livingart

Artemia Culture: Use a clear two litre soft drink bottle with the cap still attached, wash bottle to remove all drink residue. The bottom can be cut off the bottle then a 4mm hole drilled in the cap and a length of airline siliconed into the cap. I use another bottle cut at halfway to support the first bottle inverted in it then fix airline to valve then to the air pump, a one way valve can be put inline to prevent any backflow of water to pump. Put 1 litre of NSW (Natural Salt Water) or 1 litre of fresh water with four tablespoons of sea salt added to it, or 2tablespoons and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda then add 6–8 grams of Artemia cysts, and start gentle bubbles flowing. After 24 hours they should be ready to harvest, I do this by turning the air off and letting them settle, once settled I remove airline from the valve and let this run into a collection cup. Strain the nauplii through a brine shrimp net, rinse with clean salt water and feed out immediately. Filters: Some people use air powered sponge filters but they need cleaning in fresh salt water 1 to 2 times weekly as they can be fouled by Artemia naupulii quite quickly, the small plastic Bio-filters can be used and coral rubble can be used for bio-media as these do not need cleaning as regularly. Various hydroids and other "pests" can show up, (mainly in the brood aquariums) and need to be removed by stripping down that tank. At the very least, these hydroids compete with the Mysids for food, and at the worst, they may actually consume juvenile