800 gallon classroom build

[buttons buster]

ANy new updates?
Have you tested water parameters?

 

[NanoGurl]

Wow! Great job and very lucky class. :thumbsup:

 

[normanfine]

That is a really cool project. I wish I had something like that in school.

 

[hobogato]

well, the tanks are in the midst of the algae cycles, and the students have started the three week long research phase into the nitrogen cycle, starting a saltwater aquarium (relating filtration systems to the nitrogen cylce, and then their organism selection research. i have found a small unicorn tang that another local reefer is trying to get rid of for the 150, and i will be adding a volitans lion that would soon outgrow my clam tank to that tank as well (yes, i already cleared it with the administration - i really didnt think they would let us have one in the classroom)

the students will start doing water tests this week, but i have already tested a couple of weeks ago and we are at zero for NH3 and NO2. NO3 at 10, but there is really minimal bioload on the system with only one fish, so i expect a quick mini cycle when i add those other two fish and start feeding more heavily - i just hope that it isnt so quick that at least one group cant get some low readings besides zero for ammonia and nitrite. it would be a great example to go with the research they are doing right now.

 

[buttons buster]

If their tanks "suck" do they get a lower grade in the class?

 

[hobogato]

he he... no, the tanks are only a portion of the curriculum and the grade for that portion will be determined by their records of what they have done and what has happened with their tank. they will be recording every detail about the care of their tank, from water test results to how often they fed, how their organisms are doing/growing, when they do water changes, etc. really trying to teach them that there is alot more to it than just feeding the fish.

 

[buttons buster]

What happens with all of their "stuff" that they bought at the end of the year. like their corals etc.?

Is the class available next year?

 

[hobogato]

the things they put into their tank are theirs to find new homes for. they can set up their own tank at home and take them, sell them, or give them away.

 

[buttons buster]

I think it would be cool if you took one of the 20s and tried your hand at it.

Then your students could have something to look up to, or vise-versa.

You should post pictures of all of the tanks when the time comes around

thanks

 

[NbMaxx13]

I would love to see some pics ....

 

[buttons buster]

Any updates?

 

[NbMaxx13]

Ditto ... ^^^^^^ what buttons said

 

[hobogato]

well, the students have pretty much finished researching the nitrogen cycle. they are now in groups and have picked their tanks for the year. rather than numbering the tanks, each group was asked to name thier tank after a real reef, island or marine body of water.

this is the pile of rock that the student are choosing from to re-aquascape the way they want (have 50 lbs more to pick up and add still)

here are the first few tanks that have been re-scaped

 

[jnarowe]

so cool!

 

[hobogato]

the skimmer is finally producing some nice green/black gunk now that there is a little bit of a bioload on the system

the 135 display (realized i had the size wrong before) now has a panther grouper, volitans lion, huma (picasso) trigger, and a wolf eel as well as a few frags of coral

the next step is for the students to research possible inhabitant, make compatibility charts and then we will be stocking the tanks. we will partially stock all of the tanks around the beginning of october and finish stocking around the beginning of november.

 

[buttons buster]

Do you know if any of the students have had tanks before?

Also how much did the whole lighting system cost?

and once again that's an awesome class

 

[NbMaxx13]

Awesome ... Thanks for the pics.... Please keep us updated as much as possible ... I think the whole project is fantastic ... Kudos to you and the school for providing this for the students..


If you are interested I would like to donate some corals to the project free of charge...I have a few leathers that would ship well.. ... Pm me if you are interested....

 

[jnarowe]

Such a good idea. Maybe you can write up some sort of "grant request" for RC members to donate? I am sure I could swing captive tank appropriate snails with no problem, and I would love to donate them if that is an option.

 

[kodyboy]

very cool project, I should post pics of my schools tank and the student tank as well, but I like your set-up better.
Excellent work, keep it up

 

[hobogato]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10745691#post10745691 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by buttons buster
Do you know if any of the students have had tanks before?


only a few have freshwater tanks at home and only one that i know of with marine

Also how much did the whole lighting system cost?

the lights on the student tanks are old NO florescent that the school already had - i am in the process of trying to get funds to upgrage the student tanks to PC so they can have soft corals as well


and once again that's an awesome class

thanks!