So to start this project I cleaned out my neglected storm shelter, which was flooded and buried in mud. Transforming the shelter into a somewhat scientific environment was a real project. I started out by shoveling, raking and power washing the outside and entrance, because the first step in cleaning something is stopping it from getting more dirty. Then I pumped out about 3 feet of stagnant water with a sump pump. After removing the rotten benches, powerwashing the interior, scooping out the mud and frogs and rust, I could sanitize it with bleach. The air vents on top had to be cleaned as well, and then the shelter was dried using heaters so I could assess where the leak was. There was a seam in the middle of the shelter from which old caulking was removed, then the shelter was power washed again, scooped out, dried and swept. And then finally the seam was repaired with sealant. Now we have a controlled environment. Now we’re ready for phase two.
The space inside is limited, so the idea I rested on was using wire shelving, as you can see in the pictures. I will break down the costs of each item:
Shelving x2 - $140
Heater - $30
105 quart grow out sterilite container x6 - $70
Small sterilite containers x6 - $24
Temp probe - $15
LED ceiling light - $28
LED aquarium light x6 - $120
Air pump, tubing, stones, connections - $40
Net x2 - $12
Desk lamp - $20
Folding table - $40
Gram scale - $18
Compost - $18
170 micron sieve - $28
Dechlorinator - $10
Pipette, zip ties, baggies, labels, kitchen sieve - $30
Clorella powder - $15
5 in 1 test strips - $15
And finally, the eggs. 5 species were aquired from different sources. Rock Pool Fairy Shrimp - Branchinecta packardi, Thai Fairy Shrimp - Branchinella thailandesis, Beavertail Fairy Shrimp - Thamnocephalus platyurus, Redtail Fairy Shrimp - Streptocephalus seaii (?), and Versatile Fairy Shrimp - Branchinecta lindahli - for a total of about $80
Total cost: $753
The eggs were reared in 5 separate tanks of distilled water, all at around 70F. This temperature is within accepted parameters of all 5 species. The ph is 7. General hardness is close to zero. Carbonate hardness is 20 ppm. It is day 3 today, and they were all given two drops each of a mixture of chlorella and yeast.
The beavertail nauplii are the largest, and are very active. Rock pool fairy shrimp have a few visible hatchlings that seem happy. Red tails are small, but plentiful. Versatile shrimp - ghost town. Thai fairy shrimp, plentiful but small, sluggish movement.
Thai fairy shrimp have infamously poor hatch rate and survivability, so this isn’t surprising. I was expecting at least some hatchlings from the Versetile eggs, but no dice. The Versetile eggs were sourced from a questionable eBay seller. They were the only eggs of that species I could find for sale.
Both eggs were likely sourced originally from fairy shrimp farms or from the wild in Thailand or Indonesia, where the harvesting procedures are unscientific and prioritize egg volume over quality. But still, zero hatchlings from thousands of eggs is unlikely, and makes me wonder if I was sold brine shrimp eggs at a severe mark up.
I will keep you guys posted on the development of these shrimp. It is hard to say now which species is performing the best, as it is very early in the process.
Also, please note the coloration of the water is from tannins in the compost. Please rinse your compost before adding it to your tank. Thank you
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