How to Clean Brine in a Shrimp Tank

Moulting, unused food and waste all collect on the bottom of the brine shrimp tank. A dirty tank leads to poor water quality, which can result in the brine shrimp's early demise. Yo can also transfer the poor water quality to your fish tank if you are using the brine shrimp as supplemental food. A simple cleaning of the tank once or twice per week can save you the hassle of starting over with the brine shrimp or contaminating your fish tank.

Things You'll Need

  • Brine shrimp tank
  • Siphon hose
  • Flashlight
  • Bucket
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Instructions

    • 1

      Attract the shrimp to the top of the tank. You should clean a brine shrimp tank at night or in a dark room. Use a flashlight to attract the shrimp to the top of the water. You can then clean the sediment at the bottom without the siphon sucking out the shrimp.

    • 2

      Start the siphon. Place the large end of the siphon hose in the tank water close to the bottom. Suck on the other end to start the siphoning action. This can be tricky and can result in you needing the bucket if you are not careful. Watch the water as you suck and place the end in the bucket quickly just before it reaches your mouth. The end should remain in the bucket to catch the dirty water. The bucket needs to be lower than the tank to allow the siphon effect to work properly.

    • 3

      Clean the bottom of the tank by hopping the siphon around the floor of the tank while keeping the shrimp at the top of the tank with the flashlight. Remove 20% of the water during the cleaning process, and replace it with clean water.