Tanks for classrooms

srs163 · 10-24-2006, 12:54 PM

I have no experience with fish. I am an elementary science teacher and have a small budget to set up fresh water tanks for some classrooms. In addition to how cool aquariums are, I want the kids to see life cycles and diversity. From the research I've done, I know to set up the tank without fish for a while and test the water to make certain all is well. (A test kit has been ordered.) I plan to use live plants, a few guppies (yes, I know 2 females/male) and possibly some dwarf frogs/tadpoles and something to keep the tank clean (catfish or snail?). My questions-would a 20 gallon tank with a breeding chamber suffice and does this seem like an OK grouping? Since these will be kept at school, I need a set up that can be left unattended for 2 or 3 days at a time.

RedBaron · 10-24-2006, 01:12 PM

Welcome to the forum

What a lucky group of kids to have you as an instructor. I remember reading, somewhere, that setting up a tank in the classroom can provide far more instruction than just science. You have the testing, the life cycle, documentation, planning, patience, budgeting, etc.

A 20 is a good size for stability and functionality. Keep reading and more people will chime in. Maybe there is another teacher out there that is willing to chime in and offer some advice.

Quick question, but have you decided what will happen to the tank at the end of the school year? Do you have a local pet store that would be willing to "loan" some products to help you and the little guys out?

Best of luck. Keep us updated as to what is happening, not only at the beginning, but as the tank matures and any observations that you make, from a scientific point of view, as to how things are progressing.

gm333 · 10-24-2006, 10:44 PM

As RedBaron has suggested a 20 gal will be perfect, as far as feeding for the weekend you can always find weekend feeder blocks that will work well. The fish will be fine if not fed over the weekend as well. Cory's need to be kept in small groups(two-four), the albino variety tend to stay a little smaller than most corys. The dwarf frog will probably end up being boring as the have a tendency to just hover on the surface of the gravel most of the time. If you need an algae eater the otto cats will do just fine, they stay small and do a fairly good job with algae. Snails and live plants would be a plus.

Teddy · 10-25-2006, 01:19 AM

I wish i could be fortunate enough to have a science teahcer like yourself!

krstin14 · 10-26-2006, 12:40 PM

Thanks for all the information... I also have an elementary school tank to fill.. but I have only a 5 gallon tank... any suggestions as to how to make it the most interesting>?

Thanks-Kristin

RedBaron · 10-26-2006, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krstin14

Thanks for all the information... I also have an elementary school tank to fill.. but I have only a 5 gallon tank... any suggestions as to how to make it the most interesting>?

Thanks-Kristin

How about a betta tank with live plants or a refugiam showing the life cycle of plants and things that make the plants grow?

Keep us updated as to what you decide and how the kiddies like it.

Tommy Gun · 10-26-2006, 05:51 PM

I agree that most any fish you would put in your tank can live just fine without being fed for a couple of days. Over long school breaks (e.g. christmas and easter) you could use the 'feeding blocks', however I have had some bad experiences with using them over more than a week as they will eventually break down and become wastes, adding to the ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites.

I also think that snails would be a good focus for kids as far as it pertains to lifecycles but I would be cautious as to the type of snails or how many were kept in the tank as they can quickly become a problem in tanks with the sheer amount of breeding that takes place. It is also pretty hard to stop the over population problem or keep it under control.

I like the guppy idea as for a fish that will breed and have fry in a period of time short enough for a school year. I would also suggest mollies and/or platties since they are just as quick to breed and are extremely hardy, which may help out if the tank has to be left unattended for a week or two. For my kids, which I have three, my livebearer tank with mollies and platties was a great learning experience and I was able to allow them to do much of the work with feeding and helping to catch the fry to put them in the breeder net. As a side note, this also helped them learn a sense of ownership and they would leave my cichlid and saltwater tank alone as those were 'daddy's tanks'.

By the way, I agree with everyone so far in that you and your school district are doing a great job in finding a very nice way to learn about life. Especially for those who do not like to read textbooks like myself!