Hello from Indiana!

[Manny’s Reef]

Hello and welcome to R2R. You'll really like it here.

 

[Esox]

Never did get to set up that classroom tank. If I had to liken this school year to a movie, it would be "Towering Inferno." Hopefully next year will be a different tale. ;Blackeye

 

[TnFishwater98]

Hello everyone.

I set up my first saltwater aquarium back in '86. Without the Internet or easy access to aquarium books, I relied on old fishkeeping gazettes my father had--possibly precursors to Tropical Fish Hobbyist--to get me started. I kept fish successfully until '92, when I left home to serve in the Marine Corps. Didn't get back into the hobby until 2016. This forum has been a wealth of info since then (WAY better than those old gazettes), and I am thankful it's here.

I am joining now because I need your suggestions.

I teach at a high school in a rough neighborhood that has been on remote learning for the last week, not because of COVID, but because two students were shot outside of another school in town. We'll be on remote learning this week as well while the district revises its security measures. Many of my students come from impoverished and broken homes. Adding to their stress is the fact that this year, the district combined four high schools into two, effectively dumping half our kids into strange buildings in neighborhoods they used to avoid.

So I've been trying to think of ways to make my classroom a more relaxing and inviting place to be. One idea is to set up a saltwater tank. Over the years, the kids have expressed interest in pictures of my home aquarium, and a handful from this year have said they would like to set one up and maintain it. I have a spare 20 gallon long, some unused HOB filters, and a variety of odds and ends that I no longer need at home, so I'll bring those in and pick up what I don't have in a week or two.

I know I want the aquarium to be the students' tank. I want them to--within my budget and under my supervision--decide what goes in it and what they do with it. And I want there to be a goal that is obtainable by the end of the school year in early June. I'm just drawing blank on what some possible goals might be. I'm hoping the R2R community can give me some ideas that I can pass on to the students as options.

I'll be restricted on some things: there will be no RO/DI (I'll be bringing in 5 gallon bottles of distilled water), it will have to be a budget build, no poisonous or toxic livestock, and the tank will need to be relatively easy to break down so I can bring it home during the summer.

Thanks for your help.

Welcome to Da Reef! Lucky Students and teacher…

 

[attiland]

Hello everyone.

I set up my first saltwater aquarium back in '86. Without the Internet or easy access to aquarium books, I relied on old fishkeeping gazettes my father had--possibly precursors to Tropical Fish Hobbyist--to get me started. I kept fish successfully until '92, when I left home to serve in the Marine Corps. Didn't get back into the hobby until 2016. This forum has been a wealth of info since then (WAY better than those old gazettes), and I am thankful it's here.

I am joining now because I need your suggestions.

I teach at a high school in a rough neighborhood that has been on remote learning for the last week, not because of COVID, but because two students were shot outside of another school in town. We'll be on remote learning this week as well while the district revises its security measures. Many of my students come from impoverished and broken homes. Adding to their stress is the fact that this year, the district combined four high schools into two, effectively dumping half our kids into strange buildings in neighborhoods they used to avoid.

So I've been trying to think of ways to make my classroom a more relaxing and inviting place to be. One idea is to set up a saltwater tank. Over the years, the kids have expressed interest in pictures of my home aquarium, and a handful from this year have said they would like to set one up and maintain it. I have a spare 20 gallon long, some unused HOB filters, and a variety of odds and ends that I no longer need at home, so I'll bring those in and pick up what I don't have in a week or two.

I know I want the aquarium to be the students' tank. I want them to--within my budget and under my supervision--decide what goes in it and what they do with it. And I want there to be a goal that is obtainable by the end of the school year in early June. I'm just drawing blank on what some possible goals might be. I'm hoping the R2R community can give me some ideas that I can pass on to the students as options.

I'll be restricted on some things: there will be no RO/DI (I'll be bringing in 5 gallon bottles of distilled water), it will have to be a budget build, no poisonous or toxic livestock, and the tank will need to be relatively easy to break down so I can bring it home during the summer.

Thanks for your help.

Good luck . no easy moving tank

 

[maceto]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!!

 

[Schraufabagel]

 

[Subsea]

Hello everyone.

I set up my first saltwater aquarium back in '86. Without the Internet or easy access to aquarium books, I relied on old fishkeeping gazettes my father had--possibly precursors to Tropical Fish Hobbyist--to get me started. I kept fish successfully until '92, when I left home to serve in the Marine Corps. Didn't get back into the hobby until 2016. This forum has been a wealth of info since then (WAY better than those old gazettes), and I am thankful it's here.

I am joining now because I need your suggestions.

I teach at a high school in a rough neighborhood that has been on remote learning for the last week, not because of COVID, but because two students were shot outside of another school in town. We'll be on remote learning this week as well while the district revises its security measures. Many of my students come from impoverished and broken homes. Adding to their stress is the fact that this year, the district combined four high schools into two, effectively dumping half our kids into strange buildings in neighborhoods they used to avoid.

So I've been trying to think of ways to make my classroom a more relaxing and inviting place to be. One idea is to set up a saltwater tank. Over the years, the kids have expressed interest in pictures of my home aquarium, and a handful from this year have said they would like to set one up and maintain it. I have a spare 20 gallon long, some unused HOB filters, and a variety of odds and ends that I no longer need at home, so I'll bring those in and pick up what I don't have in a week or two.

I know I want the aquarium to be the students' tank. I want them to--within my budget and under my supervision--decide what goes in it and what they do with it. And I want there to be a goal that is obtainable by the end of the school year in early June. I'm just drawing blank on what some possible goals might be. I'm hoping the R2R community can give me some ideas that I can pass on to the students as options.

I'll be restricted on some things: there will be no RO/DI (I'll be bringing in 5 gallon bottles of distilled water), it will have to be a budget build, no poisonous or toxic livestock, and the tank will need to be relatively easy to break down so I can bring it home during the summer.

Thanks for your help.

I like your goals of reaching our next generation where they are. It’s a noble goal. I am presently attempting to integrate aquatic science into youth group at local church. When I entered the Texas Maritime Academy in 1971, as a Marine Engineer, Oceeneering 101 opened my eyes to how carbon drives dynamic equilibrium and seeks this equilibrium thru partial pressure gas constants in our atmosphere and solubility constants of limestone which contribute buffering alkalinity from sequestered carbon in the limestone. Photosynthesis combines these inorganic carbon sources into glucose which is how organic carbon is moved up the food chain.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Well, maybe this next year you can start a tank. I have helped set up a tank in a school in the past. Currently helping a teacher work through it also. One was a 5th grade classroom. The kids helped with tons of it after I got a donated set up for them.

Key goal is to help the kids take pride in the tank and its outcome. I find that kids love to be responsible given the chance. They will love to have the chance to care for the tank themselves. I am not too worried about issues with sabotage from your classes.

Get some input from them on what goes into it. Give them easy choices. First talk about the water parameters needed on a reef. Show them how to use a refractometer, test kits, etc. Get it all correct and review the nitrogen cycle with them.

I would use already live rock to avoid an actual cycle to speed up the ability to buy livestock. Give the kids some ideas of which snails, crabs, shrimp they want in the tank. Only give them viable options (or go through why some are not good to use, etc). Then have them choose the other inhabitants. I would use mostly soft corals. They have better movement and some great colors. Plus, they are a bit more forgiving.

For fish, see if a lfs will donate to the classroom. I find they are happy to help many times if not a huge donation. Also, check out this for some donation: https://www.petsintheclassroom.org/

I love this stuff and work with an educational outreach for schools. I have worked in many impoverished areas. I love the kids. Good luck!!!!

 

[Reeferjunkie]

Welcome and sounds like a great idea good luck

 

[Esox]

I like your goals of reaching our next generation where they are. It’s a noble goal. I am presently attempting to integrate aquatic science into youth group at local church. When I entered the Texas Maritime Academy in 1971, as a Marine Engineer, Oceeneering 101 opened my eyes to how carbon drives dynamic equilibrium and seeks this equilibrium thru partial pressure gas constants in our atmosphere and solubility constants of limestone which contribute buffering alkalinity from sequestered carbon in the limestone. Photosynthesis combines these inorganic carbon sources into glucose which is how organic carbon is moved up the food chain.

I just hope I can pass on the same wonder and appreciation for aquatic life I experienced as a kid whenever I came across an aquarium or started poking around in a creek. I'm also always on the lookout for "real world" applications for the math and science skills my students are taught but for which they have difficulty envisioning the every-day relevance and uses. The way this year has gone, I don't know if I'm going to continue teaching, but as you've pointed out, there are other ways to inspire the next generation.

 

[Screwgunner]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!!!

Tell me you are from Florida

 

[Screwgunner]

Tell me you are from Florida

Like close to punta Gorda.

 

[Screwgunner]

Like close to punta Gorda.

I love peace river good food .

 

[Screwgunner]

Welcome from Goshen.

 

[Screwgunner]

Any good places for coral near you.

 

[Esox]

Well, maybe this next year you can start a tank. I have helped set up a tank in a school in the past. Currently helping a teacher work through it also. One was a 5th grade classroom. The kids helped with tons of it after I got a donated set up for them.

Key goal is to help the kids take pride in the tank and its outcome. I find that kids love to be responsible given the chance. They will love to have the chance to care for the tank themselves. I am not too worried about issues with sabotage from your classes.

Get some input from them on what goes into it. Give them easy choices. First talk about the water parameters needed on a reef. Show them how to use a refractometer, test kits, etc. Get it all correct and review the nitrogen cycle with them.

I would use already live rock to avoid an actual cycle to speed up the ability to buy livestock. Give the kids some ideas of which snails, crabs, shrimp they want in the tank. Only give them viable options (or go through why some are not good to use, etc). Then have them choose the other inhabitants. I would use mostly soft corals. They have better movement and some great colors. Plus, they are a bit more forgiving.

For fish, see if a lfs will donate to the classroom. I find they are happy to help many times if not a huge donation. Also, check out this for some donation: https://www.petsintheclassroom.org/

I love this stuff and work with an educational outreach for schools. I have worked in many impoverished areas. I love the kids. Good luck!!!!

My original intent was to run it like a club, figuring I'd give the students set-up options, establish some goals, and direct the care and husbandry while gradually releasing more control to the students. I've had some luck this year structuring math lessons around real-life applications and figure maintaining a reef tank would offer more such teaching opportunities with Science as well. Hopefully, as you said, next year will be the year.

 

[Screwgunner]

I got DNA in Elkhart VIP in portage michigan good prices and nothside aquatics Elkhart.

 

[Esox]

Any good places for coral near you.

Got a few. One is close, the rest about an hour's drive into Illinois.

 

[Adolfo]

 

[Screwgunner]

If I remember right there used to be a big one just south of Mideval Times . And if you have not been there you need to go get tickets on line . Dinner and Show. Kids love it.