701 Classroom Tank

[701@BankStreet]

We are starting our classroom tank this week - students haven't yet arrived, but everything is either in the room or on order. 

Equipment is:

• 33 gallon long (4 foot by ~12x~12)
• vertex illumilux marino blu 
• Remora nano skimmer
• 100 -150 watt heater (I have both around)
• DA reef keeper lite
• tunze 6040 (I have a non-variable tunze powerhead and a jebao wp-25 around to supplement if needed)
• tunze nano ato

 

Base plan is (I already have this stuff):

• ~30 pounds live rock
• ~30 pounds live sand
• some mushrooms growing on the rock

 

The goal is:

• mushrooms
• zooanthids and other polyps
• A centerpiece LPS like a hammer or frogspawn
• some xenia and gsp
• 1-3 active swimming fish (suggestions welcome!!)

 

There was another thread posted under my old username - this account/thread is for the class and the future.

 

I'll be the only one posting in this thread for a few weeks as things get going. But as the year progresses, I hope to get students (8th graders) writing occasional updates. I'll be in the classroom on tuesday getting things setup (mostly non-tank related) and I'll be sure to take a few pictures of what's in progress. As I know, this thread is worthless without pictures!

[fishfreak0114]

Very cool!  I'm sure your students will appreciate the unique learning experience  Following along

[701@BankStreet]

The tank should come tomorrow - its an amazon order and the reviews aren't great. But I don't really have time to hunt down a 33 gallon right now - those aren't the easiest tanks to find. If the amazon tank arrives damaged we'll send it back and I'll truck out to Long Island to get one. The specific size is needed! I'd like to avoid the drive if I can but if I have to, I will. 

 

Once the tank is in the room, I'm taking it to the back staircase, taping out the front and sides, and applying some Krylon Fusion Black to the back. Then the setup will begin!

 

For stocking fish - I'm thinking a Leopard Wrasse, a Dispar Anthias, a clown pair, and some sort of rock/sand dwelling fish like a hawkfish or a blenny. I'd love some input from the community from an Anthias - I saw a recent TOTM (36 gallons) that included fish that would typically be suggested for larger tanks (like Anthias) and it was a more square tank than the 33 gallon. I'd love your thoughts (and I love my students to be able to see this thread in a first week - getting the year started period) and I will keep up with responses. 

[BustytheSnowMaam]

I would suggest a shrimp/goby pair- kids get a kick out of this.  The goby finds food/helps warn the blind shrimp about predators, and the shrimp digs a burrow for both of them to live in.  The shrimp will follow the goby with one antenna touching the goby at all times.  

[701@BankStreet]

After three different tanks - the last one delivered by amazon wasn't cracked. And its in the room and has water in it! These photos were taken just beforehand.  The students are pretty excited about it. The goal is to have it full of sand and rock by the end of the week and consider new creatures by the end of the next (depending on the parameters). Its all live rock from an established tanks and fresh live sand so I'm hoping things will stabilize quickly.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

I like the length of that tank!  Lots of swim room and display potential.  

[aerotiy]

Wish I had had a cool experience like this at school! This is awesome 

[701@BankStreet]

The tank is painted now - I took a picture before I did the spray painting, but I haven't taken a fresh one yet. Tomorrow, the tank will get salty! By Friday, sand and rock.

[Lisa166]

This is such an awesome idea! I'm not from the US, so I don't know, how old are 8th graders? Can they do things in/around the tank? 

 

Also, might be smart to check how much noice the equipment makes. Some students might have a hard time working if it's too loud (same goes for lights, some lights might be distracting?) Also might be smart to ask them about that as well (depending on age and such).  

 

But really, I love the idea so much! And no allergy problems! Best solution ever.

 

 

[TatorTaco]

1 hour ago, Lisa166 said:

This is such an awesome idea! I'm not from the US, so I don't know, how old are 8th graders? Can they do things in/around the tank? 

 

Also, might be smart to check how much noice the equipment makes. Some students might have a hard time working if it's too loud (same goes for lights, some lights might be distracting?) Also might be smart to ask them about that as well (depending on age and such).  

 

But really, I love the idea so much! And no allergy problems! Best solution ever.

 

 

Hope this helps!

 

The majority of the students will tend to be on the younger spectrum.  For example, while 8th graders are 13-14 years old, I'd guesstimate that 90% or so are 13.  

 

8th 13-14 years old
9th 14-15 years old
ect.. 
you're a freshman in 9th grade a sophomore in 10th 
a junior in 11th and a senior in 12th

[701@BankStreet]

Yup, as said above 13/14 year olds.

 

Painted the back today. Photo is of tank outside on our back stairs, pre painting. Tomorrow it gets salty and hopefully by friday it will have sand and rock. not

 

Keeping easy and quiet in this tank, 1 pump, 1 heater, 1 light. No skimmer, no sump, etc. 

[701@BankStreet]

Tank is salty and Sandy and Rocky. Not scaped yet - I just put the rocks in to start clearing out the old spaces.

 

A student helped measure out the salt - I told her it wouldn't really be that interesting to weigh out 9 lbs of salt but she was into it!

[701@BankStreet]

On 9/20/2017 at 4:23 PM, Lisa166 said:

This is such an awesome idea! I'm not from the US, so I don't know, how old are 8th graders? Can they do things in/around the tank? 

 

Also, might be smart to check how much noice the equipment makes. Some students might have a hard time working if it's too loud (same goes for lights, some lights might be distracting?) Also might be smart to ask them about that as well (depending on age and such).  

 

But really, I love the idea so much! And no allergy problems! Best solution ever.

 

 

Very quiet by the way - the one powerhead is barely audible. The remora won't fit because of the cabinet height... If I add a skimmer it would have to be the tunze 9001... And if all goes well enough with water changes only, I'll skip the skimmer.

[hinnenkm]

So great to see this is getting started! I'd definitely go with a shrimp/goby pair too knowing how my students have really enjoyed that. The clownfish/anemone is super common too, but another thing the students really enjoy. I also have a pair of anemone crabs and so we got to see little bit of a 'fight' over who got the anemone - the fish or the crab - and they were excited by that. Looking forward to seeing the progress!

[701@BankStreet]

I got all the sand and rock into the tank on Friday afternoon. I did leak test it for 24 hrs prior to filling with salt water, sand, and rock but I wish I could see it. Oh well - tomorrow morning!

[701@BankStreet]

Tank made it through the weekend - no leaks - all looks well. I had just piled the rocks in on Friday, it was too cloudy to really see what was up. I'm going to switch things up this afternoon when the class is in Gym. I also need to get a HOB filter from somewhere (I'm sure I can find one somewhere) to start filtering out all the dusty stuff that is stuck to the rock. I don't want to run a filter all the time though - I don't want the noise.

 

 

[TatorTaco]

Just curious, but what's up with the grey/white sponge at the base in the middle of the tank? 

[701@BankStreet]

oh good question - its a sponge from an old aquaclear filter. When I knew I was going to be breaking down the old tanks and setting up a new one, I put the sponge in an old tank to get "bacteria" rich. I left it in for the weekend. Probably not necessary since it was live sand and the rock was coming from established tanks, but I figured, why not? I haven't tested the water yet, got to do that tomorrow. CuC on its way from Reef Cleaners - the best place to buy your snails and crabs from!

[TatorTaco]

Right on!  I figured you were doing that, but a piece of me was thinking, "is he really using a sponge to prop up that rock?".  LOL!

[SantaMonicaHelp]

Very nice tank, congrats!

 

-Paola

[701@BankStreet]

Here's today's photo - live rock rearranged into a scape I find acceptable - and I'm working on getting the sand off of the rock. I think I need to bring in an HOB filter to get the excess dusty sand out of the tank. 

 

 

I did some measurements today at got 0 for ammonia, 0 for nitrites and 5 for the nitrates. So I think I'm good on the cycle... I put a bunch of food in the tank plus some reef roids. I'm going to keep that up for a few days and see what happens with the levels. I suspect that the cycle is done since it is established live rock. But better to go slow! Crabs and snails come thursday.

[TatorTaco]

Looks terrific!  Don't forget you can use a turkey baster to easily blow your rocks off.  

 

I cycled with 100% dry rock/sand in addition to Dr. Tim's.  If I understood the "is my tank cycled yet" question, it's that you should be able to add ammonia and it be converted within 24-48 hours.  Hope that's accurate information.  

 

What test kit are you using?  I like how you've got everything in one case.  

[701@BankStreet]

Actually I've been turkey basting two times a day, rock is looking good.

 

That's a test kit made by hagen. I also have the red Sea ammonia kit. I prefer the red Sea format. Easier to read.

 

I think I'm good - I read zero a few days ago and then added lots of food for two days. Ammonia is still zero. Doesn't matter much, I'm taking this slow anyways - going to be sure before I add fish.

 

 

[701@BankStreet]

Things are looking good. I think we will add a fish on Monday. I'm thinking a royal Gramma. 

[metrokat]

following!