Help me build a wall of fish tanks!

[Tavyn]

I'm a high school science teacher and my school has decided to buy me 4 of these...

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...e-Span-Storage-Rack-Wire-Decking-72-x-24-x-60

They have decided to put 16 electrical outlets on each shelf "level". Spaced so that the outlets will be above any tank placed on the shelf.

They have also given me a significant budget to build a "marine science facility".

I was originally thinking 12 40 gallon breeders set up to be reef tanks. The additional shelf space would be a sump, quarantine tank, hospital tank, and maybe one freshwater planted tank.

Now I'm wondering about maybe doing 1 120 gallon tank, a couple of 60 or 80 gallon frag tanks, or, or, or.....

My brain is all over the place and on total overload. I want this to be done as cheaply as possible while still being able to do great things. So much cool stuff I can do with the kids. I want to try breeding rock flower anemones with them. I want one tank filled with like 20 bubbletips and 10 pairs of clowns. I want a snowflake moray and a lionfish (maybe a dwarf), an anglerfish, a peacock mantis. a bunch of tangs, one tank with like 20 damsels (they can duke it out with each other). I want a tank of sps, a tank of just euphyllias..... I want everything!

Help me brainstorm this. How would you go about setting this up? What lights? What tanks? How do I set up a sump that will work for the top shelf and the bottom shelf when it will have to sit on the same level as the bottom shelf? (Powerheads to push the water to the sump since gravity wont do it?)

Millions of things to consider, and a shopping list to build. Help me do this the right way. Help me build a dream for my marine science students and their teacher.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm not aware of what is needed for an educational program and therefore would recommend you contacting other high schools, especial those that focus on marine sciences. We have one here in New Jersey called MAST (The Marine Academy of Science and Technology), located out on Sandy Hook. I'm sure these folks would be more than happy to talk about needs. I'd also consider colleges that focus on marine sciences....the two that come to mind on the East coast are Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and U of Miami (Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences).

In addition, I looked at one of your plans of twelve 40B's, and shuddered at the lighting needs and maintenance of all those tanks.

Best of luck with starting this program.

 

[Tavyn]

I'm not aware of what is needed for an educational program and therefore would recommend you contacting other high schools, especial those that focus on marine sciences. We have one here in New Jersey called MAST (The Marine Academy of Science and Technology), located out on Sandy Hook. I'm sure these folks would be more than happy to talk about needs. I'd also consider colleges that focus on marine sciences....the two that come to mind on the East coast are Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and U of Miami (Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences).

In addition, I looked at one of your plans of twelve 40B's, and shuddered at the lighting needs and maintenance of all those tanks.

Best of luck with starting this program.

Oh calling any of this a plan is a bit too ambitious at this point. I really dont need anything special I just want a good setup that the the kids can use to explore various aspects of reefkeeping/husbandry.

 

[JoshH]

I think the first step should be hammer down what your goals are. Look into each type marine life you wish to teach about or work with and what there specific needs are in order to thrive. This will help narrow down what route you need to go, layout and equipment wise.

 

[TonyNguyen]

I would not just go for all 40B, try to mix some 20L or 10G in there so that you can house more different species. You can drill all the 40B and plumb them for fish only system. Do the same for another system for corals and nems which need reactors and supplements,. The corals and nems does not need that much space to thrive. You can save on the lighting for the fish system just use those cheap LED bars blue/white . For the corals and nems you can get some full spectrum. There are many ways of doing this, one of my buddy did breeding clown fish and his setup was simple and effective.




Good luck keep us posted!

Cheers!

 

[Ehunforfun]

Okay so I attached some amazing graphic design work I did really quick...Its pretty incredible honestly

Quick explanation...Starting from top left: Tank with a bulkhead up top to get water from the SUMP, install an overflow box with bulkheads through the glass leading to the tank in the top right. This tank would have an additional overflow box draining to the tank in the bottom right, where finally this tank would drain into the sump using an overflow box as well, sump would then pump water back up to the tank on the top left.

I would recommend a LARGE size sump, (probably the majority of the bottom) shelf with a large refugium, macro algae, even an algae scrubber to enhance the learning! Of course the usual skimmer/heater etc would need to be included in a system like this and don't forget to leave enough space for all the water to drain to in the event of power outage or pump failure.

 

[Tavyn]

Okay so I attached some amazing graphic design work I did really quick...Its pretty incredible honestly

Quick explanation...Starting from top left: Tank with a bulkhead up top to get water from the SUMP, install an overflow box with bulkheads through the glass leading to the tank in the top right. This tank would have an additional overflow box draining to the tank in the bottom right, where finally this tank would drain into the sump using an overflow box as well, sump would then pump water back up to the tank on the top left.

I would recommend a LARGE size sump, (probably the majority of the bottom) shelf with a large refugium, macro algae, even an algae scrubber to enhance the learning! Of course the usual skimmer/heater etc would need to be included in a system like this and don't forget to leave enough space for all the water to drain to in the event of power outage or pump failure.

Looks like a great plan. Definitely takes care of the same level sump problem.

 

[Transporter]

I have thought about something similar for my house for a long time...only not as much for "educational" purposes, as much as educating myself and maybe trying to get the kiddos involved.
Sorry, not much advice here... But, definitely following this one.