The amount of various salts you are adding to hatch Artemia will swamp any local water dissolved substances, normally.
You need heat (28C) and light (2000 ft Lamberts) and continuous agitation. That is, no cysts ever stationary on the walls of the container. You can skimp on the light a bit, and can go very weak on the salt, but there is no replacement for heavy (boiling) agitation.
If you can't use "Instant Ocean" or "Coralife" type reef salts, add some Epsom salts (20%?) to your sodium chloride, and some baking soda if pH drops below 7.5 by day 2.
Poor agitation is my best guess as to your problem. I use an air line without any airstone to get the water really roiling, and keep it that way for the entire hatching time. Stopping for a few minutes can kill lots of bbs and ruin the whole hatch as they decay.
Wright
01 760 872-3995
805 Valley West Circle
Bishop, CA 93514 USA
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