How to Build a Brine Shrimp Tank

Anyone who raises saltwater fish in reef tanks knows that many marine fish are finicky eaters that can be difficult to feed. Live brine shrimp provide an excellent source of nutrition for many species of saltwater and freshwater fish alike, but can be a hassle if you have to run back and forth to the pet store to buy them every day. Luckily, setting up a brine shrimp tank for home use is quite an easy task, and will allow you to store live brine shrimp for days at a time.

Things You'll Need

  • 10-gallon glass aquarium
  • Dechlorinator
  • Marine salt
  • Mixing spoon
  • Hydrometer
  • External air pump
  • Airline tubing, quarter-inch in diameter
  • Air stone
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill the 10-gallon aquarium with lukewarm water and add the proper dosage of dechlorinator. Dechlorinator is a liquid chemical that removes chlorine and other harmful chemicals in tap water. The proper dosage will be listed on the package and varies according to manufacturer.

    • 2

      Place the proper dosage of marine salt into the aquarium water. Marine salt can be purchased from a pet store and the proper dosage will be listed on the package.

    • 3

      Mix the salt in the water with the mixing spoon until most of it has dissolved. The water will most likely appear cloudy white for quite some time.

    • 4

      Measure the specific gravity of the water with the hydrometer. Dip the hydrometer under the water until it fills up, then take it out and place it on a flat surface. A small floating needle inside the device will point to markings on the side, indicating the specific gravity. The ideal specific gravity should be between .0020 and .0022 ppt (parts per trillion). If it's a little low, add salt. If it's a little high, bring it down by removing some of the saltwater with a measuring cup and adding some freshwater.

    • 5

      Connect one end of the airline tubing to the output of the external air pump. The output is a little tube-like structure through which air is expelled. The airline tubing should squeeze over it snugly.

    • 6

      Connect the other end of the airline tubing to the air stone. The air stone, which can be found in a pet store, is a small porous stone that, when air is pushed through it, creates bubbles underwater and aerates the water.

    • 7

      Place the air stone into the brine tank and plug the external air pump into a power outlet (or switch it on if it's battery operated). Bubbles should begin flowing from the stone in the water, aerating the environment. The brine shrimp tank is now complete, and after the salt has fully dissolved you can add brine shrimp.