Marine Science Saltwater Tanks at Liberty High School

[MaeganWink]

Just a heads up, I'm making a huge update post (or two if all the pictures don't fit) soon. Went from having 3 tanks to 7, plus other developments, so incoming! 

[MaeganWink]

Marine Science Saltwater Tanks

Liberty High School

 

Introduction: I teach Marine Science (among other things) at Liberty High School in Fauquier County. As a semester-long project I have students manage saltwater aquariums. This is meant to be a student driven project, meaning most of the research, problem solving, and work should fall on the students. I am supporting them and doing legwork where they cannot.

 

Funding: Some equipment/supplies were worked into my science budget this year, but otherwise nothing additional from the school.

+$500 WAMAS grant for livestock

 

Tanks: Two 55 gallon bowfronts

A ~20 gallon frag tank

55 gallon sump connected to the three previously mentioned

One standard 55 gallon tank

One 30 gallon biocube

One 18 gallon biocube

One 65 gallon all in one red sea system 

All were donated. 

 

Current stage: Stocking tanks

 

Needed Materials: Organisms, additional clean-up crew, and pod culture

 

Incoming donations: None

 

Desired Organisms (things my students specifically want): 

Tuxedo Urchin

Neon/Allen's Damsel

Chalk Bass. OR Forktail Blenny

Engineer Goby

Bi-Color Dwarf Angel

Jawfish

Purple Firefish

Redfin Fairy Wrasse

Yellow Clown Goby

Six-line Wrasse

Captive-bred Manderain 

Pulsing Xenia

Tiger Pistol Shrimp

 

 

Tank 1: 55 gallon bowfront 

-Mushrooms

-Clowns x 2 (one semi-naked)

-Coral Beauty

-Molly Miller Blenny

-Green Chromis x 2

-Benggai Cardinal

-Peppermint Shrimp x 6

 

Tank 2: 55 gallon

-Sailfin Tang (Note: I realize as he grows he'll have to be rehomed  to a bigger tank)

-Chorus Wrasse

-Watchman Goby

-Talbots Damsel

-Sharpnose Puffer (incoming)

 

Tank 3: 55 gallon bowfront

-Mushrooms

-Xenia

-Spotted Hawkfish

-Clowns x 2 (one mocha)

-Bubble tip

-Royal Gramma (incoming)

 

Tank 4: ~20 gallon frag tank

-Pom Pom Xenia

-Misc. Xenia

-Leathers

-Birdsnest

-Frogspawn (?)

-Green Trumpets

-Palys 

-Green star polyps 

-Skunk cleaner shrimp (Incoming)

 

Tank 5: 65 gallon all in one red sea system

-PJ Cardinals x 4

-Longnose Hawkfish

-Filefish (bonded pair)

-Striped Fang blenny

-Orange Luzon Seastar

-Hawaiian spotted puffer

 

Tank 6: 18 gallon acrylic biocube

-Mantis Shrimp (Gonolactylus smithii)

 

Tank 7: 30 gallon acrylic biocube

-Tiger Sand Conch

-Spotted Porcelain crab

-Chocolate Chip Star (incoming)

[MaeganWink]

Marine Science Saltwater Tanks

Liberty High School

11/15/19 Update

 

Introduction: I teach Marine Science (among other things) at Liberty High School in Fauquier County. As a semester-long project I have students manage saltwater aquariums. This is meant to be a student driven project, meaning most of the research, problem solving, and work should fall on the students. I am supporting them and doing legwork where they cannot.

 

Funding: Some equipment/supplies were worked into my science budget this year, but otherwise nothing additional from the school.

+$500 WAMAS grant for livestock

 

Tanks: Two 55 gallon bowfronts

A ~20 gallon frag tank

55 gallon sump connected to the three previously mentioned

One standard 55 gallon tank

One 30 gallon biocube

One 18 gallon biocube

One 65 gallon all in one red sea system 

All were donated. 

 

Current stage: Maintenance 

 

Needed Materials: Additional clean up crews

 

Incoming donations: None

 

Tank 1: 55 gallon bowfront 

-Mushrooms

-Clowns x 2 (one semi-naked)

-Coral Beauty

-Molly Miller Blenny

-Engineer Gobies x 2 (bonded pair)

-Green Chromis x 2

-Peppermint Shrimp x 6

 

Tank 2: 55 gallon

-Sailfin Tang (Note: I realize as he grows he'll have to be rehomed  to a bigger tank)

-Chorus Wrasse

-Watchman Goby

-Talbots Damsel

-Sharpnose Puffer 

-Pygmy Dwarf Angel

-Tiger Pistol Shrimp

-Chocolate Chip Sea Star

 

Tank 3: 55 gallon bowfront

-Mushrooms

-Xenia

-Spotted Hawkfish

-Clowns x 2 (one mocha)

-Bubble tip

-Royal Gramma (unseen for a while though)

-Cleaner Wrasse

-Purple Firefish

-Sailfin Blenny

 

Tank 4: ~20 gallon frag tank

-Pom Pom Xenia

-Misc. Xenia

-Leathers

-Birdsnest

-Frogspawn (?)

-Green Trumpets

-Palys 

-Green star polyps 

-Skunk cleaner shrimp

-Six-line Wrasse

 

Tank 5: 65 gallon all in one red sea system

-PJ Cardinals x 4

-Longnose Hawkfish

-Filefish

-Clowns x 2

-Hawaiian spotted puffer

 

Tank 6: 18 gallon acrylic biocube

-Mantis Shrimp (Gonolactylus smithii)

 

Tank 7: 30 gallon acrylic biocube

-Tiger Sand Conch

-Spotted Porcelain crab

-Yellow Sea Cucumber

-Fork-Tail Blenny

-Neon/Allen's Damsel 

[MaeganWink]

Here are a bunch of pictures of our Mantis Shrimp from tank 6! He's a very active guy. Loves popping in and out of the caves in his rock like a wack-a-mole. 

[lynn.reef.nerd]

@MaeganWink I currently have a large (11-12" when happy) Sebae Anemone currently hosting two mocha clown fish. They have been together for more than one year in the tank. The clowns spawn every two or three weeks. The nem are getting too big for my frag tank. If you are interested, please let me know. I would like them to be picked up if possible instead of at the next meeting. I don't feel comfortable having them in a bag for the entire day.

 

Feel free to text me at 503.931.0998. I have pictures and videos.

[MaeganWink]

@lynn.reef.nerd That's amazing, thank you! I'm looking forward to it.

 

Here are some pictures of tank 7:

PS Conches are weird man.

Edited November 18, 2019 by MaeganWink

[MaeganWink]

Here are some of the bowfronts (tanks 1 and 3).

 

 

[MaeganWink]

Frag tank

 

[AlanM]

back to back bowfronts are a fun idea.  It looks like your tanks are doing really well!

[lynn.reef.nerd]

These cuties last day with me. They will love the kiddos

[MaeganWink]

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)

[gastone]

Maegan,

 

How long have you had the mantis?  Is that the same one from a few years back?

 

I'm not terribly far down the road from you.  We are located at the Mary Washington graduate campus, close to the Geico building on 17.  I'm lucky that I was able to get the school to purchase a few things for me, but mostly it's been out of pocket.  I end up making water at home and bringing in 15-20gallons/week.  Mostly for top off and culture tending, and the occasional wc.  

 

If you'd like to get some phyto cultures going, please let me know.  I've got 5 gallons going here at school (tetra, chlorella, nanno, thalassiosira, and an iso that I just can't get right).  Of course I've also got somewhere between 5 and 7 gallons going at home as well.  I wouldn't mind scaling down a bit which means I'll have excess air pumps, hoses and gallon jars if you'd like to give it a shot.  

 

Garrett.