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Aeration (also called "oxygenating") is extremely important to the survival and happiness of your Sea-Monkeys®. It simply means getting air into the water of your Sea-Monkey® aquarium. This is vital in the first days of a newly hatched colony. I normally wait 2 days after hatching before beginning aeration. I then continue every day afterwards for the next 7 days. Beyond the 7th day, you'll find that every other day usually works just fine. I have happy colonies that only need aerating twice a week. How do you know how often? It really calls for a bit of observation. If your Sea-Monkeys® are darting around the tank in a lively fashion, then they're likely receiving plenty of oxygen. If they start swimming slowly and begin to get sluggish, then it's a possible sign that their oxygen supply is getting choked off. If this is the case, oxygenate their water everyday until they become lively again.
The primary methods for aerating are as follows: If your kit came with a Million Bubble Air Pump (or has a built in pump), this is the best way to aerate. A few pumps (I do about 15) and your pets get plenty of oxygen. Another method of aeration is to pour the water back and fourth 5 or 6 times from their tank to another container, but always finishing in the original tank. If you're uncomfortable with this, you can also try stirring their water with a plastic spoon for 2 to 3 minutes to move air from the surface to the bottom. There's also the method of inserting a new straw and lightly blowing into it to oxygenate the water... but be careful with this! Avoid using exhaled air from your lungs as it introduces carbon dioxide into the water (which is harmful to your pets). Instead, concentrate and doing small controlled bursts only with the air in your mouth. This can tricky at first (and you'll look like a fish when doing so), but with a little practice, it's effective. For the advanced hobbyist, you can always purchase an aquarium air-pump, some hose, and an air-stone from your local pet or fish supply store (also check the pet isles of your local department store). The smallest pump you can find will do... however... try and find one that can regulate the air flow. Some air-pumps have built in air flow adjustment and some don't. If you can't find one that does, you can purchase a regulator valve for the hose and control the air flow that way. The idea here is to have a light flow of bubbles coming from the air-stone... rather than creating a violent current that puts undue stress on your pets.
Suppose your kit came with an Aqua-Leash... this actually works quite well for aerating. Simply lower the Aqua-Leash into the tank and press your thumb slowly down on the bellows to release bubbles into the water... but don't lift your thumb up just yet. While your thumb is still pressed down, lift the Aqua-Leash out of the water and then release your thumb. Now repeat the whole process 15 or so times, and your tank will be nicely oxygenated. But how about making a "convertible" Million Bubble Air Pump out of your Aqua-Leash? If you're interested, it's really quite easy. First, go to a pet store (or the pet isle of you local department store), and purchase a small bubble-stone (also called an air-stone). You'll find this item wherever the fish supplies are sold (and they're very inexpensive). Now attach the stone to the end of your Aqua-Leash. I've found that these small bubble stones fit quite snuggly into the opening (without the need for glue). Next, you poke a small hole in the top of your Aqua-Leash (right where your thumb presses down). Viola! you've just made a Million Bubble Air Pump... go ahead, try it and see! To convert back, simply remove the stone. The only downside to this is that when you now use it as a standard Aqua-Leash for cleaning the tank or transporting Sea-Monkeys®, you'll have to make sure you don't remove your thumb (with a little practice, this is easy to deal with). If you find this a problem, you can always temporarily put a small piece of tape over the thumb-hole when using it as an Aqua-Leash.
Why do some tanks need less oxygenating than others? At least one good reason for this can be due to the amount green algae present in the tank. Green algae is a great producer of oxygen (and also acts as a food source) and makes for a very healthy Sea-Monkey® colony. My liveliest Sea-Monkeys® are the ones that live in my tanks with the most green algae. For example, in my "Ghostly Galleon" aquariums (read about it in our "Product Reviews" section), I get excellent growth of green algae, and thus, have cut way back on both aerating and feeding of those tanks. The Sea-Monkeys® in these tanks are happy, vigorous, and always making lots of new babies! So how can you get green algae to grow in your tank? More on this in the next section on "Environment".
Remember, as careful as we all may be, there's still always the possibility of harming our fragile Sea-Monkeys® whenever we insert "anything" into their aquarium. Our tiny pets stand little chance when getting caught between the wall of their tank and the air-stone of a Million Bubble Air-Pump (or Aqua Leash, or Spoon, or whatever)... as their bodies can be easily crushed. A good rule of thumb is to simply avoid the walls of their tank with any handheld item you're using for aeration. This is especially important for those of you using the stirring method for aeration, as it is easy to come in contact with the tank wall while doing so. Another issue to be careful with is cleanliness. If our tools of aeration are not clean, we run the risk of introducing contaminants into our Sea-Monkeys® water every time we use them. It's a good practice to thoroughly rinse these items (inside and out) with clean water (preferably distilled) after every use, and then dry with a clean paper towel. Allow them to dry completely and then consider storing them in a zip-lock baggie until needed again. I know it all sounds like a bit much, but once you get into a routine, it's easy! ... besides, your Sea-Monkeys® will personally thank you... by living longer! |
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