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Thread: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

  1. #1
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
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    Default Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    I ran an interesting experiment yesterday. I had seen for years on the net references to hatching baby brine shrimp in fresh water. Like most here I use salt water. I add a pinch of epsom salt and Baking soda to bump the hardness and pH of my hatching water. I make a stock solution of salt water and store a bunch at a time using water softner salt. Many people do similar.
    I hatch in your basic upturned 2 liter soda bottle probably in about 1 1/2 liters salt water.

    Given the wide spread use of Salt water I was skeptical of being to hatch bbs in fresh water but being a lover of experiments.. I tried it. Set up the experiment and 18 hours latter was blown away by having a hatch rate as good or better than using my salt water concoction!

    Hatching bbs in fresh water! Amazing! But not so fast.Its not really fresh water . All the references I saw mentioned using baking soda to raise the pH/alkalinity of your fresh water.Which is what I do in my salt mix. Its a little dicey trying to find reference to how much baking soda so I figured I will wing it and use 1 measured Tablespoon of baking soda per my 2 liter hatching bottle as a start point. You may need less or more based on your waters parameters but mine are in the mid 7's pH wise and average Tds.I need to do more experiments to optimize how much is the minimal amount of baking soda I need.

    So was it fresh water? Not exactly. Baking soda contains Sodium...aka its called sodium bicarbonate. The baking soda I used contains the following:

    150 mgs sodium per 1/8 teaspoon. .. thats 1200mgs per teaspoon. Theres 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon so my 1 tablespoon baking soda contained about 3.6 grams sodium.

    (For reference 1 teaspoon table salt has 2325 mgs sodium or 2.32 grams)

    So though its not really hatching in fresh water it is super simple and I love anything that simplifies my tasks!

    What you need:
    2 liter soda bottle with fresh water
    brine shrimp cysts
    1 tablespoon baking soda.

    Aerate and light source as normal. 18-24.hour hatch times just like with salt water hatching.

    I am intrigued now by how little baking soda I can get away with.... future experiments there.

    I would be really interested in any one elses results here if you want to try it out. Please post it here.

    Thanks,
    Al
    Last edited by brewmaster15; 11-16-2018 at 07:43 AM.
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  2. #2
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    This is interesting Al. So you are using fresh water with a bit of baking soda. Out of tap my ph is 7.4 but raises to 8.2 after four hours. I do not think the ph/alkalinity of my water would need anything additional since my water comes from the limestone of the Florida aquifer. Since the baking soda has a bit of salt perhaps some salt is needed for the hatching process?

    I think I would like to try this and have a perfect excuse. I have some young wild rams coming this weekend so gives me a perfect excuse to try this.
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  3. #3
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
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    Default Re: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    Pat, Im pretty sure sodium is needed just not sure on how much. With your water maybe try it as I did then do another batch with 1/2 tablespoon baking powder.

    Al
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

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  4. #4
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    Default Re: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    Interesting Al. How do you keep the temp in your hatchery up? Do you use a incandescent light or keep in a warm tank? This is one thing I struggled with in a cold basement. I was thinking about experimenting w hand warmers taped to the bottle haha.

  5. #5
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
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    Default Re: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    Eric I am probably the worst person to advise you on this.I tend to do things that work for me but others find cluttered and chaotic.I have been told my fishroom looks like "ordered chaos" by a good friend.
    I make use of every nook and cranny here. My bbs station is by the back door and cold. I use an Led strip light to light multiple hatching bottles and use a 25 watt heater in 1 gal jars... Not all the jars have the heater. Just the one I want to hatch fastest or if it gets cold there.

    2018-11-16 09.09.09.jpg

    2018-11-16 09.09.57.jpg

    Al


    ps the 50 heater was only a few bucks on ebay but gives me full temp control.
    Last edited by brewmaster15; 11-16-2018 at 11:03 AM.
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  6. #6
    Homesteader Adam S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    That's some mad scientist stuff, Al. Will give it a shot this weekend with liquid rock AZ tap.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    Nice! Yea the 25W heater seems like a reasonable investment.
    Last edited by brewmaster15; 11-16-2018 at 11:03 AM.

  8. #8
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
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    Default Re: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    Eric my bad, its actually a 25 watt heater not 50 watt,.

    al
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
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    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  9. #9
    Registered Member Keith Perkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    Quote Originally Posted by brewmaster15 View Post
    Eric I am probably the worst person to advise you on this.I tend to do things that work for me but others find cluttered and chaotic.I have been told my fishroom looks like "ordered chaos" by a good friend.
    I make use of every nook and cranny here. My bbs station is by the back door and cold. I use an Led strip light to light multiple hatching bottles and use a 25 watt heater in 1 gal jars... Not all the jars have the heater. Just the one I want to hatch fastest or if it gets cold there.

    2018-11-16 09.09.09.jpg

    2018-11-16 09.09.57.jpg

    Al


    ps the 25 watt heater was only a few bucks on ebay but gives me full temp control.
    I really need to get a decent batch of fry going so I can post pictures of a "perfect" bbs hatchery. Those pictures right there would give any discus keepers significant other serious second thoughts.
    President - North American Discus Association

  10. #10
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
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    Default Re: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Perkins View Post
    I really need to get a decent batch of fry going so I can post pictures of a "perfect" bbs hatchery. Those pictures right there would give any discus keepers significant other serious second thoughts.
    Hey there Sparky... watch it As long as it works who cares!

    It works for me... The fry don't seem to mind where their food is sourced...


    IMGP5039_01


    IMGP5038_01


    IMGP5037_01


    IMGP5028_01

    al
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  11. #11
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Speaking Of hatching Brine shrimp.. check it out...

    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Perkins View Post
    I really need to get a decent batch of fry going so I can post pictures of a "perfect" bbs hatchery. Those pictures right there would give any discus keepers significant other serious second thoughts.
    or they might have a sigh of relief knowing their hatchery looks similar
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


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