Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders Twin 65G Reefs

[Rascal]

My daughter Grace's doctors recently opened up a new outpatient center here: http://www.childrensnational.org/pressroom...OVAcbdMOVE.aspx ; http://sris.org/prog/samples/cnmc/about/abt2a.htm .

 

The outpatient center is where most child cancer patients go to receive their treatment - chemotherapy, blood transfusions, platelets transfusions, etc. . . . The doctors decided to include a Saltwater fish tank in the facility. Not in the waiting room like in most doctor's offices, but in the main patient area where the kids sit around hooked up to IVs getting whatever treatment they need.

 

Trust me, it would be hard to imagine a more fitting place for a colorful, vibrant, healthy reef tank!!

 

Unfortunately they have run into a little bit of trouble achieving that goal, so I have offered to help. Here's what we have to work with,

Left Tank:

Right Tank:

Middle:

 

You are looking at 2 65 gallon (48"x13"x24") tanks. No sump. 2 3/4" clearance in the back, and about 14" clearance on the sides, seen here: .

They were originally set up by Congressional Aquarium. Some live sand, a mix of live rock and fake corals, a Prizm skimmer on each, and a Fluval internal canister filter. Filled with tap water, topped off with distilled water. The Prizms were skimming wet and just overflowing back into the tank. So effectively no skimming and no water changes for a few months. Filled with fish and . . . well you know the rest. Fish died (all but a few damsels/clowns), hair algae grew, and grew, and grew. The photos above are after apparently extensive manual removal attempts on numerous occasions. Not exactly bringing joy to little faces.

 

So, with some live rock donations from myself and Yauger (thanks Josh!), and a lot of help from office manager Mary Chandler and her son, Ben, we did our first overhaul last Friday. We pulled every piece of rock out of the tank and scrubbed the algae off with a nylon brush. Then we placed the old rock and new rock back in (ditching the fake corals), and added about 15 lbs of sand to each tank. In the process we did about a 15 Gallon water change split b/n the two tanks. I just filled buckets at my house and brought them over in my pick-up. I also removed the internal filters - which were just filled with muck and spewing NO3 I think. Next task was to assess the skimmer situation. With such little clearance off the back, those Prizms are about the only thing I know of that will fit. A sump is out of the question. So I decided the only option was to put a hang-on off the side of the tank. I had an old CPR Bak-Pak that I had used for about a day before deciding it was pretty worthless, but it was all I had so I figured I would break it out and see what I could do. I modded a maxi-jet with a gutter-guard prop and some random venturi I had lying around, and after a bit of tinkering it is at least making bubbles, but we need better. Nevertheless, when I stopped by on Tuesday things looked pretty good. NO3 actually tested at 0-5 surprisingly enough.

 

Future plans:

about 20-30 lbs more live rock

10 % water changes (from RO water mixed with salt) at least 1 x week

Skimmer. Anyone have an extra MCE600 or two lying around -- just kidding -- but not really To stock this tank the way I think these kids deserve it to be stocked, they are going to need a top notch, dependable, set and forget, highly efficient skimmer. All the research I do seems to point in the same direction. I'm open to other suggestions though.

 

Another limitation is the light situation. They have Coralife PC fixtures on right now (270W per tank, I think). I would rather see some T5s on there but the PCs aren't too bad. The doctors want the tanks to be covered though, because they don't want too much humidity escaping into a room with a bunch of immuno-compromised kids, so this will affect the light penetration significantly. I still think some lower light corals should do OK. I put some shrooms and zoas in there on Friday. If I can get some Xenia at the meeting I will try that next.

 

Proposed Critter stocking plan:

2 false percs each tank (already have 2 in one tank, one in the other)

2 smallish tangs (yellow, kole) - maybe substitute foxface for tang in one tank

1 pygmy angel (flame, coral beauty)

1 combtooth blenny (ex: bicolor) each tank

clown gobies

neon gobies

royal gramma

rainford goby

shrimp goby (ex: yellow watchman)

fairy wrasses (the advantage to covered tanks)

butterfly (the request of the person who donated the tanks - any suggestions on type?)

 

already have some hermits and a couple of turbos

1 serpent star each tank

sea hare (?) if the HA comes back

mix of snails (nerite, nasarius, ceriths)

ornamental shrimp (maybe pair of skunks in one, pair of fireshrimp in another.

 

If you have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to post them here. If you'd like to offer anything to donate to this endeavor, please just shoot me a PM.

Edited December 15, 2008 by Rascal

[jamesbuf]

You freaking rock man. I'd definitely like to donate and help out. Next time there's a groupbuy for inverts, count me in for a $40 donation to help get a cleanup crew. If nothing comes up soon, I'm sure I can buy a giftcard to BRK or something. One of my cousins had testicular CA when he was only 5 years old, and other forms also run in my family. I'm more than happy to help the cause.

 

Oh, and if you think the tanks will be able to maintain a RBTA, I can hook you up with one of those too. Nothing worse than a lonely clownfish

 

 

Oh, and also some zoanthid frags if you want some. Just let me know.

Edited December 4, 2008 by jamesbuf

[jason the filter freak]

I want to donate!

[dschflier]

I will definitly help as well. I have a sump and I will gladly drill the tank if you would be interested. I love those doctors they do such incredible work. I couldn't think of a better place to put a tank. I just read what you wrote and see no room for a sump. I do have live rock you are welcome to. I would give a T-5 unit but mine is 3'. If someone has a 4' one and wants to trade for a 3' one I would pay the difference and we can use that. I have some un-used pwr compact lights and If we can find a media reactor I will gladly donate carbon. I think I have some extra power heads and pumps if needed. If you dont have much room for a skimmer I would say water changes and carbon and phos media will be very helpfull. Obviously the best is a skimmer but it dosn't sound like you have huge options with that.

 

I also should be able to give some crabs and some livestock as well. I will look around and see what I can come up with.

Edited December 5, 2008 by dschflier

[Vader]

I don't have any supplies or equipment to donate, but I would be willing to donate $20 towards a clean up crew or what ever is needed. If that is an option, feel free to PM me.

[Hoyden]

I am down for $40 towards whatever is needed as well as any help that a new reefer might be able to render.

 

Some things that you might consider:

1. Set-up a paypal account for $$ donations

2. Hit up some of the local businesses for support - (equipment, livestock, etc)

3. If you really think that a specific piece of equipment is needed to make this system work, like say a MCE600, consider writing to Deltec and asking for a donation.

 

It would be hard to find a better cause than the one you have, so make that work for the kids. You will be amazed at what you can get if you just ask for it in the right way.

 

Jackie

[MLazar]

What about a "Giving for Gracie" Wamas event? We could select a day to meet at the hospital and bring a bunch of donations, help get everything set up/connected, etc and then go out for eats/drinks.

 

Anyone interested?

 

Maureen

[dbartco]

I'm about shaking I want to help so badly.

[dshnarw]

Arwndsh and I will be glad to donate the 20-30lbs of live rock. We've got a tub full of that should be about done cycling.

[MLazar]

I'm about shaking I want to help so badly.

 

 

Doug,

 

Could you chat with Rascal and see if we could work a club event like "Giving for Gracie" out? Seems like many would like to help out in a big way.

 

Maureen

[JMsAquarium]

What about a "Giving for Gracie" Wamas event? We could select a day to meet at the hospital and bring a bunch of donations, help get everything set up/connected, etc and then go out for eats/drinks.

 

Anyone interested?

 

Maureen

 

Maureen,

 

As usual, you come up with the sweetest and greatest ideas. Count me in. If the doc's office aren't a good location choice, as they have patients under treatment. We can always find an alternate place. In which case, I'll be more than happy to host a "bring the goodies" at my place. From there, a small group of volunteers could go do the set up instead of having the whole membership crowding the doc's place.

 

JM

[ctenophore]

I'd be happy to help in some way. I don't think any of my extra equipment would be useful for that size tank(s), but I do have some cleanup crew and corals to donate. I'd also be willing to help do some work on the next overhaul day. I can also order new equipment at wholesale prices, so if there is something you need that nobody can donate, let me know. I'm guessing one of the local shops can do this just as easily though. In any case please count me in, just PM me with whatever needs you have.

 

Justin

[dbartco]

Doug,

 

Could you chat with Rascal and see if we could work a club event like "Giving for Gracie" out? Seems like many would like to help out in a big way.

 

Maureen

 

 

I hope to. Sent him a pm this am, and will talk at the meeting.

[fishcam]

As for a recommendation for a butterfly, i'd go with a copper band! It will eat any aptaisia there. Kind of a picky eater though, so if they're doing flakes it might not survive on that.

[jason the filter freak]

throw out one recommendation go for a bi-color over the coral beauty. I may also have some equipment i could donate

Edited December 5, 2008 by jason the filter freak

[Rascal]

Wow! I'm more than a bit overwhelmed. I'll try to respond to everyone's offers and suggestions below if I can.

First, let me share some shots from today.

Left:

Right:

Unfortunately but not surprisingly, things are already starting to slime up a bit from earlier in the week. Amazingly enough, the Bak-Pak had 1/2 cup of skimmate in it and had already been emptied once this week. So at least it's working. I put the 2 Prizms on the other tank and they seem to be generating a little foam and collecting some skimmate as well. Proof that even poor skimmers will work on dirty water.

 

I also added a serpent star to one tank and about 2-3 large and 5-6 small nassarius plus a couple of margarita and cerith snails to each tank. We need much, much more. So any offers of clean-up critters will not be refused!

 

As for flow, they already had a Koralia 4 in each tank for flow, and I added a Sureflow MJ600 to one of them. I have MJ1200 bodies I could use to upgrade this, but I actually think a modded MJ900 in each tank along with the Koralia would be pretty good.

 

I received a few comments and PMs about the lighting, but I think any lighting upgrade will have to take a backseat for now. It doesn't make sense to add more light to a high-nutrient tank. 270W per each 65 G tank isn't all that bad, and right now we couldn't keep anything that required more light anyway. What I'd really like to do someday is build a canopy with T5s, but that can wait. One thing I have thought of thought is replacing the glass tops with some fabricated pieces of acrylic. I figure they would be easier to take on and off to clean (there is a sink next to the tank) and that would help a lot with light penetration. Anyone with some skills feel free to offer up.

 

RBTAs I have, but I appreciate the offer. Right after I read that post I noticed that one of mine had split again. That gives me four Flowerseller clones plus one RBTA with a green base, plus one GBTA, so I would feel guilty accepting a donation from anyone else. Problem now is with the water quality so poor I think they would just keep moving until they eventually became powerhead puree.

 

A couple of people have offered up rock, which we definitely need. I have already responded to Dschflier and hope to pick up some from him on Monday. Looking at the pictures, how much more do you think we will need? Since the tanks are only 13" deep, aquascaping is a real challenge. A rock wall is practically the only option. I was thinking of adding a wall on the right side of the left tank and left side of the right tank, so it would almost look like an island in the middle of one big tank.

 

Other equipment needs I forgot to mention: they are currently running 2 coralife powerstrips as timers. That's bad. Last thing this place needs is a fire. I have an ACJR I was supposed to sell a while ago but the sale fell through when my daughter got sick. Given that it seems destined that this unit gets donated to this tank. So I would like to get a DC8 and temp probe and set all that up sometime down the road.

 

The main priority right now though is water quality. For water changes I rigged a little hang-on pvc contraption that will take about 8-9 gallons out of each tank at a time and drain though tubing to the sink, and then can be hooked right up to a MJ1200 placed in a bucket to pump new water back in. Problem is that the MJ is not quite strong enough to get up and over the rim of the tank, so I found a deal on a Mag5 on ebay. That should make water changes quick and easy (outside of getting the 5 gallon buckets from my house to the center ). Ben (the office manager's son) is also doing 10G water changes each week so between the 2 of us this should help a lot.

 

That leaves the skimmer upgrade. I thought about adding a phosphate reactor but there really isn't room. Even the small bak-pak takes up most of the space on the side of the tank. Long term I am considering advising moderate carbon dosing for these tanks (they certainly have the personnel to dose meds), but that can't happen until they get good skimmers. I am still thinking the Deltecs are the way to go, unless anyone has any other suggestions (comparable Octopus hang-on?). I guess it wouldn't hurt to contact the company, all they can say is no. Does anyone have any idea how to go about that?

 

As far as $$ donations, I have decided that I will neither ask for them nor turn them down if they are offered privately. I really don't see any other way to get quality skimmers on these tanks. As for livestock, offers of specific critters would be great, and gift certificates or credit at some LFS's might also be a good idea. But I really don't want this club to get bogged down with charitable solicitation threads. There are so many good causes, it would be impossible to limit. I don't want to log on 6 months from now and see a bunch of "give to this" and "give to that" posts and think that I was somehow responsible for that.

 

That said, I think a "Giving for Grace" event would be great if people are interested, but it definitely couldn't be at the outpatient center or, unfortunately, at my house. My daughter has had no evidence of cancer according to scans for 5 months now, but her immune system has still not bounced back from the chemo. The kids at the center who are in the midst of treatment are even more vulnerable, so it is important to limit contact with the outside world, especially during flu season, which is absolutely terrifying to a cancer parent. The same level of germ exposure which might make you or I feel 'under the weather' for a day could be fatal to some of these kids.

 

I will respond individually to all those who PMd me, but let me just say here, a sincere thanks to all who have offered to help. As I said, it is really a bit overwhelming, although I kind of thought this might be a project that WAMAS could get behind.

[dano]

I was going to try to bring some frags to Doug (Bbartco) today as he is generously giving me some frags but he suggested I check with you first to see if you would want them. they are small. Yellow polyps, white sinularia, a leather branching whitish coral I don't know the name of. I hope to go to meeting today though my son just got invited to a birthday party today so I will try to stop by for a short time. Will you be there. Great thing you are doing . Dano

[jason the filter freak]

Looks like you have room for HOB fuges

[capsfan]

Since the tanks are only 13" deep, aquascaping is a real challenge. A rock wall is practically the only option. I was thinking of adding a wall on the right side of the left tank and left side of the right tank, so it would almost look like an island in the middle of one big tank.

 

Now that would be cool. Another option would be to have a rock slope descending from the right side of the right tank and from the left side of the left tank.

[johnnybv]

Mike, when you are ready see me about the skimmers, I can help you/them out, we need to hook them up! After all they did take great care of your most precious little girl!

 

John

[MLazar]

I hope to. Sent him a pm this am, and will talk at the meeting.

 

 

Doug,

 

You're awesome! Thanks.

 

Maureen

[AQUACO]

I can help with free service visits as well as critters, fish, corals and the like... where is the location? No charge, the profits earned are knowing that I can help in someway to bring happiness to a sick little kid!

 

I have service client that is going through some very hard times with his 3 year old daughter right now. I have been assisting him for months for little to nothing. As a parent of two little girls my heart bleeds.

 

Just let me know what is needed. I will help in any way I can.

Edited December 8, 2008 by AQUACO

[Sugar Magnolia]

Looks like you have room for HOB fuges

Those would be a great addition!

[Gatortailale]

Mike,

 

You are welcome to any coral I have when ready for this tank.

 

Lighting - let me know if you want me to check with Chris and Anthony at Ice Cap and see if they can support your efforts with ballasts, bulbs, fixtures ect. If Johnny can't help on skimmer, let me know and I may have another connection for you on a mce we can try.

 

Best wishes

[Kevin Garrison]

Don't know with how or what, but count me in. I will recommend beings I didn't see it mentioned, replacing the Coralife dual timer ASAP. From personal experience with 12" flames coming off one, they are a danger to anyone and everyone.

 

I am a cancer survivor, I know what a treatment room looks like. When I was done with my chemo treatments I would have nightmares that I woke up from where I could still feel them putting the chemo needle into my arm and the chemicals going into my system.

 

To all of you offering to help, bless you all, you are wonderful people.