LIVE WELL DRAIN

We put a small scoop of sardines in the bait tank. They started sticking their noses in the four small holes near the top of the drain tube (and would get stuck), then the water level rose so that they started going over the top of the drain and down in plugging the drain completely. When I opened the lid - water and sardines began spilling out. I reached in and cleared the drain tube, but with in minutes they had done it again. Any ideas how to keep this from happening again? I was thinking of some type of strainer that could fit over the tube and keep the sardines back.

I haven't a clue about the live well as I don't own one but... when brewing beer with whole hops one drains off the wort (finished beer) through a valve that has a tube extending into the bottom of the kettle. To prevent the tube from becoming clogged with whole leaf hops, a stainless steel cleaning/scrubbing pad is placed over the end of the tube. You can actually form a small tunnel through the pad and perhaps in your application, use a zip tie to secure it. It prevented clogging without impeding flow so...

My apologies for chiming in on equipment with which I'm unfamiliar.

What type of cap or cover is at the top of your drain tube? My tank drain has a conical shaped cap that has four narrow slits around it. I carry sardines and anchovies often and they can't fit into the openings.

There is no cap or cover just four holes drilled near the top of the tube, open ended at the top. Could I be missing a cap?

I think I found a photo of the type of overflow pipe that you have in your tank. Holes in the sides near the top and open at the top end. My overflow pipe doesn't have any holes in the side and the top is open. There is a conical cap that has four vertical slits in it that fits snugly over the open end, kind of like a cap fits on the end of a piece of PVC. Even smaller anchovies can't fit in or block the openings in the cap. If you're in Vista, maybe give Rik at Oceanside Dive and Kayak a call to get an updated drain tube and cap. Should slide right into the existing hole in your tank. Hope that helps.

Thanks, I will. We bought it from him about a year ago.

Well according to Rick - Hobie has not come up with a fix yet.

after talking with Ricsen I came up with an idea. Aquarium supply houses have 1" Male Threaded Suction/Overflow Strainers. It slips snugly over the discharge tube. So you can take it off when you don't want to use it. Cost me 4 dollars and 55 cents. I would post a picture but can't figure it out. They are on Amazon too.

Here is my solution when using small bait:
Your live well came with a black cap to place on the pump outlet when the pump is off to keep the tank from draining back through the pump. Place that cap on the top of the drain tube and push it down so the drain holes are half covered and the little chovies won't get stuck. This works great for me.

You still have that cap, right???

yep, still have it. Never thought of that idea.