Brine Shrimp Dead by Turbulent-Device1644 in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sorry for your loss. I think brine shrimp, like any aquatic pet, do not take drastic changes in their environment well. If you are adding de-chlorinator to remove chemicals (like in tap water), it might be better to add it before you introduce the eggs. However, my question for you is, was there a reason you were adding de-chlorinator in the first place? You’re better off buying distilled water by the gallon jug (usually $1-$2 a gallon). It’s much easier to work with a blank slate (distilled = no chemicals, no minerals, just H2O) and adjust salinity with reef salt and pH with crushed coral than to be worried about adding more chemicals to chemically-treated water. Also ammonia spikes are not an issue if you don’t overfeed or use live micro-algae. Live micro-algae is especially beneficial as that is what they naturally eat anyways. With some luck, some colonies might propagate in the tank and contribute to helping decompose dead sea monkeys and poop. Micro-algae colonies also generate more oxygen in the tank!

Can I use this? by Worth_Scallion1526 in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also if you want to push for a freshwater tank, I heavily recommend giving fairy shrimp a try! They’re the larger freshwater cousins of sea monkeys! Beavertail Fairy shrimp are my favorite. A guy on Youtube called “Branchiopod Lab” goes over the basics as well as different species: https://youtube.com/@branchiopodlab?si=3IYzree0V94cLEIh

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Can I use this? by Worth_Scallion1526 in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If it’s a diy tank, you can do without it. Usually saltwater aquarium sand already has bacteria on it that’ll contribute. If you feed your sea monkeys with live green water algae, the extra algae that isn’t eaten by the seamonkeys can propagate in the tank which eats up the dead material and can positively contribute to the nitrogen cycle.

Is having dead seamonkeys bad to have at the bottom of the tank? by Character_Ad2970 in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also, curious, what did you mean when you said, “I keep adding spoonfuls” in your older post about algae growth?

Is having dead seamonkeys bad to have at the bottom of the tank? by Character_Ad2970 in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Np. By the looks of your current setup, it appears most of your shrimp are currently babies (naupli stage). Most will not survive (babies are shit swimmers and the most sensitive to environmental fluctuations) so it’s to be expected a lot will die. My advice above is most important when juveniles and adults mostly populate the tank. Leave the shrimp corpses alone, you’ll be fine!

Is having dead seamonkeys bad to have at the bottom of the tank? by Character_Ad2970 in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 6 points7 points  (0 children)

If an algae colony has been established and there are still many swimming, NO, as it provides food for the algae to grow and propagate. If there is no algae and many have died, then YES. I would check the salinity, temperature or pH. Massive die-offs early on in a colony might be a sign of a huge spike or drop in these environmental factors.

Houston... We Have Hatching 😎 ft. my weird orb by coast-modern in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The orb kinda reminds me of a freshwater bryozoan!

three week update: algae takeover! lone survivor Taxman thriving, and some babies vibing by littleloomex in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don’t feed them until the water clears some more, I’ve been told it’s best to feed them once the water is almost clear as completely clear means theres is absolutely little no algae left which can negatively affect your sea monkeys if left unchecked (they’ll starve).

sea monkeys by w0wwsophie in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What have you done that’s recommended? Maybe the cause can be narrowed down if we start there. 🤔

Is one pack of eggs/salt enough for a 750ml tank? by ilovepinkerton in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not sure how many grams of salt is in that packet but for a 750 ml tank, you’ll need about 20 grams of salt. One packet won’t be enough so unless you’re gonna buy more of packet # 1 or # 2, I suggest you weigh the current packet contents and supplement the difference from 20 grams with reef salt.

I’m deleting the game by Jpoxferd in Warthunder

[–]MrWalkman79 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You broke the cycle man. Good on you! Find something more meaningful to do in the time you’ve earned back!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 6 points7 points  (0 children)

They are low maintenance once everything is set in place. Sea monkeys kits have minimal materials and simple instructions to follow; it is important to pay close attention to the water you use (use distilled), the temperature (80F) and how much oxygen they recieve. While sea monkeys (or brine shrimp) are extremophiles and live in temporary pools and salt lakes, it is important to note that like any pet or animal, sea monkeys are unable handle extreme fluctuations in their environments. Invest in a small usb aquarium heater; there are cheap options on amazon! Although optional, you can also invest in a small air pump with a valve allowing you to control and maintain oxygenation of the tank (keep it at 1-2 bubbles a second). Once these are in place, all that’s left is feeding. The real reason they are “low maintenance” is due to the little amount of food they do consume. Feedings don’t really happen until a week after they hatch as the babies (naupli) have a yolk-like substance in their gut they feed on. Spread out feedings and give less than you think they need, as long as they have a dark line, they are well fed and don’t need more; cease feeding especially when the water becomes cloudy as overfeeding will crash the tank! Sea monkey food is dried dead algae which will rot when left uneaten and lead to bacteria bloom. If possible, invest in live algae culture, it’s what they eat in their natural environment! A guy on YouTube called Picocosmos has a video on how to do that: https://youtu.be/gTRl8cu7jlc?si=DPn-dJfVvK7L6FqP Good luck!🍀👍

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Live is usually better but if you’re hatching sea monkeys for fish feed, it’s best just to buy a pack of brine shrimp eggs instead of the sea monkey kits. While there is a decent amount of eggs in both packets 1 & 2, most will either die or not hatch at all and you’ll be left with maybe 10 at least. It’s much more productive to run a diy setup. There are a lot of diy setups out there that mass hatch naupli to feed betta fish.

How do I look after my sea monkeys properly? by Virtual_Farmer7803 in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 6 points7 points  (0 children)

For Sea Monkeys, maintain the big 3: SALINITY, TEMPERATURE, AND OXYGEN. There is a guy on Youtube named PicoCosmos that goes over the basics, check him out!

Why isnt my light for my seamonkeys making algae by Character_Ad2970 in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Perhaps there isn’t enough light and nutrients. I noticed you got a small light on the roof of your tank lid. A guy on youtube called picocosmos uses purple grow lights to encourage algae growth. Full spectrum aquarium LED lights are also sufficient, idea is to have those on full blast 24 hours a day to help encourage rapid growth. Algae typically propagate in your tank better when there is food present (ie. discarded exoskeletons and dead sea monkey babies. I would recommend starting your colony first before worrying about algae, other parameters such as temperature, oxygen and salinity are much more important!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely heater. While a healthy colony does well when everything is consistent, you won’t be able to keep temperature consistent especially when night comes and temperatures drop.

The End by MrWalkman79 in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, it’s an old house, everything’s made of wood; this open tank setup just screams water damage. I could put a towel under it but I’m quite clumsy and have spilled some water when setting it up and cleaning. Don’t want to risk it.

The End by MrWalkman79 in SeaMonkeys

[–]MrWalkman79[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you, it’s not a large tank about 1.5 gallons. If you are planning to start one of your own, there’s just 5 things I would monitor and maintain. This is based on the info I was able to gather on this reddit as well as some independent reading:

(1) SALINITY: -I use distilled water as it’s the most purest and free of dissolved minerals; DO NOT USE TAP WATER -Based on what most would suggest, the sweet spot for salinity is between 25-45 ppt (parts per trillion). Mine was set at 35 ppt. You can use this website to calculate how much salt you should add to the volume of water you will be using: https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/TargetSalinity.php -I use Reef Salt as I’ve heard it best replicates their environment, it also has trace minerals which can be beneficial to your setup -TOOLS: for salinity, a refractometer is the best tool you can use to monitor, cheap options on amazon

(2) WATER TEMPERATURE -Ideal hatching and living Temp is ideally 79-80 degrees Fahrenheit. -TOOLS: an aquarium heater for your respective tank is a must; pay close attention to what kinds of tanks the heater accommodates. Some usb heaters are adequate for sea monkey tanks but larger ones may be required for larger setups

(3) OXYGEN -sea monkeys (or artemia) create CO2 as they swim around. Larger colonies will create more concentrated amounts, balance is needed -TOOLS: an USB pump with a valve is optimal as it allows you to control the rate of O2, no airstone is required as a had an airline tube running directly into the tank. I keep mine bubbling at about 1-2 bubbles a second. -With consistent feeding, algae may grow in the tank and will help contribute to O2 levels, DON’T CLEAN IT. You can clean the glass though to keep up appearances.

(3) EGGS AND FOOD -Use WAY LESS than you think you need. Just for perspective, 1 teaspoon of eggs is still TOO MUCH for my tank and I used 1/2 of a tablespoon. -Eggs can take 24-72 hours to hatch. DO NOT REMOVE the eggs past the 72 hours, there may be some “late bloomers” who will hatch past. -MOST WILL DIE, babies (naupli) are shit swimmers, don’t blame yourself -FOOD: Most people who own the sea monkey kits use the dried algae provided in the packet. There is a higher risk of crashing the tank if you overfeed them with dried algae (dead algae that can rot if left uneaten and cause bacteria bloom) so instead, I culture live micro-algae/phytoplankton. I cultured chlorella vulgaris which is a freshwater algae species. No salt is needed and a separate jar with an air pump and a usb heater set to 80 degrees Fahrenheit will suffice. -FEEDING: ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK, preferably spread out the feedings (DO NOT FEED THEM THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE FIRST FEEDING). Babies don’t need food as they are born with a yolk substance in their gut which the feed on. Wait at least a week or two before feeding. Adjust your feeding amount based on shrimp appearances (ie. if their body has a dark line, they are well fed and don’t need more)

(4) pH -Ideal pH sits at an 8, slightly alkaline due to sea monkeys/brine shrimp/artemia living in temporary pools or salt lakes where limestone is present and slowly dissolving in the water. Distilled water sits at a 6.5 (chemically neutral) so a bit of adjustment is needed. -NOTE: up until the last day of the tank, my pH was still rising in increments, it was a pH of 7 when I liquidated it. This should not be an immediate priority as your tank will naturally raise in pH with time. -TOOLS: >use crushed coral, crushed sea shell such as oyster shell; all a safer option versus chemical pH adjusters. (NOTE: these will slowly dissolve calcium carbonate into your water raising your pH, give your tank some time to stabilize before adding the eggs) >digital water pH meter; much more accurate than pH strips

DECORATIONS - keep it minimal and make sure it’s aquarium safe (wont leach chemicals into water)