Incubator Housekeeping

Caring for a salmon/trout family is very similar to maintaining a tropical fish tank at home. Provided certain routine tasks are performed, the incubation experience should be relatively trouble free. However, neglecting to perform these tasks can lead to the sudden and total loss of the salmon.

Fish produce waste, primarily in the form of ammonia. Ammonia is produced during respiration, urination and defecation. Decomposing dead fish, eggs and food can contribute to the ammonia load in a tank. Simply stated, ammonia above a certain level is extremely toxic to fish. The principal goal of incubator housekeeping is to keep ammonia at manageable levels. This is done by changing and filtering the water.

Water Changes: The old adage, "the only solution to pollution is dilution," applies to ammonia in an incubator. The most direct way of dealing with ammonia is to frequently change a portion of the water in the tank. After the eggs have hatched, twenty five (25%) to fifty percent (50%) of the water volume should be replaced on a weekly basis. Also, pH and ammonia tests should be performed every week in order to determine if more frequent water and filter changes are necessary. A pH range of 6.5 to 7.5 is acceptable. Ammonia should not exceed 1 part per million (ppm = mg/l).

When replacing, water should be removed from the bottom of the tank using a gravity fed siphon or length of vinyl tubing. The siphon acts like a vacuum cleaner, sucking up debris from among and under the gravel. Gravel vacuuming is an important tool in the war against ammonia. It is imperative that fresh water be dechlorinated and at the appropriate temperature before being added to the tank. Fresh water should be poured very slowly, taking great care NOT to produce too much turbulence on the tank bottom.

Inexpensive test kits for pH and ammonia can be purchased at aquarium supply stores. pH testing generally involves one of the following: 1) colorimetric test papers (change color to indicate pH level), 2) colorimetric tests using a chemical reagent or 3) pH meter (the easiest, but most expensive method). Ammonia test kits generally consist of a chemical reagent and colorimetric comparison chart.

Great care should be taken when handling any of the chemical reagents in the test kits. Never pour chemical reagents into the incubator. When purchasing test kits, ask the retailer to provide a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for each of the chemical reagents in the test kit. These fact sheets provide important information about a chemical.

Filtration: The incubator filter cleans and aerates (adds oxygen to) the water. With so many different brands and types of aquarium filters on the market, it is important to purchase the right one. The filter should have an intake tube, which withdraws water from the tank and circulates it through a reservoir filled with filter media (typically includes sponge, activate carbon and zeolite clay filter elements). The water is then discharged back into the tank. The turbulence from the discharge serves to add oxygen to the water. AquaClear is one brand of filter that operates in this manner. There are many other brands with filters that function similarly. The AquaClear 300 is appropriate for a twenty to thirty gallon tank. Under-gravel filters should not be used in a salmon/trout incubator.

The filter removes waste material in three ways:

• Mechanical Filtration: The sponge filter element traps free-floating particulate matter;
• Chemical Filtration: Activated carbon reacts with heavy metals and organic molecules, removing unwanted colors and odors. The zeolite clay filter element removes ammonia from the water; and
• Biological Filtration: The sponge and activated carbon filter elements play host to colonies of beneficial bacteria that, as part of the nitrogen cycle, convert ammonia to less toxic forms (nitrite and nitrate).

Here are some important tips regarding filter element changes that apply to AquaClear filters and others of similar design:

• After the eggs have hatched, the activated carbon filter element should be replaced every month;
• After the eggs have hatched, the zeolite clay (ammonia removing) filter should be replaced every month (or more frequently if test results indicate an elevated ammonia level.
• The sponge filter is washed, not replaced. The activated carbon and ammonia filters are replaced;
• The activated carbon and zeolite clay filter elements should be rinsed in dechlorinated water before being placed into the filter. This will decrease clouding of the aquarium water;
• Never replace the activated carbon element and clean the sponge element at the same time. The goal is to establish beneficial waste-removing bacteria within the filtration system. Alternating sponge cleaning with activated carbon element replacement ensures that the bacteria will not be wiped out; and
• The sponge element should always be washed in clean, dechlorinated water.

Egg Care: Salmon/Trout eggs turn white when dead. They should be removed with the egg picker or turkey baster immediately. The turkey baster tip may have to be cut off to accommodate the diameter of the eggs.

Equipment Disinfection: Using clean equipment is the key to success when working with salmon and trout. All equipment, including the aquarium and filter prior to incubator assembly, should be cleaned and sterilized with a solution consisting of one-half cup of Chlorox per one gallon of water. All equipment shoud be rinsed thoroughly.
 

FIRST AID FOR AN AILING SALMON/TROUT TANK

Carefully remove all of the gravel (to see what is lying underneath) Remove any "crud" from the bottom of the tank with a fine mesh dip net Remove 50% to 100% of the water and replace with fresh, chilled dechorinated water Clean the sponge filter element Replace the zeolite clay filter element (to remove ammonia)

 

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