updates from my school's coral reef project
- Thread starter brandoniscool
- Start date
liverock
RC Sponsor
touch tank critters
touch tank critters
Glad it worked out Brandon...I sent you a lot of 'hands on" critters....for your kidos to inspect......keep up the good work!
Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com :spin1::spin1::spin1:
touch tank critters
Glad it worked out Brandon...I sent you a lot of 'hands on" critters....for your kidos to inspect......keep up the good work!
Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com :spin1::spin1::spin1:
brandoniscool
New member
All of Richards critters looked In fine form today. A little ammonia in the two smallest tanks but that's to be expected. Word spread around the school and each classroom had lots of visitors.
Two weeks ago I made the mistake of adding another rabbit fish to my 180 gallon system. My fox face lo's haven't been aggressive but the older, larger rabbit fish is regularly picking on the smaller and I need him relocated.
Eli Fleishaur from quality marine provides expert technical support for us and he taught me how to make this DIY fish trap.
Gene practiced using it
The tang squad is still leery but hopefully they'll be complacent tomorrow and we can gently Spring the trap
Two weeks ago I made the mistake of adding another rabbit fish to my 180 gallon system. My fox face lo's haven't been aggressive but the older, larger rabbit fish is regularly picking on the smaller and I need him relocated.
Eli Fleishaur from quality marine provides expert technical support for us and he taught me how to make this DIY fish trap.
Gene practiced using it
The tang squad is still leery but hopefully they'll be complacent tomorrow and we can gently Spring the trap
brandoniscool
New member
updates from my school's coral reef project
Thanks for all of the positive comments. It truly is a community effort. Last week we got a new friend and volunteer. Her name is Cass and she's a local reefer and posts on reef 2 reef.
We swapped a bunch of coral and she's going to start volunteering to help my project.
Our coral growth is to the point where I want to thin things out. Free frags to anyone in the area that stops by for a tour.
Thanks for all of the positive comments. It truly is a community effort. Last week we got a new friend and volunteer. Her name is Cass and she's a local reefer and posts on reef 2 reef.
We swapped a bunch of coral and she's going to start volunteering to help my project.
Our coral growth is to the point where I want to thin things out. Free frags to anyone in the area that stops by for a tour.
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brandoniscool
New member
I try to integrate the arts into my project as much as possible. I'll spare you our interpretive polyp dance but today we started something cool. My school provides a free breakfast and lunch program to all students and there's a lot of plastic waste. I asked students to collect and Re recycled the juice containers that are thrown away everyday and we're trying to make a zoa garden.
brandoniscool
New member
Here's some more photos of the inverts I got from live rock.
I can't get over how cool the conchs are, hope I can keep them all fed. One has a living barnacle on it!
My school hosted a board meeting for a local organization and they toured my tanks before it started. One well dressed woman freaked when a friend put a horseshoe crab in her hand and immediately dropped it. Think the little guys ok. I regret not getting pictures of it. My two kiddos who were there got a lot of yucks out of it.
I can't get over how cool the conchs are, hope I can keep them all fed. One has a living barnacle on it!
My school hosted a board meeting for a local organization and they toured my tanks before it started. One well dressed woman freaked when a friend put a horseshoe crab in her hand and immediately dropped it. Think the little guys ok. I regret not getting pictures of it. My two kiddos who were there got a lot of yucks out of it.
liverock
RC Sponsor
conch doing his job....
conch doing his job....
Nice picture of the fighting conch Brandon....love those eye stalks!
Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com :spin3::spin3::spin3:
conch doing his job....
Nice picture of the fighting conch Brandon....love those eye stalks!
Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com :spin3::spin3::spin3:
brandoniscool
New member
A student caught our rabbit fish
Dominic, new to my project, waited and waited and his patience was rewarded with a safe and easy capture. He is a reserved dude but had a smile on his face all morning. The DIY bottle trap worked like a charm. Thanks Eli !
The rabbit fish got rehomed with my new volunteer Cass
Dominic, new to my project, waited and waited and his patience was rewarded with a safe and easy capture. He is a reserved dude but had a smile on his face all morning. The DIY bottle trap worked like a charm. Thanks Eli !
The rabbit fish got rehomed with my new volunteer Cass
Mrs. Music
New member
Cool!
brandoniscool
New member
Anyone going to the Aquatic Experience Expo in Shaumburg Illinois on November 6th? If so you'll see me and 55 kids from my school running around.
I've been trying to fundraise for a bus and just found out that Jeff and Joe Turner from Jellyfish Art picked up the tab on a charter bus for all of my students.
Thanks Jeff!
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/142335379" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/142335379">Untitled</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user28704363">Brandon Rutherford</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
I've been trying to fundraise for a bus and just found out that Jeff and Joe Turner from Jellyfish Art picked up the tab on a charter bus for all of my students.
Thanks Jeff!
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/142335379" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/142335379">Untitled</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user28704363">Brandon Rutherford</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
brandoniscool
New member
Hello RC,
I was really touched today when I got a message from a member asking for an update. I've been a little too caught up in my day to day grind as a teacher and forgot there are other reefers who are following my project. Here's some recent photos and a report of what my kiddos and I have been up to.
I was really touched today when I got a message from a member asking for an update. I've been a little too caught up in my day to day grind as a teacher and forgot there are other reefers who are following my project. Here's some recent photos and a report of what my kiddos and I have been up to.
brandoniscool
New member
Recently I was elected as the regional director of the Illinois Science Teachers Association and have been asked to present on my coral reef project (and other science instruction) to teachers in several conferences.
In November, Paola from Jellyfish Art co-presented with me at both the Illinois and Texas state science educator conferences, attended by thousands of teachers. Not only were we able to share the benefits of learning science through aquariums, three of my students came in to work the Jellyfish Art Exhibit.
In November, Paola from Jellyfish Art co-presented with me at both the Illinois and Texas state science educator conferences, attended by thousands of teachers. Not only were we able to share the benefits of learning science through aquariums, three of my students came in to work the Jellyfish Art Exhibit.
brandoniscool
New member
Jellyfish Art and the World Pet Association worked together to invite over 50 students from my school to the Aquatic Experience Expo in Shaumburg Illinois. The kids were thrilled and had an amazing time. Some of them had literally never left Champaign Urbana (my hometown) still talk about the experience. I got to introduce my students to many of my sponsors and friends and got a few cool T-Shirts as well.
Here my group posed with Lou from Tropic Marin. Tropic Marin donates all of our salt and Lou has been an ongoing technical resource (as well as a good friend and mentor). He still skypes regularly with my class and helps me teach my kids basic water chemistry.
I also got to finally meet Eli from Quality Marine in person. I've had something of a dude crush on Eli since I first started reading his articles in Coral. Quality Marine was my first sponsor and has been instrumental in getting my project started. Eli and Cindy (one of QM's sales reps) continue to give me invaluable advice and provide me with quality livestock.
Here my group posed with Lou from Tropic Marin. Tropic Marin donates all of our salt and Lou has been an ongoing technical resource (as well as a good friend and mentor). He still skypes regularly with my class and helps me teach my kids basic water chemistry.
I also got to finally meet Eli from Quality Marine in person. I've had something of a dude crush on Eli since I first started reading his articles in Coral. Quality Marine was my first sponsor and has been instrumental in getting my project started. Eli and Cindy (one of QM's sales reps) continue to give me invaluable advice and provide me with quality livestock.
brandoniscool
New member
Though not really reef related, the Aquatic Experience Expo had a cool alligator show and included an alligator touch tank. Here Grace and Dominique (my students from last year) are showing their bravery.
Here Cornelius and Adrian check out gator skulls. Cornelius is now one of my most passionate reef keepers and has a new 40 gallon tank in his classroom.
silent_circle
New member
Nice pictures
brandoniscool
New member
The Aquatic Experience expo and some very kind vendors who patiently answered all of my kid's questions. I was pretty impressed when they were able to talk shop with some of the professional aquarists.
Though not really aquarium related, this is one of my most favorite photos of the trip. Our party include students from grades 2-5 and kids from a variety of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. They all played and talked together, growing closer through a shared experience that still gives them reasons to interact with each other.
I didn't get any photos of it, but about half of the kids bought and brought home bettas. 3 were spilled on the floor of the bus but all arrived home alive. (many kids wouldn't sleep on the ride back for fear of dropping the fish cups). Most of the bettas are still alive and I"m still giving out little baggies of de chlorinator and betta food.
Though not really aquarium related, this is one of my most favorite photos of the trip. Our party include students from grades 2-5 and kids from a variety of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. They all played and talked together, growing closer through a shared experience that still gives them reasons to interact with each other.
I didn't get any photos of it, but about half of the kids bought and brought home bettas. 3 were spilled on the floor of the bus but all arrived home alive. (many kids wouldn't sleep on the ride back for fear of dropping the fish cups). Most of the bettas are still alive and I"m still giving out little baggies of de chlorinator and betta food.
brandoniscool
New member
After being in the care of a 5th grade classroom for over a year, our peacock mantis shrimp finally died. I had to take the entire tank apart to get the body out of its hiding rock (it was super stinky). The mantis shrimp was a favorite pet of the school and I think I'll be hard pressed to find another specimen that big.
I'm not sure but I think the death was because of a malfunctioning heater. My school district hired an energy efficiency expert who has set new regulations for how schools consume power. My project got a special dispensation for electricity use but maintenance lower the heat in the building down to 50 degrees in the evenings and weekends. I found out quickly which heaters were functioning property and after a couple scary temperature readings, spent $400 of my hoarded savings and bought new eheim jager heaters for all of the tanks.
brandoniscool
New member
Jellyfish Art donated one of their new cylinder nano tanks to a 1st grade classroom.
Gene and Cornelius are our plankton culture experts now and hatch brine shrimp daily to feed the jellies
Gene and Cornelius are our plankton culture experts now and hatch brine shrimp daily to feed the jellies
