Brine shrimp rack

This is an old friend I've pull out of the bone yard to help keep up with the current brine shrimp demand. I'll also keep a few moina cultures going. 

I built this in 2001 at work for an experiment culturing moina. It was designed around  the 1.25 liter crystal geyser brand of soda water bottle. When cut they hold a liter of water.  I typically hatch at 1 liter water, one tablespoon (5ml) and one tablespoon (5ml) salt.  During the cold times of the year, they are run on a 48 hour cycle, with a first small flush of nauplii at 24 hours, given to the smallest of fry, then by 48 hours a large harvest of shrimp is collected.  Today we had a 89 F degree day and the shrimp will likely be on a 24 hour cycle and less density.

It is made with one inch and half inch pvc, friction fit together. 

A separate air manifold is zip tied to the back.

There are 8 positions, giving lots of options.

The cap and neck of the inverted bottle fit nicely into the one inch tee at the bottom.  

Plastic air valves are critical this close to salt.

To fit the available space, it was impossible to lift the cones out of the top, so the front top rail and supports were removed for front loading.

The fit is good enough to not need the side bars.  This rack can be made simply with a row of one inch tees pointing up and one perpendicular at each end to keep the rack upright.

A second harvest at 48 hrs.

I make my own soda water in a 5 gallon cornilius keg so it's novel to buy bottles.

A bottle with exactly 1 liter of water.

As filled with a graduated cylinder. 

Fry tub airline Utube

In the floating fry tubs I like to keep things moving with an airstone. Before the eggs hatch and when the fry are on the bottom, the airstone can move around and damage or kill them. 

This is a simple little trick to keep the airstone off the bottom. 

Simply heat up a length of rigid airline with a lighter and bend it to the needed shape. 

Hugs the wall tightly and keeps the airstone off the floor of the tub.

This orignal piece was simply bent into a u. 

You can make then much more custom to the bowl by shaping to the lip of the bowl. 

To attach slide over the lip.

A little twist.

And you have a snug fit.

That will stay on the bowl.

For fine tuned air, and inline drip irregation valve can make fine adjustments or stop air right at the bowl. 

Drip irregation inline valve.

http://www.dripworks.com/product/14VFV-20

Back in place.

A tight fit.

This will also work in reverse for water using my airstone fry filter trick seen here.   Having the airstone off the bottom will prevent all the water from being removed from the bowl, as the slow flow and capillary action will drain all the water from the fry.

Drip irrigation air

The air is supplied by an LA80 Medo linear piston pump. Distributed by 1 inch to 1/2 inch rigid pvc. 

The drip kit, with all the parts, a 5/32 drill is used to make the valve holes in the 1/2 poly line. 

Zip tie the ends closed 

Drill a hole per line. 

Insert the valves. 

Air stone and weight. 

Inline valve for easy fine adjustments. 

A typical assembly with short airline for this example. Valve can be inserted directly to 1/2 poly line. 

I installed two per tub, here a tub of eggs is incubating. 

Medo Linear Blower La-120

This is the air pump running the garage. It replaces a 1/10th Fuji ring blower (regenerative blower). The new pump runs circles around the old one in terms of depth and output. Gone is the blower whine and the 19 inch max depth. Airstones are churning 32 inches deep!

HIGHLIGHTS
Highly reliable, unique, die cast piston construction
UL-approved for outdoor use
Integrated grounded line cord
Service life expectancy of 6 years with proper installation and periodic maintenance

LA-120 | LARGE AIR BLOWER
Ideal for demanding onsite wastewater, aquaculture, and liquid mixing applications. Medo LA-120 is a low-noise, energy efficient, powerfully performing aerator.

SPECIFICATIONS
ModelLA-120
Power SupplyAC 120V,220V,230V,240V
Rated Frequency60Hz
Operating Pressure Range1.42 - 3.56 psig
Rated Pressure0.11 kgf/cm2(2.56 psig)
Rated Airflow*120 LPM (4.24 cfm) or over
Power Consumption118 W @ 60 Hz
Running Current2.4 amps
Operating Noise48 dB Max
Weight9.4 kg (20.7)kg
*When operatted at the rated pressure noted above

300 gallon water aging tank

300 gallon water change aging tank. Swapped out the 1.5 inch bulkhead for a 2 inch bulkhead and installed a gate valve. Has a 1 foot Airstone and a float valve for automatic refill.

The tool was dry fit PVC to get the bulkhead into the hole without having to climb in to the tank.

Japanese Import System Nearly completed

Just a few loose ends to clean up.

 Drain for each tank with a check valve.

 How they'll be placed.

The 3 inch main drain line (elbow instead of tee)

Love my Milwaukee m12 drill!

Not an easy fit but very tight and water tight.

 Fitting the Uniseal tank adaptor 

Putting it all together.

2.5 Cubic Foot Aquabead. 

 1 x 1/2 for 1 foot airstones to be run by a LP80 Medo Linear Piston Blower.

The air system.

DIY UV 130 watts

The system all on top of the sump.

 A close up.  Always sign your work <}}}><

Cycling with DIY urea and Dr Tim's Bacteria.

 Nearly 200 square feet of ponds and nearly 400 cubic feet of water.

Now the fish can come home.