pH

 pH measures how acidic or basic something is. The lower the number, he more acidic. The higher the number, the more basic. River water usually sits around 7.4 on the scale which is called "neutral". 

This picture to the left shows some things that we are familiar with and roughly where they sit on the ph scale. 

The nitrogen cycle 

What is the nitrogen cycle? The nitrogen cycle is the cycle of how waste is turned into nutrients for plants. 

The first part is ammonia. Ammonia is waste that comes from animals. Ammonia can also come from things like eggshells. Bacteria called nitrosomonas process ammonia into nitrite. Another kind of bacteria called nitrobacter processes nitrite into nitrates. Waste that has been converted into nitrates can now fertilize plants. 

DI stands for the development index. This is a number that tells you how far along in their development the salmon are. Please refer to the chart that fish friends provides you. This chart is for example only. 

This development index reaches 100% when they are ready to feed. This is when they reach the fry life stage. 

The number that aligns with the percentages is the cumulative DI. 

29% Is the weak eye stage. This is the stage you will receive your eggs in. 

47% Indicates the strong eye stage. (Eyes very visible inside the egg).

52% Indicates when eggs should begin to hatch.

58% Is when 90% of the eggs should be hatched.

92% Is when they are ready to be released.

100% Indicates when the fry will first start to eat. 

Here's what our chart looks like. It shows the temperature day by day as well as the development index and milestones for the salmon.

1. Wash and dry your tank and any other equipment. Its important to dry your equipment thoroughly to prevent tap water from being mixed in. It is recommended to wash your gravel between tank setups. Gravel can hold waste and ammonia. 

2. Cut out half-inch insulation board to surround your tank. This includes a lid. You can cover the side facing out with duct tape for extra insulation, but it isn't necessary. Cut out holes for your filter and coils. Make sure to cut out a little window you can open and close for viewing. The insulation will not only help to keep your tank cool but protect the eggs from any bright lights. Too much direct light exposure can kill salmon eggs.

3. Pour a thin layer of gravel into the tank. It doesn't have to cover the entire bottom, just enough for the eggs to settle in. 

4. Create a divot for your eggs to sit in. This will keep them settled in one place and away from the chiller coils. Place small rocks along the edge of the gravel as a barrier for the eggs so they don't roll into the chiller.

5. Set up your tank starting with the gravel and rocks. Finding right placement for your filter and chiller before cutting out the insulation will save a lot of time and hassle! New filter bags need to be washed before being used. 

6. Add purchased spring water to your tank, and make sure the chiller coils are completely covered.

7. Test all of your equipment and make sure it's working for when the eggs come. Run the filter for a week or two before your eggs arrive to get the water circulating. Make sure your water is cooled to the right temperature before the eggs arrive. The chiller may take a few hours to go from room temperature to properly cooled. Its absolutely worth taking a moment to read your cooler manual before eggs arrive, this way problems can be worked out before anything is in the tank. Make sure your water test kits aren't expired!

Receiving your eggs is one of the most exciting parts of the process! Fish friends will bring your eggs in a small drink cooler. You will need to keep this cooler for transporting eggs to the river. The temperature of the cooler water may be warmer than your tank temperature. This means you have to “temper” your eggs.

To temper your eggs you will need to make spring water ice cubes or purchase ice. Do not use ice made with tap water. With spring water ice cubes, you can slowly add them to the cooler and wait for the temperature to align within 4 degrees of what Fish Friends call for. They will also give you detailed information on the process.

With purchased ice cubes, put some in a plastic bag and clip that to the inside of the cooler. Make sure no ice cubes touch the salmon water.

Once your eggs are tempered, skim out any ice floating on the top and dispose of half the water in your cooler. Gently and slowly tip the cooler until the eggs slowly roll out into their gravel bed. 

After receiving your eggs

• Take pictures of them weekly. 

• Test water quality weekly or bi-weekly. 

• Observe the tank for any mold or dead eggs and remove if you find any. Look for any underdeveloped or misshapen fish. 

• Follow your chart and adjust the chiller temperature accordingly. 

• Change water as Fish Friends has instructed. Typically change 10-20% of water per week. 

• Remove debris after eggs hatch as instructed.

• Check weekly to make sure equipment is running properly. 

Doing these things will help to greatly improve the chances of your eggs surviving. Constant tank regulations and taking pictures can help to tell you when conditions are off.