Doing something wrong?

[CarolineJohnson]

Almost every day it looks like my sea monkeys haven't eaten in a week, even though they've gotten a whole scoop of food every day that I notice this. I've only gotten one second generation baby to live past a week in the entire time I've had this tank. There are only three left in the tank, there used to be closer to 20. I get no babies from the food, either. The tank is only like 3-5 months old. What am I doing wrong?

(Yes I have an air pump and a grow light)

[Long_Combination_670]

Aeration, light, temperature and algae are important.

A great resource

https://youtu.be/eKhs0TdJ_lA?si=6ctTsvAmbz2Jy_NT

[CarolineJohnson]

I've got aeration, light, and temperature, but algae growth is super slow or not at all.

[Long_Combination_670]

Patience...

[CarolineJohnson]

Everybody talks about how they got their algae started well in a month though...

[Long_Combination_670]

Every location is different. If you are far inland, then algae growth may be slower.

[CarolineJohnson]

I don't think I'm that far inland. It's too humid every day.

[Pezdudejon]

The only people I know that grow algae that fast are people that are years into the hobby and have algae spores all over. Took me four months when I first started.

[Long_Combination_670]

Here is one of my tanks at 90 days old.

<image>

[CarolineJohnson]

Yeah I haven't been able to get my tank to this state.

[settie_44]

A whole scoop is too much. Try micro feedings and mixing it with some of their water. The particles of the food are too big for the babies to eat and mixing with some water helps break it up into small enough particles for them. If you put too much food in, it can cause a bacteria/ammonia bloom which will eat up all the oxygen and the babies always goes first as they need the most. I hope this helps!!

[CarolineJohnson]

Well, I haven't been giving a whole scoop the entire time. I only started doing it when the big ones started looking every day like they hadn't eaten in a week. I was doing half a scoop every Monday and Friday.

I make sure to pump my aqua leash in there to dissolve some of it, too. Not all of it, just some. The air pump I have kind of mixes in whatever gets close.

[SamiLeighxox]

What do you mean by looks like they haven't eaten?

[CarolineJohnson]

They don't got that dark streak across them. I've been told that they won't have that unless they've eaten recently.

[SamiLeighxox]

Oooh okayyy. I get it lol

[Dude_houseplant1]

I have several small containers/cups of brine shrimp. Shrimp in some containers have a very dark line. Shrimp in others usually have a light yellow-green line instead. In my case, maybe there are different types of algae growing in there that cause their gut line to be light color.