In the beginning...

...my first batch of triops was doing GREAT - 7 active swimmers, the largest around 1/2 an inch... until I left for the weekend and all of their water evaporated. They made it to 14 days and were quite happy to be alive, until I indirectly murdered them. Thus the lesson: cover your tank, especially if the mouth is wide and you're using a lamp.
Here are a few pictures of that last sad batch: