Brine hatchery

JasonK84 · Mar 3, 2019

I just finished building and setting up my DIY brine shrimp hatchery (2 actually). We will see how well it works. Then I’m gonna play with a higher salinity to compare how well the device in the original post might work being in the tank. If the hatch rate seams to be similar I may buy one and give it a whirl. Then again, if this DIY version gets it done why bother? I made 2 for the price of the Pepsi which I drank while constructing. Everything else I had already.

Shinister · Mar 5, 2019

LetItReef said:
I have this dish from brineshrimp direct and so easy to use- no pump and no heater needed:

Got this one as well. Not sure about the hatch rate. I use newly mixed saltwater used for water changes at 1.026 salinity and use a clip-on light with a 15w bulb (light & heat) I get about 1/2 the hatchings in 12 hrs and the rest in 24 hours.

DangerDave · Mar 5, 2019

Shinister said:
Got this one as well. Not sure about the hatch rate. I use newly mixed saltwater used for water changes at 1.026 salinity and use a clip-on light with a 15w bulb (light & heat) I get about 1/2 the hatchings in 12 hrs and the rest in 24 hours.

I use this one also. I put three scoops in and i get brine shrimp hatching for a couple days. This is the easiest way in my opinion.

ectoaesthetics · Mar 6, 2019

@JasonK84 I would -highly- recommend searching for PaulB’s thread on his homemade hatchery... it is super simple... he’s been using it since I think the 70s or something. Basically a plastic box with a devider. There is a hole drilled into the divider with a stopper plugging the hole. You pour water into both sides. Hatch on one... once you are ready to collect you unplug the hole and put a light over the other side. The bbs go through the hole leaving all the shells on the other side. Plug the hole and collect. If I were to build it I would put a spigot on the collection side (or both) to make it easier to collect. As when I collect from cultures I like to just open a valve and pour it through a sieve.

When reading through his posts make sure you grab a beer or a margarita it will be a wild ride (and make him proud).

Also looks like you are looking for a way to slowly add them to the tank (given hatchery choice) PaulB also has a feeder he created for that too. Someone on here has created a 3D printed version of it if I’m not mistaken.

Rybren · Mar 9, 2019

I use the San Francisco Bay brine hatchery. Works on a similar principle to Paul B's, except when you are ready to harvest, you fill the clear bottle with FW and place it onto the hatchery. Turn on a light, and the live BBS swim through a hole in the lid and into the bottle. All of the shells remain in the hatchery. IMHO, it works so much better than soda bottle and harvesting is a snap.

alfredkoh · Dec 2, 2023

I have the exact hatchery. I tried it on my DT. The first few weeks was great. The fist is catching shrimp around the box.

Few days back. I moved it to another tank. A jellyfish tank. No fish. Then I saw it’s full of copepod after few days. I think it’s feeding the pod. I’m planning to get another box and place it back to my reef tank soon.

for me. Probably it’s good for both shrimp and pod culture. Either 1 I’m happy.

jackiemon · Feb 14, 2024

alfredkoh said:
I have the exact hatchery. I tried it on my DT. The first few weeks was great. The fist is catching shrimp around the box.

Few days back. I moved it to another tank. A jellyfish tank. No fish. Then I saw it’s full of copepod after few days. I think it’s feeding the pod. I’m planning to get another box and place it back to my reef tank soon.

for me. Probably it’s good for both shrimp and pod culture. Either 1 I’m happy.

Finally someone that has it !!! I've been looking everywhere can you confirm if the shells stay INSIDE the box ?? And how do you clean it? Tia!

zonyl · Feb 20, 2024

Curious about this as well. I just bought this thing.

Amazon.com

But the suction cups failed and it fell over and fish consumed the eggs before they hatched.

I want to 3D print my own, but am not all that experienced with how their lifecycle works to design one. I am really wondering if I it is possible to breed them in a self-sustaining way. Im thinking of a multichambered box sitting in my sump that has a sequence of LEDs that move them through the stages. While its a bit slow this video helped me understand greatly about them.

I could base it off the one I got, but I have doubts it really works and needs eggs added continuously.