Artemia Sea Monkey Aeration and Illumination System
First I discovered a new and very effective way to aerate the tank. I use a
chemical wash bottle, usually used in chemical laboratories, and add water from a few centimeters
distance from the water surface, so that many air bubbles appear. This method for aeration also has the nice
side effect, that evaporated water is replaced.
Since the salt remains in the tank and only water evaporates, I fill only fresh water
into the wash bottle.
Furthermore, make sure that you spray into the tank where are no or little animals. There might
be the risk of hurting the one or another animal.
In the photo below you can see the wash bottle in action. Many tiny air bubbles appear, even down to
the ground, which put oxygen into the water. Notice the "bubble-column" in the middle of the tank,
from the surface to the ground. The bubbles on the surface are the result of the "bubble-column".
Illumination System
Second, I finally got around and built an illumination system, which can be seen in the
photo on the right.
I use cheap lampshades and cheap energy-saving lamps with 11 watts, which translates into a 60 watts
regular bulb. Illumination duration is about 12 hours a day. Since energy-saving lamps produce
much less heat than regular bulbs, the distance to the water surface can be faily small.
I chose a distance of about 10 cm (4 in).
But it is no problem, if the water evaporates a little faster than without a lamp.
On the contrary: faster evaporating water -> more chances to aerate!
As a sidenote: Now I also add regular aquarium gravel (rinse the gravel, before putting into the tank).
This new system works extremely well. The animals are mating and reproducing, have always
a filled, dark gut and are swimming around fast. These are very good signs for healthy and
lucky animals.
Second, I finally got around and built an illumination system, which can be seen in the
photo on the right.
