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This brine shrimp hatchery consists of a rack made from 1x6 pine, three bubblers and 3 empty rum bottles (1.75 liter) with the bottom cut off and the cap screwed on tight. The bottles sit on a shelf with the bottleneck inserted through a retaining hole in the shelf. Disposable bowl covers are provided as a splashguard.
Invite a friend or two over to help empty the rum bottles.
The bubblers consists of a length of rigid plastic tubing on the end of a length of air tubing. The tubing is connected to valves to control the airflow.
On top of the valve assembly is a clothespin. The clothespin is used as reminder; it should always be clipped on to the airline connected to the next bottle to harvest.
To start the process, fill the bottles with water and insert the bubblers in the bottles. Plug in your air pump and adjust the valves. For the purpose of starting the system, we will pretend that each of the bottles has shrimp in various stages of development.
Locate the next bottle to harvest
Turn off the air valve / remove the tubing from the valve and allow the contents of the bottle to settle. (Eggs shells rise to the top; BBS go to the bottom)
After the bottle has settled, use the tube to siphon the BBS into a net or filter. If you use the clothespin to hold the tube in the net, you can work on other tasks while the bottle is draining.
Rinse the net full of BBS and transfer into a container of fresh water for feeding.
Rinse the empty bottle and refill it with water. Place 1/4 teaspoon of brine shrimp eggs into the bottle. Add 1/8 cup of non-iodized table salt to the bottle. Cover the bottle with the splashguard and reconnect the bubbler tube to the valve. Insert the tube in to the bottle, (Bubbler tubes must be all the way to the bottom of the bottle or some eggs may settle below the tube and not hatch). Place the clothespin on the next air tube to the right. If it was on the last one, then move it to the first one on the left.
TWICE A DAY FEEDING
Repeat this cycle every 12 hours or twice a day, (morning and evening). This provides 36 hours hatching time.
ONCE A DAY FEEDING
Use only 2 bottles and repeat this cycle every 24 hours (48-hour hatch time) for daily servings of BBS. Use the third bottle to house surplus BBS for special 2nd feedings.
