When the average person hears the word "prawn," images of shrimp cocktails may spring to mind. Subnautica players, however, associate the word with one of the most useful tools in this underwater-survival game.  The reason being that the "Prawn Suit," which players can construct through resource collection, allows you the ability to journey to extreme depths and fit into tight spaces. There is no other suit that allows for this level of usefulness and thus is highly sought after.

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Acquiring the Prawn Suit is no easy task, however. You will need a very specific set of materials in order to craft and further upgrade the submersible device. Perhaps the most important of those materials is a substance called Aerogel. Here are a few tips and tricks to make sure you get all the Aerogel your heart desires.

10 10. What is Aerogel?

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Aerogel is an advanced crafting component and is essential to making sure you are properly equipped to face everything Subnautica throws your way. It is essentially a gel cube whose name comes from the fact that the liquid part of the gel has been substituted for a gas. This substitution allows for an extreme level of heat insulation. This is crucial for exploring the world of Subnautica as the temperature at certain depths will become life-threatening if the player is not properly insulated.

9 9. What do I Need?

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For starters, if you're going to stock up on Aerogel you will first need to know how to make it. Aerogel itself doesn't exist in the world of Subnautica naturally, you will instead need to craft it. To do so you will need three things: Gel Sacks, Rubies, and a Fabricator. Acquiring these three elements can be a daunting task but hopefully, these tips will help make the process a bit smoother.

8 8. What is a Fabricator?

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A fabricator is essential to most crafting in the game and will allow you the device for which to create many of the blueprints scattered around the depths. To build a fabricator you will need: "Titanium, Gold, and Table Coral Sample to form a Builder which will then turn into a Fabricator." There is also a fabricator that can be found at the player's starting location: Life Pod 5.

7 7. Where Do I find Gel Sacks?

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There are numerous Gel Sack locations throughout the world of Subnautica however, some are more easily accessed than others. For new players, the easiest and fastest way to acquire Gel Sacks is to head to Life Pod 13. At this location, you will find a large mushroom-like tree and Gel Sacks can be found near its base. These sacks are in relatively shallow water and therefore are easier to access early in the game. You can spot them by looking for their bio-luminescent purple spots.

6 6. Other Locations

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There are many other locations where Gel Sacks can be acquired. Without going through them all, good starting points include Blood Kelp/Lost River Region, the borders of Aurora, The Sparse Reef, and Mountain Island to name a few. Keep in mind that often times the rare resources are found in caves so be sure to explore every nook and cranny.

5 5. Where Do I find Rubies?

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The bright red rocks called "Rubies" are more common than Gel Sacks and are therefore easier to acquire. They are common in the Lost River, Sea Treader's Path, and the Grand Reef. You will need to spot white rocks with red sections jutting out. Luckily these rocks also glow in the dark, making them easier to find. Keep in mind on your hunt that you may need to search depths between 300-500m.

4 4. How Can I Farm Them?

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For those of you having difficulty locating the resources required to craft Aerogel, fear not, for we have the solution! Farming is a way to make resource collection far more manageable in Subnautica. To farm Gel Sacks, you will only need to locate one. Once located, hit it with your knife to collect seeds. Each Gel Sack will give you three seeds. You can then plant the seeds in an external grow bed to grow your own. Once you've grown one, collect the seeds and plant more. Boom, an infinite supply of Gel Sacks at your fingertips.

3 3. How to Stay Alive

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When farming for Aerogel there is the potential from some serious injury and violent death. First, be sure too keep your volume up and pay attention to audio and visual cues. More often than not, large creatures will be heard before they are seen. Avoid them at all costs. On the visual side, avoid certain environmental hazards around your farm site. For instance: Ghostray walls in the Lost River, radiation, lava, and various ooze-like substances that will harm you. Being aware of your surroundings will be huge in making your farming run a success.

2 2. Be Prepared

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As is the case with any survival game, preparation is key. Death can come quickly in Subnautica and as we mentioned above, there are many external factors that want to kill you. However, there are a number of preparatory steps you can take to keep you swimming while you farm. For instance: always, ALWAYS, bring an extra battery. To keep all of your equip running you will need to have a power source on hand in the event something dies on an expedition. Also, be sure to bring food and water for your journey as you will need to stay fed and hydrated. Lastly, be sure to bring a beacon or two when you head out. There is no game map so getting lost is a real concern. By dropping beacons, you can be sure to always find your way back to key locations.

1 1. The Internet Is Your Friend

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Subnautica is not an easy game so be sure to do your research before diving in. By understanding what you're up against, tasks like collecting Aerogel will be far easier. Subnautica has created a large community of players who are documenting and sharing their successes and failures. Hopefully, those experiences and these tips will keep you swimming just a little bit longer.

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