusers and 15 ft 3 bottle) 274.94

We thank the following for their assistance and comments.
Aquatic Ecosystems
AirGas
Matheson Tri-Gas
Premier Industries
James and Tom Bendele (Falcon Lake Tackle)
Ken Parker (Boerne Marine)
Rick Pierce (Bass Cat Boats)
Gene Gilliland (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)
Carl Wengenroth (Angler’s Lodge)
TPWD-Inland Fisheries, District 1D
12861 Galm Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78254
210-688-9460
Randy.Myers@tpwd.state.tx.us
[email_address]

Livewell oxygen injection

by Randy Myers

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