Looking for donations for my HS marine biology class

[Jacob K.]

Hi!
I was just told about this forum by a friend of mine who is on here. I am a science teacher at a small private school in Boston. This coming up semester I am teaching marine biology and would like to set up an aquarium with my students. I am looking for donations of any equipment that people might be willing to part with or lend to me for the semester. I need a tank, pumps, lights... etc. Pretty much everything. If you are interested in helping out, please post a reply or email me. This would be really great if people could help out.
Thank you so much
Jacob

 

[stevenp]

I could donate a couple bags of Southdown sand.

Steve

 

[Kiah]

What size tank are you thinking about?

 

[OceanGuy]

Would be happy to talk to you

I'm a middle school teacher in Newton, MA at Day Middle School. I was in your same position in August and have set up a tank with help and also have an Oceanography Reef Club of about 20 students who help me maintain the tank and I teach them what I have learned. It is a good size learning curve and while my advice may be limited, I can talk about what is needed to get started.

If you want to come out and visit sometime after school, please let me know and I can perhaps help with some things.

Tom Barner
OceanGuy

Hi!
I was just told about this forum by a friend of mine who is on here. I am a science teacher at a small private school in Boston. This coming up semester I am teaching marine biology and would like to set up an aquarium with my students. I am looking for donations of any equipment that people might be willing to part with or lend to me for the semester. I need a tank, pumps, lights... etc. Pretty much everything. If you are interested in helping out, please post a reply or email me. This would be really great if people could help out.
Thank you so much
Jacob

 

[Jacob K.]

What size tank are you thinking about?

I am looking for about 30 gallons. I want to set it up as a Gulf of Maine ecosystem so I am going to build it from the ground up and i will use sea water and sea sand.

 

[smcnally]

I don't think many people here are too familiar with cold climate tanks. If you do a Gulf of Maine tank, it is a lot different than what we do. You would definitely need a chiller to get that tank down to temp from what I've read in the past. I thought I found a forum for those types of tanks, I'll see if I can find where I saved it.

 

[Jacob K.]

I don't think many people here are too familiar with cold climate tanks. If you do a Gulf of Maine tank, it is a lot different than what we do. You would definitely need a chiller to get that tank down to temp from what I've read in the past. I thought I found a forum for those types of tanks, I'll see if I can find where I saved it.

From what i have heard you can do it without a chiller. there are some animals that need to be chilled, but most organisms will be okay at RT. I have talked to someone on this board who has a GoM tank and he does not use a chiller.

 

[Kiah]

I have an undrilled 29 gal AGA that you are welcome to. It is roughly 30 x 12 1/2 x 19 High.

I also could provide a 175 W ballast, reflector and socket. It is an old style ballast aDVANCE BALLAST

 

[OceanGuy]

cold water

Josh,
In addition to the reef tank that I have in class, in the Spring I have been keeping Gulf of Maine organisms and could talk to you about those. It takes a lot of work and you can't keep them for more than a few days. Many of them are tidal and take a great deal of water flow in a large tank.

I usually have 50 organisms shipped for overnight shipping. I keep then alive for three days observation and then they are shipped back by overnight shipping to be re released. You need to have a lot of water made with a Ro/di unit, sufficient salt, aeration, a chiller or refrigeration unit. Water needs to be kept around 54 deg. F etc.

One year I tried keeping them longer in a $3000 marineland tank with chiller, lights, timer, aeration, filter, etc. (50 gallon). It was successful for about a week and then was the worst tank cleanout that I have ever had to do. It was like mudflat with a very strong smell. It took about 5 days to air out the room so that it was useable again.


Again, I'd be willing to share sources of organisms and stories.

Tom
OceanGUy

From what i have heard you can do it without a chiller. there are some animals that need to be chilled, but most organisms will be okay at RT. I have talked to someone on this board who has a GoM tank and he does not use a chiller.

 

[Jacob K.]

I have an undrilled 29 gal AGA that you are welcome to. It is roughly 30 x 12 1/2 x 19 High.

I also could provide a 175 W ballast, reflector and socket. It is an old style ballast aDVANCE BALLAST

That would be awesome. Please email me to set up arrangments.
jacobkasper@gmail.com
Thank you

 

[JakeLevenson]

Jacob,
There are a few companies who sell premade kits (with animals) for cold water atlantic species. It pretty easy to do yourself. I'll see if I can find the old info I had and will post the links.

Jake

 

[NateHanson]

Do a search on these forums by typing "GOM" or "Gulf of Maine" into the search box near the top right of this window. You'll come up with a few discussions we've had about GOM tanks in the past.

I'm really interested in these local ecotype tanks, and I'd love to hear more from those of you who have tried it that I haven't heard from before. Please tell us more about what you tried, what worked, and what didn't.

Nate

 

[PenMan]

Inland Reef did a "native cold" tank before they moved. From talking to the guys, it had more problems than the reef tanks. Good luck with the project

 

[Greg Hiller]

Unless you house is really cold, in the summer even without lights it's going to be in the mid to upper 70's. Good luck with cold water critters without a chiller.

 

[Moe_K]

Jacob, to allieviate concerns that a con man could just post on the boards that he is soliciting donations for a noble cause, can you please let us know the school where you teach and will set up the tank?
Thanks.

 

[Jacob K.]

Jacob, to allieviate concerns that a con man could just post on the boards that he is soliciting donations for a noble cause, can you please let us know the school where you teach and will set up the tank?
Thanks.

The Newman School in Boston. I am not listed on the schools website as i was just hired. but if anyone is concerned I can email from my school email account or someone can call the school....

 

[Moe_K]

Thanks!

 

[merk1_99]

Here is a thread from RC....

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=722059

 

[NateHanson]

Wow! Leave it to that Steve Weast to make us all look like a bunch of hacks! His tanks are pretty phenomenal.

 

[Jacob K.]

I could donate a couple bags of Southdown sand.

Steve

sand would be great. where do you live?