hello kuza,
in my first experiment with the Kreisel tank (see my documentation) I do have night and day cycle the frist days.
But even this is a kreisel tank with a stream to hold the larvae 'in the flow', the larvae went to the side where the light came from (I got a streetlamp outside at my house).
When they swimm to the light, they concentrate at one area - and this is no good. (some of our german saltwater-animal-breeders confirmed that)
To hold them in the middle of the Kreisel tank the light was on 24/7 after some days. I use a special water lamp for aquarium (Nano).
you worte:
You also mention you used your second jar to move the zoea instead of doing water changes, so that's where you sucked them up in your eye droppers and just put them i the new jar, every day?
In Nat's case this worked, because the larvae develop extremely fast and only cross 2 stages. All other species need more care. (unfortunately)
In my opinion you have to chance water very often, even if you got a second, third or 10th jar
And you injure them when you move them in a new jar every day. Very risky.
My kreisel tank is 1.32 gallons (5 liters).
In a bigger tank you must have a really good stream flow.
And more food, because they do not really hunt their food. The catch while the food swimm near them. (more water, more difficult to catch food)
Less water means more cleaning! But in my opiniton: even in a bigger tank a daily cleaning has to be done.
my advice:
Use this 10 gallon tank to put in fresh water and the heater (26°C = 78.
. In this tank use a Kreisel tank. You can build it like mine or try to use such a jar like Nat is using.
Important is a nonstop stream. Not to hard not to easy. To hold the larvae in a flow and to hold the off the ground. But they must be able to swimm by their own. Is not that easy to explain. But in my documentation and in my picasa album are some videos to show how my kreisel works.(see below)
And even if this is not easy: do not out in all larvae into a tank! Only 50-100. So that they all got the best chance to get enough food.
I only use one kreisel. And one transition tank.
my transition tank is a running crabitat with a big pool in it. Pool is 1,32 gallons, too. This pool is a case which stands in another bigger case. The bigger case is filled with water and the heater. So that the pool will be heaten without any electric equipment in it (only a bubbler). There is a link in my docus aswell.
When the larvae transmoph to megalopa stage I put them into the transition pool. Because megalopa will eat the larvae! Even if they got enough food.
Water chance:
In my tank we shut down the light, hold a light on one side. The larve swimm to this side.
Then we use a tube with a net/mesh at the end. (I used a piece of a silk tight). With this tube we carefully draw the water out of the tank. In a glas bowl to check if larvae has come through the mesh.
Then we cleaned the sides of the kreisel and put in temperatured new saltwater in the tank. Again, carefully with a tube. (this time we drawd salt water out of the salt water can)
Every day. For weeks. (that is what most of other salt water animal breeders do while breeding difficult species.) Depends on the food and the animal.
I think it is the best way to read my docus and have a look at my pictures and videos. It is hard for me to explain it all in englisch without showin it live, you know?
Even in german it is difficult to comprehend when you have not done this stuff by yourself.
See second video: the running kreisel (6th experiment - failed)
https://picasaweb.google.com/1120608556 ... directlink
See some videos/picture of the kreisel and transition tank(new) of my 5th failed experiment:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1120608556 ... directlink
and here you will find some videos and pictures of the kreisel, too (last pictures)
https://picasaweb.google.com/1120608556 ... directlink
and sorry for the "wall of text" again
it is a very complex and complicate experiment.