School Project, Mini Marine Biologists In The Making

Troy

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Location
Niagara
So busy weeks getting school ready. A week in and the tank is getting lots of attention. A few new inhabitants, fire shrimp, watchman goby, pistol shrimp, males and females carpenter's wrasses. Added some picks for stock and aquascape. The bridges were mandatory as per the students.
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tom55228

Inactive Since Crash
Joined
Dec 23, 2013
Location
Toronto, Ontario
this is great , I have always wanted to somehow get a tank set up in a hospital in a childrens ward like sick kids hospital .
it would be amazing to see parents and kids watching the tank and all the going ons ...I know what great satisfaction and relaxation it gives me lately to sit in front of my tank and just look …
great job and great for u for getting the kids involved
cheers
 

Troy

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Location
Niagara
Looking good. If your making a trip to the Brantford coral show let me know. I have some GSP and some BSP that I can donate.
Hey Steve I am making the trip. I will message you as it gets closer. Thank you

I still need to find something for water circulation. I'm not sold on the Gyre, but it looks better than having multiple powoerheads on the side of the glass. Its such a tall tank to get proper water movement.

I have to talk to @reefdiver about getting the Finding Nemo selection of fish. other popular choices seem to been flame and lemon peel angels. I am hoping to get a decently priced bubble tip or some type of hosting anemone for the clowns.
 

reefdiver

Active Member
Website Affiliate
Joined
Jan 22, 2013
Location
London, Ontario
Website
www.sustainablemarinecanada.ca
Tank is shaping up nicely. I should have some of the children in this week to help with the rock formations. The live rock I have has tons of life in it. I now have a few starfish , hermit crabs, and worms roaming around the tank.

So glad I grabbed that pump. My Mag Drive finally gave out after 20 years. Testing the sump capacity and I plugged it back it in and no noise, the silence only meant one thing, and it was not that the rattle was finally gone.

Only problem with the pump is that it only has flex line attachments. Another trip to Lowes with my fish pump in hand to see what will fit. The looks I get when I ask for help for my aquarium....

PVC will fit inside the blue connectors. I was fooled at first too


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Troy

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Location
Niagara
It's been a while. Figured it was time for an update.

I have to thank @reefdiver for the fish. The hippo tang, lemon peel, they are doing great. Happy, healthy and fat. Unfortunately the flame didn't survive the trip.

I also was able to get a spectacular flame nem and a few other goodies from forum members.

The tank is really taking shape.

CUC has arrived. Acclimated and cleaning. No longer worried about over feeding now.

Spent most of Monday talking with some very knowledgeable folks who are interested in sharing our story. They are looking to come and help educate the children. More information coming...

I think I learned more in an afternoon then 15 years of trying to just figure it out.

I will try to get some pics of the clean tank and fish with the lights on .
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EricTMah

Aquariums by Design
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
Website
www.aquariumsbydesign.ca
This is awesome. So great that you're educating kids about marine aquariums.
I've always said that kids should grow up with pets. So they can have a deeper appreciation and respect for the animals in our care. Especially with the way climate change is going. This little project will educate your kids and they should have a better understanding of the oceans and their inhabitants. Kudos to you and your hard work!

Just wondering though. What do you plan to do with the tank and inhabitants when school is done for the yr?

S8
 

Troy

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Location
Niagara
We run the school year round. This is a project will will grow with the students and carry on from year to year. It is an early education and elementary school, many of the students attend summer day camps. For any of the processes we are unable to automate during the weekends, they are several people that have made themselves available to go in on long weekends and holidays to feed or maintain when necessary.

We are very early on in the learning environment. Our first list of projects will to be creating facts sheets for the current inhabitants.
 
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EricTMah

Aquariums by Design
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
Website
www.aquariumsbydesign.ca
We run the school year round. This is a project will will grow with the students and carry on from year to year. It is an early education and elementary school, many of the students attend summer day camps. For any of the processes we are unable to automate during the weekends, they are several people that have made themselves available to go in on long weekends and holidays to feed or maintain when necessary.

We are very early on in the learning environment. Our first list of projects will to be creating facts sheets for the current in habiliments.
Great work! Need more people like you in our education system.
Keep it up!

S8
 

Troy

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Location
Niagara
So here are some pics under the lights. The algae is finally starting to disperse. Still have some cayno and dynos. CUC has already done a pile of work. Hooked up the reactors with Nyos Phosi-Ex and Active Carb. To help finish it off.
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Troy

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Location
Niagara
Been awhile since I have updated. Pics to come later tonight or tomorrow, time permitting.

Tank has come into its own, all the algae was gone, RODI unit had some false readings and the algae came back. Replaced all the filters and made new water, currently changing 5-10% each weekend until the algae is gone. Running GFO and carbon as well. Cayno has starting to recede. I have every intention to do things with natural eradication. The less chemicals the better. It is a better learning experience for me and the children will also benefit from the experiences.

Fish are fat and happy, the tiny hippo tang has grown to be the largest fish in the pond, but still follows the lemon peel like a lost puppy dog. The clowns are hosting the plate coral but will not go near the flame nem, starting to think it will never happen.

The children has many questions almost primary about the snails and wavy thing(flame nem).

Picked up some supplies and live stock last night. Tomini Tang, Fromia Star, more snails and hermits and a few pearl oysters. Time will tell if there are any pearls. i also picked up the long awaited test kits. I have a full suite of NYOS tests to run this weekend. I should soon be able to tell if I have been doing anything right.

The corals are doing "ok". Once I get the parameters tested, I can see if there is anything I can do the help their growth. It may very well be a placement issue, please feel free to offer advise after the picks are posted.

Sump lighting question. I have Chaeto and Caulerpa in the sump. What type of lighting schedule should they be on? Should the lights be on opposite of the display lights?

Where is the best place to keep mangrove pods. I currently have it in my overflow getting light from the display, the leaves are not looking as healthy as they were definately not growing any new leaves. Should it be in the sump? does it need more direct light?
 

EricTMah

Aquariums by Design
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
Website
www.aquariumsbydesign.ca
I would light your chaeto and caulerpa with a simple clamp fixture from the hardware store and just use a 100w equivalent CFL bulb. I always run my lights over my mangroves in opposite schedule as my dt. Haven't noticed any difference doing it this way. But that's just how I do it

As for your mangrove. I suggest getting it out of your overflow sooner than later. First off when the mangrove gets bigger. The roots will definitely outgrow the overflow and might even cause some damage to the silicone. Which has the potential to cause a leak in the overflow which might drain your tank. Also mangroves hate to be moved. So better move it to a more suitable place sooner than later.
Try misting the leaves daily on the mangrove. Helps with washing the salt the mangrove discards through the leaves. Also adds some needed humidity in the higher end of the plant. They can also be lit with a 100w equivalent CFL bulb when they're small. As they reach the 3' tall and higher. The light demand will increase.

S8
 

Troy

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Location
Niagara
Over the break I was ale to unbox the test kits and give them a "test" drive. Using the Nyos Test kits here are my results:

Nitrates - Between 5-12, the colour was in between but closer to the shade of yellow that was 5
Phosphate - .075. This similar to test i had run previously.
Mag - Between 1100-1400, Harder test to measure, I need to run this again to get a more accurate result, (I think i added regent too fast).
Calcium - Same problem regent changed colour at around 500. Unless I got a few bad batches of Reef Crystals, I can conclude I dd not follow the test instructions.
Alk - 7

I use Reef Crystals and regular IO. I do not use any additives, with exception of Mag when I use regular IO.

I will run these test next time with the children, if we make it a project the Mag and Calcium test will be visually appealing to them as it involves a chemical reaction that changes the colours of the regents.

So this leads me to my next problem. Cayno popped up again about 4 weeks ago, I thought is was my RODI water as my filters were old and my TDS meter failed. i dumped all the water and started fresh with fresh filters. stepped up GFO reactor to biweekly changes. Water changes have been weekly 5-10%. Phosphates seem to be in check. Its not growing anymore but it does not seem to be receding either. Is this just a "it takes time " problem?

Can I get anything that eats it? The conch has been nibbling but not enough to make a difference.

Pictures yet to come. My phone takes terrible pictures,
 

Troy

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Location
Niagara
Here are some recent pics. Cayno is clearing up only a little now at the end of the day, a few more water changes and GFO changes, it should be gone.
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Troy

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Location
Niagara
It has been sometime since I have posted the school project. Looking back at these pictures, shows just how much has grown.

Greater Niagara Coral Show has been very generous, they have invited our children and families to the show and offered us passes and a private tour of the show. A huge thank you to to Brian at the Greater Niagara Coral Show. I am looking forward to seeing all the exhibitors at the show, hopefully I can find some new items for the school this weekend.

There will be many fellow reefers in town this weekend, if there is interest in with some of the folks that have helped me get started and want to come take a visit of our program and offer advise, let me know and I can see I can arrange a time that works to stop in.
 

Troy

New Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Location
Niagara
It has been a long time since my last post. COVID basically shut down the students access to he tank so. I have just been doing minimal maintenance on the school tank. And it shows.

I picked up some upgrades yesterday.... Will be getting the tank ready for the new students coming in September. Hopefully they will be able to start to use it in there program for the foreseeable future.

Should be able to keep updates on the tank and the children progress in the new school year.
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