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Donate to school tank: East Side H.S. Newark, NJ 07105
- Thread starter tunicata
- Start date
Hey everyone, One of my students finally got around to sending me one of the pictures on his iphone! This is a bit ago when we were setting up. The tank has mushrooms and brown palys in it now. We're going to wait a bit before putting in the frogspawn.
My Earth Science class in poses for the pic. Don't mind the cloudy water in the tank or the deerpark bottle! You can see part of me on the left side, standing with the brown and tan outfit! If you can read the board, we were doing ocean zonation and my name of course is Ms. Romney
To answer some of the questions:
This is my first year doing this! I choose to do a small tank so it will be easy to break down and move to my home, then back again in September. Over Spring Break, there will be no refilling from evaporation, which is ok. We check how much water leaves per week for the past few weeks and since I'll be gone for 5 days of that week, it's not an issue.
My Earth Science class in poses for the pic. Don't mind the cloudy water in the tank or the deerpark bottle! You can see part of me on the left side, standing with the brown and tan outfit! If you can read the board, we were doing ocean zonation and my name of course is Ms. Romney
To answer some of the questions:
This is my first year doing this! I choose to do a small tank so it will be easy to break down and move to my home, then back again in September. Over Spring Break, there will be no refilling from evaporation, which is ok. We check how much water leaves per week for the past few weeks and since I'll be gone for 5 days of that week, it's not an issue.
Ms. Romney. I have a few questions that might help the club figure out what else yous might need.
Do you make the salt water at home then bring it in for water changes?
Do you make the water a few days ahead of time and aerate the water with a power head?
Do you have extra 5 gallon buckets for your top off?
Are you using RO water?
If anyone can think of any other questions or suggestions, please post them.
Great picture. Thanks for sharing.
Do you make the salt water at home then bring it in for water changes?
Do you make the water a few days ahead of time and aerate the water with a power head?
Do you have extra 5 gallon buckets for your top off?
Are you using RO water?
If anyone can think of any other questions or suggestions, please post them.
Great picture. Thanks for sharing.
Sure thing!
I have an RO at home and make the water in 2.5g batches in deer park bottles (the bottles hold 5g but it's heavy...). First I made 10g worth of fresh RO water only, then 10g batch of water taken straight from my tank in order to speed up the process (when we first started).
Now for water changes and top offs I bring the water in to the school in the deer park bottle.
I don't have an extra 5 g bucket. The students made their saltwater only once from the 10g batch. After that I just brought it in already mixed. I make the water the night before I bring it in, so every week I just make a 2.5g batch so they have a routine of weekly water change and evap replacement.
I know it would be more efficient to get more deerpark bottles and make batches all at once, but ...it's heavy, and I don't mind making it.
Anyone have an idea on what to use/how to make a NO HANDS/STUFF in the tank cover? This is a standard 20g, and the light sits on top of it.
I have an RO at home and make the water in 2.5g batches in deer park bottles (the bottles hold 5g but it's heavy...). First I made 10g worth of fresh RO water only, then 10g batch of water taken straight from my tank in order to speed up the process (when we first started).
Now for water changes and top offs I bring the water in to the school in the deer park bottle.
I don't have an extra 5 g bucket. The students made their saltwater only once from the 10g batch. After that I just brought it in already mixed. I make the water the night before I bring it in, so every week I just make a 2.5g batch so they have a routine of weekly water change and evap replacement.
I know it would be more efficient to get more deerpark bottles and make batches all at once, but ...it's heavy, and I don't mind making it.
Anyone have an idea on what to use/how to make a NO HANDS/STUFF in the tank cover? This is a standard 20g, and the light sits on top of it.
I have some mesh and acrylic covers I had made for my tanks. I don't use them. Maybe one of your students can do a DIY on them to make them fit your tank.
I have 2 5gallon water jugs that we use to carry water in. It might be a little eaiser to carry them since they have a handle on them. I'm sure we have a few extra 5 gallon buckets lying around that you might need.
Do you have a big enough car to get everything home in?
I have 2 5gallon water jugs that we use to carry water in. It might be a little eaiser to carry them since they have a handle on them. I'm sure we have a few extra 5 gallon buckets lying around that you might need.
Do you have a big enough car to get everything home in?
Wow, a DIY, that would be nice. I would need help giving any of them instruction on doing that I think, I have very little experience with projects like that (is it basic cutting of the mesh/acrylic to size and space for the skimmer (we have a Prizm skimmer)). Actually, I have a kid in mind that would probably be interested. He has a job in graphic design (sign creation), does basic construction and needs TONS of extra credit!
Luckily, my car is small but has a hatchback that I'll be cleaning out for the weekend!
Seriously, thanks to you and ALL OF YOU for helping make this more than just a pretty tank in the classroom project. I like tanks that have a REAL/ACTIVE purpose in the classroom.
Btw, I should have some recent pics by Friday, one of the kids emailed me and said he'll bring his non-phone camera in and upload our pics on my school computer the same day.
Luckily, my car is small but has a hatchback that I'll be cleaning out for the weekend!
Seriously, thanks to you and ALL OF YOU for helping make this more than just a pretty tank in the classroom project. I like tanks that have a REAL/ACTIVE purpose in the classroom.
Btw, I should have some recent pics by Friday, one of the kids emailed me and said he'll bring his non-phone camera in and upload our pics on my school computer the same day.
After spring break we're going to be looking for people to talk the students ears off about reefkeeping as environmental stewardship/fun hobby in general! I have to find out the schedule for the first week back from break and what schedule we have for midterms (2 wks worth of testing).
We have internet access and access to a digital projector, and of course your dry erase board/marker.
PM me/see me at the meeting this weekend for more questions/comments/info.
I wont know anything 'solid' about timing until April 1st, but we can flesh out other details!
We have internet access and access to a digital projector, and of course your dry erase board/marker.
PM me/see me at the meeting this weekend for more questions/comments/info.
I wont know anything 'solid' about timing until April 1st, but we can flesh out other details!
tunicata said:
It's really great what your doing for the kids and their eco awareness. We look forward helping you out where ever we can.
I'm not sure if I miss read but there's one thing I noticed in your post. Replacing evap water with salt water (toping off) will raise the salt content of the tank water very quickly which is indeed a problem. I apologize if you already know that but I want to point that out based on what was posted.
Good Luck, see you Saturday!
No prob. The 2.5g batch depends on what we're doing. If it's a full water change or if it's just evap refill. The evap refil is RO water I made the night before. They don't loose much water per week due to evap. I just have them keep up on it, to have a routine.
If its a water change we take out close to 2.5g and put in prepped saltwater.
The kids use a hydrometer and we usually get it right at 1.022 I think.
Btw, I saw that student that has DIY capabilities. He says that he knows how to do 'that type of work' and he would do it as an Extra credit project.
Have a good day!
If its a water change we take out close to 2.5g and put in prepped saltwater.
The kids use a hydrometer and we usually get it right at 1.022 I think.
Btw, I saw that student that has DIY capabilities. He says that he knows how to do 'that type of work' and he would do it as an Extra credit project.
Have a good day!
Whew, this has been an interesting week!
Progress reports, tests, meetings, kids going wild...
I'd like to thank all the folks I've spoke with thus far for all of their help, concern and spirit.
I came in this week to find some major things wrong in the classroom project.
First thing, one student threw some blue ball that leaked blue coloring into the water when I was doing notebook checks. Luckily I had some bags in my closet and a bit of emergency water (mixed with freshly made saltwater from the school faucet unfortunately). I bagged up the corals and they are in quarantine at my home and are doing well.
Two students stayed with me for an hour on two different occaisions trying to clean the water/tank/substrate. I brought in more water and then we had hopes to begin again.
I come in that next morning to a giant puddle on the ground. Apparently the silicone seal on the top edge of the aquarium ...disappeared. Cleaned up the mess, siphoned out water about an inch below the seal breakage and waited to see if it would stop. It did.
LUCKILY!!!! Butrball12 lives in the area and was donating a 20g tank etc. anyway!!
So, he brought that over to the school this morning, and hopefully we'll be back in commission by Wednesday the latest. I'll be going straight to the swap after a meeting I have on Saturday morning, and I'm not sure if they'll let us in the building on Sunday.
Needless to say the old 20g tank is going out of commission (not even using it as a holding tank/etc). We're hoping to set up a sump next Friday/Saturday of spring break.
Ok, that's my update!!!
Progress reports, tests, meetings, kids going wild...
I'd like to thank all the folks I've spoke with thus far for all of their help, concern and spirit.
I came in this week to find some major things wrong in the classroom project.
First thing, one student threw some blue ball that leaked blue coloring into the water when I was doing notebook checks. Luckily I had some bags in my closet and a bit of emergency water (mixed with freshly made saltwater from the school faucet unfortunately). I bagged up the corals and they are in quarantine at my home and are doing well.
Two students stayed with me for an hour on two different occaisions trying to clean the water/tank/substrate. I brought in more water and then we had hopes to begin again.
I come in that next morning to a giant puddle on the ground. Apparently the silicone seal on the top edge of the aquarium ...disappeared. Cleaned up the mess, siphoned out water about an inch below the seal breakage and waited to see if it would stop. It did.
LUCKILY!!!! Butrball12 lives in the area and was donating a 20g tank etc. anyway!!
So, he brought that over to the school this morning, and hopefully we'll be back in commission by Wednesday the latest. I'll be going straight to the swap after a meeting I have on Saturday morning, and I'm not sure if they'll let us in the building on Sunday.
Needless to say the old 20g tank is going out of commission (not even using it as a holding tank/etc). We're hoping to set up a sump next Friday/Saturday of spring break.
Ok, that's my update!!!
Thank you all so much!
I look forward to adding pics of all of our updates this week, as well as scheduling club folks for 'special guest' slots in the classroom!
I didn't get ALL of the names from today, but I'll sift through my pm's again and add folks to my log of people who have donated to the tank. Remember to also keep your log with NJREEFERS administration.
We have so many cool things: 2 adorable clowns, 1 fiesty RBTA, squirty zoo's, variety of rocks/discs/plugs, heater, powerhead, new buckets and water jugs W/HANDLES!, test kits, anemone food (krill), aquarium tops, and more from over 6 different hobbyists and 1 vendor.
I look forward to adding pics of all of our updates this week, as well as scheduling club folks for 'special guest' slots in the classroom!
I didn't get ALL of the names from today, but I'll sift through my pm's again and add folks to my log of people who have donated to the tank. Remember to also keep your log with NJREEFERS administration.
We have so many cool things: 2 adorable clowns, 1 fiesty RBTA, squirty zoo's, variety of rocks/discs/plugs, heater, powerhead, new buckets and water jugs W/HANDLES!, test kits, anemone food (krill), aquarium tops, and more from over 6 different hobbyists and 1 vendor.
That's great! Not very many children in the world get the opportunity your giving your students. They are very lucky to have you as their teacher. If even only one of your students walks away with an appreciation for the worlds reefs, your efforts will be worth more then can be counted.
Glad to see my tank went to good use... its great work that youre doing over there. I'll be following up on the progess and cant wait to see some updates. Like i told you before, if i find anything else that you can use I'll give you a call.
on a side note, what do you mean keep a "log with administation"
on a side note, what do you mean keep a "log with administation"
I have a butt load of egg crate/light diffuser on hand that you can have PM me if interested.
Randy
Randy