Kingsbury Elementary School Gets Salty!!!

77railer

77railer

New member
Hey gang,

I just wanted to share some exciting news. I teach 4th grade at Kingsbury Elementary School located in Sumter South Carolina. This year we began an aquatics program to use as an educational tool and to reward good behavior. The school allowed me to purchase a 90G freshwater tank that I placed 14 African Cichlids in, and a 30G Saltwater Acrylic BioCube.
My experience in aquariums was limited to keeping goldfish and cichlids...needless to say did I have to learn alot fast. We planned on having corals and fish in the BioCube which is housed in the library...but due to problems with the A/C and huge temperature swings we started loosing corals and decided to do fish only.
We started the tank with two tiny Ocellaris Clowns, a six line wrasse and a GBTA. The next day we already lost one clown becuase it actually thought it was Nemo and jumped into the trickle filter :( . A week later the GBTA decided that the wrasse looked tasty and had a $30 meal :mad2: Before loosing anyone else we removed the GBTA, and added a Yellow Chorus Wrasse, some snails, two Short Spine Sea Urchins, and some Hermit Crabs.
Each morning 3 children are chosen based on notes we give for good behavior to help me feed the fish in both tanks...the kids love this part...they really like the Saltwater tank!!!
I was fortunate enough to get a 75G running at my house with corals and fish which has taught me tons of information and made me realize how little I actually know,lol.

Friends of my wife and I are allowing the school to use a Complete 75G setup that they recently purchased but dont have room for. The principal and I have decided on a new location for this tank that is highly visible and has a dependable A/C unit :)

We will be posting pics as soon as the tank arrives and hope you will join our journey. Any help that might be offered is greatly appreciatted...wish us luck..and please keep both hands on the bar,lol.

Leroy a.k.a. Mr. Steigerwalt
 
coool! wish my school did something cool like this when i was that young.....


be sure to post some pics of the kids feeding the fish!
 
I keep fresh water tanks in my labs and classrooms for 30 years.
I wish the school had given me the funds for a salt water tank--they are great learning tools for the kids.
This is really remarkable in this time with budget cut backs, class size ratios, etc etc that you have the support. The last freshwater I had was a 60gal in 2000 and had to get money from the PTA(I think that is what it is called in the US) I was away one day and the grade 8's dumped all the hand wash solutions in there and that was the end of that.

That is one lesson I can pass on to you--make sure the saltwater tank is in a highly visible area and that the room can be secured when you leave.
Do not allow kids hands in the tank period--the last thing you want i a law suit because a student had an alergy attack etc after having their hands in it--and the parent happens to be a lawyer who keeps marine tanks :)

another point, not a criticism but you really do need to do your research on the fish you purchase and their compatabilities with each other etc. although death is a concept of the reef, it is still hard on really young kids when they see Nemo eaten by an anenome.

but once again it is a great idea and it will enrich you and you students lives
 
Thanks for the input so far. We plan on attaching a lock to the canopy to keep little hands out.

On the point of fish...the same couple that is prociding the 75G are wanting to buy us a larger Clownfish in trade for the small one since they have one the same size as ours and want a friend for it to play with. I think we will be keeping the chorus wrasse in there...other htan that Im not sure what will go in...it will be a slow process...I cant wait to get started...all this is going on while I am currently installing a 300G koi pond in our nature center...busy busy busy....


Leroy
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12063637#post12063637 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 77railer
Thanks for the input so far. We plan on attaching a lock to the canopy to keep little hands out.

On the point of fish...the same couple that is prociding the 75G are wanting to buy us a larger Clownfish in trade for the small one since they have one the same size as ours and want a friend for it to play with. I think we will be keeping the chorus wrasse in there...other htan that Im not sure what will go in...it will be a slow process...I cant wait to get started...all this is going on while I am currently installing a 300G koi pond in our nature center...busy busy busy....


Leroy
Click to expand...

the lock is a good idea--way way back when I first started teaching I had three pyrannahs in a 50 gal in the classroom--the lock was the only thing that would satisfy the area superintentant
the three pyrannahs won best fish in the local aquarium contest---while transporting them in a bucket up three flights of stairs one jumped out---picked it up quickly with bare hands--still have the scars from the three stiches I had to get.:eek2:
 
When I went to saltwater at home I lost the bug for my Cichlids and brought them here for the 90G. We have the following:

1 Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Male)
1 Copadichromis borleyi
5 Labidochromis caeruleus (1 male/4 female breed in the tank)
1 Pseudotropheus: Orange Blotch (Male)
3 Blue Peacock Alunacara
1 Pink Spotted Peacock Alunacara

Hmmm that is only 12...either I count wrong or I am forgetting someone,lol...would like to get some others...its a nice display...might take a pic and post if no one minds.

Leroy
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12063796#post12063796 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 77railer
When I went to saltwater at home I lost the bug for my Cichlids and brought them here for the 90G.
Click to expand...

So sad, lol, but I guess we do have to have priorities and all. hence me having a cichlid tank and saltwater tanks but a crappy barely runnin' car, :D
 
I will be following this thread. I started a reef tank at home two years ago. I've been talking to my principal about setting up a reef tank at school. She wants me to, but I have serious reservations now that I tried to think it through. The problems I for see (even after intial setup). The cost of upkeep (bulbs would be expensive every year depending on your setup), cost of feeding, summer time upkeep, cost of corals and fish, keeping unauthorized people from messing with it - these are just a few. Don't get me wrong - I would love to do this. I'm just not sure how to handle it all. I thought about getting someone to donate an old setup that they were trying to get rid of, If you did a small enough tank you could take it home during the summer. Anyway - I'm still interested in trying, but I will sure be interested in your progess and how you do things. Good luck - I really hope it works. I think it would be a great teaching tool (the reason for my initial thought).
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12064503#post12064503 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SaltyNovice
I will be following this thread. I started a reef tank at home two years ago. I've been talking to my principal about setting up a reef tank at school. She wants me to, but I have serious reservations now that I tried to think it through. The problems I for see (even after intial setup). The cost of upkeep (bulbs would be expensive every year depending on your setup), cost of feeding, summer time upkeep, cost of corals and fish, keeping unauthorized people from messing with it - these are just a few. Don't get me wrong - I would love to do this. I'm just not sure how to handle it all. I thought about getting someone to donate an old setup that they were trying to get rid of, If you did a small enough tank you could take it home during the summer. Anyway - I'm still interested in trying, but I will sure be interested in your progess and how you do things. Good luck - I really hope it works. I think it would be a great teaching tool (the reason for my initial thought).
Click to expand...

if I had the chance to do it over again I would go with this kind of setup--probably too expensive to buy but I'll bet you could find someone handy or a local fish store that wants some advertising to build you this setup--all self contained, locked portable and very hard to tip over

http://www.marineeco.com/touchtank/index.htm
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12070360#post12070360 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SaltyNovice
Nice Capn,

Those are very interesting. The teacher site will take a while to investigate, but Thanks.
Click to expand...

your very welcome
I know Leroy is teaching junior school, what level are you teaching?
I will keep posting when I run into more appropriate sites and lessons for you and Leroy
 
The touch tank looks like a good idea...not sure I want to tackle that right now,lol. I was wondering how long the Sea Urchins would be ok if I were to take them out of their tank and go to a classroom for a presentation....the temp changes concern me...any ideas...

Checked on the tank last night and hoping to hear something by the end of the week.
 
That is awesome! Summer keep up would suck...unless you are a football coach and you are there all the time anyways...
 
Live less than two miles from the school...only takes about 30mins a day out of my time...and the school treats me real nice...Im also the technology Rep for the school so I get all the latest and greatest gadgets to play with,lol.

Leroy
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12071010#post12071010 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 77railer
The touch tank looks like a good idea...not sure I want to tackle that right now,lol. I was wondering how long the Sea Urchins would be ok if I were to take them out of their tank and go to a classroom for a presentation....the temp changes concern me...any ideas...

Checked on the tank last night and hoping to hear something by the end of the week.
Click to expand...

students don't touch and helpers and yourself wear plastic gloves:smokin:
 
urchins and children...I can see some funny stories coming out of that one. heck, I'm a 28 year old and STILL can't resist touching em every once in awhile, lol. And yes, I've been poked pretty good once or twice :D

Urchins are inverts and as such, tend to be sensitive to changes in water chemistry. If you could do an appropriate acclimation to the school tank, and leave him for a week or so then remove him, I think it would be fine. But just throwing him in one tank, showing it off, and removing again, I think that may add a little too much stress.
 
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