[Killietalk] Re: Problem hatching brine shrimp eggs

[Ken Simolo <Simolo at chem_chem.rochester.edu>]

My well water is hard enough that all I need to do is add  4 tsps of 
regular salt per quart of water.  The use of marine salt is not 
necessary for me and that's why it is cheap/easy to make a new 
solution each time.

I have always heard and read of the necessity for good lighting in 
order to get good hatches.  For  a while, I use to have a light shine 
on my hatcher.  But for the last 3 years, my hatcher has been in the 
dark corner of a dimly lit (at best) room.  I use good quality cysts 
and have excellent hatches (~95% hatch and >95% hatch if I forget and 
let it go for a few more hours).  I do not use a light for collecting 
the bbs either.  Since I use a cone hatcher, I remove the air and 
empty shells float, unhatched cysts usually are stuck to the side, 
and bbs are concentrated at the bottom or middle although some are 
scattered throughout.  Open the valve on the bottom and out come the 
bbs.  Close the valve when you get to the empty shells.  Dump out the 
empty shells, rinse, add a quart of water, 4 tsps of salt, and cysts. 
Pretty easy.

Ken Simolo
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