MaeganWink

Thank you for your support! Not going to lie, some of those cookies look really good. I'm supposed to be on a diet, haha!

If this post is in the wrong place or is not allowed, please move or delete! I didn't see anything about posting educational fundraisers in the rules, but it's possible I missed it. The Marine Science Branch of the Science Club of Liberty High School is hosting a fundraiser online through CityPop Fundraising. This group is made up of students with an interest in the marine sciences (marine biology, oceanography, etc.) that also takes part in our local section of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, the Blue Crab Bowl in February. This year they have expressed interest in going on an overnight fieldtrip to the Chesapeake Bay Field Station on Wallops Island, which allows students to take part in boat trips and field research labs. Because my school is located far from the ocean and any aquariums, fundraising is the only way we can go on any sort of trip due to the expense. If anyone wants to support the cause, you can purchase items such as popcorn, soft pretzels, candy, cookies, and more through our fundraiser link. We get a 50% revenue share and items are shipped to you directly. Marine Science at Liberty High School Fundraiser Link We will be raising funds from November 11th through November 25th.

I haven't updated this thread in a long time and a lot has changed over the years. In case people are curious! Logistical Updates: The science department budget was slashed a few years back. I'm grateful if I get my salt and test kits covered each year. Most of the time new equipment, livestock, etc. is all on me (sometimes even the water testing kits). My class sizes remain small, my smallest was 6, average is about 10. I usually get to teach the class one section per year, meaning there is a whole term where I'm doing tank management on my own. Students this term just selected their tanks and water testing. As of last year now there is, however, a Marine Science club now that is willing to help out. I'll see if I can integrate them more into tank maintenance come spring when I don't have the class. Current Tanks: Two 30 gallon biocubes One 12(?) gallon biocube One Redsea Reefer 250 (Hosted in the Library) One Redsea Max 250 (Thank you @Gavinsredseareefer ) One 55 Long Livestock: Peacock Mantis Shrimp (biocube without lights) Clown pair, lemon damsel fish, leather corals, palys, and GSP (biocube with lights) Two sexy shrimp, 4+ mini bubble tip anemones, gsp, duncans, leather coral, mushroom coral, and a tail spot blenny (mini biocube). Mated clown pair, royal gramma, pj cardinal, blue damsel, watchman goby, tiger pistol shrimp, and tons of bubble tip anemones (Redsea Reefer) Mature engineer goby, mated pair of designer clowns, coral beauty damsel fish, spotted hawkfish, leather coral, mushroom coral, gsp, hammer coral, trumpet coral, palys, xenia, and bubble tip anemones (Redsea Max) Dwarf lionfish (55 long) I want to thank the community here at WAMAS for all the support that's been offered over the years. It was so daunting doing this all on my own when I started. I always 100% recommend this group to anyone getting into the hobby, especially other educators. You have been a lifesaver and I'm enterally grateful. Here are some updated pictures! (Will need to take some of the library tank and upload them later)

I think that's just a smudge on the glass over his eye in that picture...when I look at him from various angles I don't see anything with his eyes. It's just his jaw. I'll include a few more pictures. For "The Eel Lady", is this the one you're referring to? If so I may reach out and see what she says. No harm in it. https://www.facebook.com/eellady/ I'll also look at humble.fish. Thanks for the redirects.

Background: I've had this snowflake eel for two years or so. He was always extremely bad at grasping at food, but I just assumed its because they have poor eyesight. He would miss a lot and needed food to be cut into thin strips to eat successfully, but he did eat and seemed to do well. A few months ago I noticed his jaw looked strange...it seemed crooked. After first noticing it, he did continue to eat initially. It has now gotten to the point, however, where he isn't eating. Water parameters are all good, the lionfish that shares a tank with him eats like a pig and never gets in the way of any food offered to the eel. My question: Does anyone have any advice on how to better feed him? I'm not sure if you can target feed an eel, exactly. He does still move around, he just seems uninterested in food/doesn't even try to go for anything offered. I've even tried other fool items in hopes he was being picky or something. Ultimately, I'd also like to hear people's opinion on what to do if he may be at the point where he's unable to eat. Not sure at what point I should consider euthanasia or how I would go about accomplishing that even. The eel in question:

I teach Marine Biology at Liberty in Bealeton and let me tell you, I feel your pain. I set up saltwater tanks, knowing nothing, my first year teaching and it was quite the process, haha! I have multiple saltwater systems in my classroom (and one in our library) as well as a freshwater shrimp tank on my desk. I'd be more than happy to help out in any way I can. I think we have tanks I could give, but only small ones, so that could help for your shrimp, but not for saltwater really. Happy to donate corals and anemones when you're ready for them.

Someone donated to me a 24 gallon nano cube made by JBJ in 2005. Problem is, they didn't donate the pump or the ballast for the lights. The pump is an easy fix, but I've been having issues with the ballast. I tried to order a replacement, but when it came in, the female receiving part did not match the male pins. It had the right NUMBER of pins, but not the right configuration. I've been searching for any other type of ballast that would fit, but I'm having no luck. I tried emailing JBJ about it, but I'm not hopeful; they never replied to my last inquiry months ago when I first ran into the ballast issue. Anyone have any ideas on what I could do? I'm trying to avoid buying a whole new lighting system, since that would obviously eat a lot more of my class budget than most replacement ballasts or parts.

I'm going to try to get my students to do upsidedown jellies this year. Supposedly you can convert over a regular tank for those, unlike most jellies that need the specialized tank. I'd love to see what you learn if you give it a try! I just definitely do not have it in the budget to get a specialized jelly tank for the school.

Is it just the clown in there, no coral or anemones or anything? It's certainly something easy enough to take on. I have a happy pair of clowns in a similar setup in one of my classroom tanks, though they also have a bubble tip and some coral. Where are you located?

One of the school tanks donated to me a few years ago was a Red Sea 250. The lights on it went out a couple of weeks ago and I assumed it was the bulbs...but I got new bulbs in today and nothing. The hood fans still run, as do the tiny moonlights. So I'm assuming it must be the ballasts... Now I am NOT a light or equipment expert, far from it. Should I look into getting new ballasts and try replacing them? Is it something a beginner diy person can figure out? The tank does not have any coral or anemones or anything in it currently, so it is not something I have to rush to fix necessarily.

That video is so amazing, thank you so much for sharing! Also I love reading about this process, so I look forward to further updates!

@mogurnda I didn't know urchins eat hair algae?

My mother thought she was helping when she was visiting my classroom today and washed my skimmer with soap while we were moving the tank it goes to. I've put it to soak in a half-and-half mixture of white vinegar and R/O water for now but...anything else I should be doing with it? Luckily the system has nothing in it right now and won't for a few weeks, but I'd hate to have lingering soap kill things introduced once we get it going again...

The two smaller tanks are running at about 80 degrees right now...I try to keep them at about 76-77. They do both have hoods with lights built in.

Hey everyone, I wanted to know if anyone had any good tips for cooling smaller tanks during the warm months? My large classroom system has a chiller, but I wouldn't be able to buy a chiller for every single tank I have, especially the really small ones. Right now all I've come up with is frozen RO water in the smaller systems to bring the temperatures back down... EDIT: And yes, I know ice cubes will lower the salinity. I've just been doing that instead of a top off while I freeze some water bottles instead.

I don't know why it uploaded those sideways. Here, I cropped it. Still there, doesn't seem to be doing anything really.

Had to move the rock closer to get a better picture, but I managed it!

Saw this thing in one of my school tanks this morning...have no idea what it is. Looks like a white fuzzy Q-tip end on a flexible stalk. I've included the best pictures I could manage. I think it's pale coloration make sit hard for my camera to focus on it. And yes, I know I have bubble algae and aptasia in there. My never ending battle!

I honestly would love to borrow him! Two of my school tanks have GHA that I've been battling. Do you have a "rental fee" for him? xD

They are back to normal now for some reason. I'm putting in a new skimmer today too. At this point I'm stumped. I'll keep a close eye on them.

Not that I know of, unless the skimmer working differently/not working would affect flow from the sump?

Hello everyone! I have a connected system with two 55 gallon tanks, 1 frag tank, and a sump all connected. For almost a year now I've had anemones in both 55 gallon tanks and they have THRIVED. They've grown and split and always look happy. Recently, however, the anemones in one of the 55 gallon tanks have gotten super angry. They'e shrunk and even moved around like they're unsettled. The anemones in the other 55 are all happy, open, normal. I've tested the water parameters (Nitrates, Ammonia, Salinity, pH) and everything is normal. The tanks all share the same water anyway. Temperature is normal and the two tanks literally use the same light fixture. I feed all the anemones once a week, but from the same food source as well. Any idea of what could be pissing off my anemones or what else I could test? The only thing that has changed recently is I think my protein skimmer isn't working (I'm getting a new one), but again, they all share the same water, so why would that affect one side but not the other??? I'm stumped.

Trade it to someone who wants the rock with mushies for a rock without mushies. xD

So I found out reef escape is only doing the first 10 gallons of water for free. So @BtmDweller if you can do more than that, even at a better price than $1 per gallon, that would be helpful. @ImGoingCoastal We have the R/O system set up in the classroom, yes. So we store water in a big 30 gallon trashcan, but like I said, I don't make much water in an hour and we've had issues with flooded previously when the system was left on by accident. I'm on the second floor, so it's even worse because it can get into the classrooms below me if we flood.

I will say that, at the moment I've been very lucky in that my school is letting me in twice a week to take care of the critters, including the saltwater tanks. However, even with that I'm running into some problems and I want to see if I can set up some contingencies if worse-case scenario happens and I won't be allowed back. Problem 1: My R/O system doesn't make water fast enough to allow me to compensate for the amount of evaporation my tanks experience when I'm only allowed in twice a week for an hour each visit. We are looking to see if can let the system run and have a custodian shut it off in the early evening/late afternoon, but if that doesn't work, we're going to need another source of water. Is there anyone in the northern va area willing to give me water if this happens? Look for fresh only. I'm not sure we'll be able to afford to "buy" water long-term, though I may do it in the interim. Problem 2: If I am no longer allowed in the building, I have a HUGE amount of livestock that will need to be moved. -Is there anyone who has the room to essentially "board" livestock for me until the time I could set up the systems again? (I know this is unlikely, but I'll still ask it first) -Is there anyone who can take free livestock in worse-case scenario where I have to get rid of them quickly? My most difficult thing to home would likely be my mantis shrimp, so especially if anyone knows they could take him in a worse-case scenario, please let me know! If anyone has any other suggestions for either problem, please let me know. Thanks for all your support this past year and a half. I'm hoping this pandemic won't bring all our hard work to an end, but we have to do what we have to do.