Preparing for the Arrival of the Eggs, and Temperature Protocols

 

A. Five Days Before Egg Delivery

• Turn on the chiller, setting the temperature to the temperature of the hatchery water. (You’ll receive an e-mail informing you what that temperature is.)

• Test the water for pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and carbonate hardness (KH). The pH of the tank should be stable within a range of 7.0 - 7.6 for optimum biological processes.

• Make sure the KH (carbonate hardness) of your tank’s water is 150 ppm. or more. 

• To increase KH, add baking soda:  1 tsp. baking soda/55 gal. = KH increase of 17.9 ppm
   

B. One Day Before Egg Delivery

• Using the digital thermometer, check to see that the water temperature is at the desired level.

• Place the air stone near but not underneath the breeder basket and turn on the aerator.

• Check the breeder basket. Make sure that water flowing from the filter and bubbles flowing from the aerator will not disturb the resting eggs. If necessary, redirect one or both of these flows or reposition the basket.

• Be sure the filter is operating at its highest flow rate.
   

C. Egg Delivery 

• Eggs will arrive in a container of hatchery water at a temperature approximately the same as your tank. (The eggs will be transported from the state hatchery in coolers to keep the temperature as stable as possible.)

• When the eggs arrive, place the closed container in the tank and allow it to float on the surface of the water for 20 or 30 minutes. This will gradually sync the temperature of the water in the container with your tank’s temperature.

• Gently pour the eggs into the breeder basket.