Spawning season is also the time to activate my brine shrimp hatchery. The ideal hatching water temperature is 26 to 28 centigrade. This is my problem here since my water temp never goes up to this level especially during spring. To overcome this problem, I use a small size aquarium half full of water and with a water heater set at 28 centigrade.
I am using 4 2-liter size coke bottle. I used coke bottle because of the shape. I can tie the bottle without any problem. You need aeration and this case I attached or glued the airline tubing with the harder plastic tubing that is use for garden irrigation. You can buy it at any hardware garden section. Also an adjustable air pump is also necessary so you can adjust how strong the air will be.
Place the aquarium where maximum sunlight is. Mine is place just beside my garage windows. I am using 4 bottles because I am hatching my brine shrimp 2 times a day, morning and afternoon. Remember it will hatch after 20 hours but I am harvesting within 36 hours. First, half fill the aquarium with water then turn on the heater if needed. Put water on all bottles and put aeration on the 1st three bottles only. The 4th bottle is only my reserve so that the water temp is already set and ready to use.
Never use air stone since this will create bubbles and this will not be good. My solution is 2 tablespoon of rock salt or sea salt in a liter of water. This means I am using 4 tablespoon of salt on my 2-liter bottle. The maximum cysts I hatch in a 2 liter are 2 teaspoon of brine cysts. The amount depends on how many fry you have. I always start on my 1st bottle in the morning then the 2nd will be in the evening. The next morning will be the 3rd bottle and the next afternoon is harvest time of the 1st. In the evening you prepare the cysts on the 4th bottle and continue. This method is cyclic morning and afternoon harvest.
To harvest, remove aeration and hang the bottle anywhere. I have a place to hang the bottle in a darker place of my garage. Darker will make the brine shrimp settle at the bottom quicker. Put airline tubing and siphon it after settling at around 15 minute time. Settling will separate the shell and the baby brine. The shell will float on top and the babies will sink on the bottom. I am using 100 micron net to separate the babies. I put the babies on a bowl of fresh water. To feed the fry I am using medicine dropper for equal distribution.
I am feeding my fry with brine shrimp for 3 weeks. The pictures will give you an idea. Maintaining your brine shrimp hatchery is easy. I marked the right level of water in the aquarium and add water every now and then. I add a teaspoon of bleach to the aquarium water to maintain the clarity of the water. Remember, hatching brine needs daylight.
The plastic tubes need to be soak in fresh water and blow air in it to dislodge dried cysts inside the tube. Brine shrimp are very good to your fry.