Lobster sales can be a boon to a supermarket’s seafood section, but only if businesses and their employees know how to keep their commercial lobster tanks in good working condition.

Here are a few pointers on how to maintain a healthy underwater environment to sustain commercial lobster sales:

Balance the temperature
Water in your tank should always stay between 30 degrees and 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t let it ever get above 50 degrees.

Control salinity
Hydrometer readings should be between 1.020 and 1.025 PPT. PPT stands for “parts per thousand,” meaning for every kilogram of water

If salinity drops below 1.020 PPT, do not add salt directly into the tank. Instead, follow the instructions listed on the Horizon Bradco Daily Maintenance Checklist.

Clean out when necessary
Foam in the lobster tank water could mean one of a few issues:

• Presence of a dead or injured lobster
• Lobsters accidentally fed
• Damaged or expired carbon filter

Before investigating exactly what went wrong, remove the foam with a piece of cardboard.

Handle with care
Lobsters injured because of poor handling techniques increases product shrinkage and could cause even complications to other stock, further exacerbating the problem.

When moving fresh lobsters into the tank or removing them to perform tank maintenance, always transport them by hand and place them onto a padded surface to prevent injury. One study found this technique reduced lobster injuries by 70 percent.