TPF's 50g Reef Edutope

[thepanfish]

Well I've been collecting stuff for this for a while now and its finally coming to life! This is a 50 gallon (36"x13"x24") Tenecor Acrylic AIO. The display area is quite narrow, only about 10" wide but it'll do.
This tank is setup to educate kids both about corals and reef ecosystems, but also about reef conservation (hopefully I can do some fragging). This tank will be tied directly with the curriculum and will be invaluable in teaching kids about reefs.

Stocking for this tank was chosen based on coloration, space occupied in the water column, temperament, hardiness, activity level, and mostly interesting behaviors.
Stocking will be as follows:

1 Sleeper Banded Goby
1 Longnose Hawkfish (I know its a risk)
1 (small, sorry guys) Yellow Tang REPLACED WITH LONGNOSE BUTTERFLYFISH
*perhaps* a pair of clowns if I can get them hosting


Assorted Euphyllids
GSP
Assorted "tree" softies (sinularia, kenya tree etc)
Assorted Leathers
Some other donated stuffs

Inverts are pending, I'm thinking a cleaner shrimp and your basic run-of-the-mill CUC


I'll try to get pics up later, if you'd like to donate fish/coral just post below!

[thepanfish]

Cleaning:
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/BlueStag/IMG_0589.jpg


All cleaned out:
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/BlueStag/IMG_0590.jpg


Almost full:
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/BlueStag/IMG_0607.jpg


Sandbed, 4": 3" Aragonite and 1" reef sand
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/BlueStag/IMG_0612.jpg


Preliminary rockscape:
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/BlueStag/IMG_0611.jpg


Filled!
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/BlueStag/IMG_0608.jpg


Filtration area:
From left to right; overflow, chemical filtration tower, form orange to orange is the refugium, return
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l498/BlueStag/IMG_0618.jpg

We need more live rock, so if you have any please PM me!
Thats all for now :)

[ReefTech]

tank looks great....looking forward to seeing it fully stocked

[thepanfish]

tank looks great....looking forward to seeing it fully stocked
Don't worry, it ended up in good hands!
I can't wait to have the LED on it, but I figure I'll wait till the cycle finishes up...

[ReefTech]

trust me its gonna look amazing!!! i remember what the tank looked like when i put the led fixture above it before you picked it up and it was about five times brighter than the coralife pc thats on it now....just let me know when your ready got the fixture and the coral ready for ya

[thepanfish]

trust me its gonna look amazing!!! i remember what the tank looked like when i put the led fixture above it before you picked it up and it was about five times brighter than the coralife pc thats on it now....just let me know when your ready got the fixture and the coral ready for ya
Yeah like I said, don't wanna put coral in a cycling tank.
The kids come back from break on the 27th so maybe around the 3rd?

[Sir Patrick]

In effort for reef conservation- I would not put the yellow tang in the tank, and instead talk about the want vs. ethics behind doing so, in an educational manner, in an effort for future education of the kids that will be enjoying this project. There is alot to be learned on this subject, that should be shared.

Sorry I was unable to come up w/ any sand/rock- but I have more than enough corals to donate to make the trip out worth it, when the tank is ready.

[larryandlaura]

I have dry rock I can donate but its in Houghton Lake.

[thepanfish]

In effort for reef conservation- I would not put the yellow tang in the tank, and instead talk about the want vs. ethics behind doing so, in an educational manner, in an effort for future education of the kids that will be enjoying this project. There is alot to be learned on this subject, that should be shared.

Sorry I was unable to come up w/ any sand/rock- but I have more than enough corals to donate to make the trip out worth it, when the tank is ready.
Sir P, I completely understand your point, but I really wanted a larger colorful active fish. I can promise a good home for the tang after a while. I figured I would receive friction on this issue, so I thought a wrasse could be a nicer alternative. I also looked at a foxface. Ultimately I understand the ethicality argument, but I hope we can see past a 3" yellow tang in a 50 gallon for a few months...

Also, don't worry about the sand/rock
I am excited for the corals!

[Sir Patrick]

Try t find a tiny one. Sometimes you can find them as small as 1 1/2". My kole tang is less than 2" itself.

[thepanfish]

Try t find a tiny one. Sometimes you can find them as small as 1 1/2". My kole tang is less than 2" itself.
Yeah, that was the plan. Although the smaller you go with tangs, the more ich magnets they are...
I was looking at putting a hole in there, but I've never seen one that small. They are my favorite fish.



What about a henochius? They're active, bright and more suited to this size tank.

[MizTanks]

What about a Canary Blenny? Very bright yellow with tons or personality :)

[thepanfish]

It doesn't have to be yellow! And I'm afraid the blenny and hawk won't play nice...

[thepanfish]

Looking into a forceps buterflyfish, seems like they won't pick at softies or LPS. Any ideas?

[thepanfish]

Decided on replacing the tang with a Longnose Butterfly. Don't look too hard to care for and definitely have the interesting or unusual factor I'm looking for.
I saw one do a backflip in someones tank and that somewhat sold me on the fish.
Plus we won't have SPS, only stinging LPS and Octocoralians so coral nipping shouldn't be a problem! Finally no need to worry about aptasia, I can pul some rock from anywhere now!
The Heniochus diphreutes will be too hard to tell apart from the corallivorous Heniochius species and I don't want to end up with a coral muncher.

[Mr. Microscope]

What's going to happen during the summer? Will you come in to do maintenance?

Also, stay away from zoas. Don't want to poison the kids.

[thepanfish]

What's going to happen during the summer? Will you come in to do maintenance?

Also, stay away from zoas. Don't want to poison the kids.

Summer is 1 0f 2 options.
I can take in the livestock or have a friend who can, tank can stay running.

Yeah good point I guess...


Lots of people seem to be downers on this :thumbsdown:

[Badfish]

Not me, I think this is a great idea. I wish we had a saltwater tank when I went to school ....I would have showed up for class a lot more I know that.:big_grin: How young are the kids? Who knows you could inspire a few new marine biologist.

What about summer school? I had to go to it enough times to know they usually have a class room or 2 full of kids and a few teachers hanging around for most of the summer who you could ask to help out with the tank maintenance and you would only have to stop in once a week or so to check up on it.

[thepanfish]

Not me, I think this is a great idea. I wish we had a saltwater tank when I went to school ....I would have showed up for class a lot more I know that.:big_grin: How young are the kids? Who knows you could inspire a few new marine biologist.

What about summer school? I had to go to it enough times to know they usually have a class room or 2 full of kids and a few teachers hanging around for most of the summer who you could ask to help out with the tank maintenance and you would only have to stop in once a week or so to check up on it.

The kids are in the 3rd-5th grade. Yeah I hope to inspire people...

I'm stopping in every 2 weeks as of now for a 10g water change. The tank is KISS and automated so I think it should be cool.
Theres no summer school there.

Thanks for the support! If you wanna help out with donations LMK!

[Sir Patrick]

I am, and others also, in full support of this project. Just chiming in our opinions along the way.

I am sure i would have been brave enough to tackle a saltwater tank, on my own, much sooner if i had seen one, and was educated one one, while I was in grade school! Awsome idea, and I commend your efforts!

[thepanfish]

I am, and others also, in full support of this project. Just chiming in our opinions along the way.

I am sure i would have been brave enough to tackle a saltwater tank, on my own, much sooner if i had seen one, and was educated one one, while I was in grade school! Awsome idea, and I commend your efforts!

I was not solely referring to users on this site ;) I understand and respect opinions and thank you for voicing them!

Yeah, I was thinking about getting the better stores in the area involved in case one of the parents was interested, although this isn't the goal.

[thepanfish]

Ammonia is 0, I've backed this kit up with a Salifert kit and the weird beige/green is 0

[thepanfish]

Trates are 5, it looks darker in this pic. Cycle coming along nicely!

[thepanfish]

SG is perfect, evap is low...

[Mr. Microscope]

Summer is 1 0f 2 options.
I can take in the livestock or have a friend who can, tank can stay running.

Yeah good point I guess...


Lots of people seem to be downers on this :thumbsdown:


pfft! You'll figure it out. I think it will be awesome for the kids! I hope my kid gets a teacher with a reef.

[thepanfish]

pfft! You'll figure it out. I think it will be awesome for the kids! I hope my kid gets a teacher with a reef.
:big_grin::highfive3::thumbsup:

Give her my #, I'd be glad to help set one up! LOL

[thepanfish]

I'll do a 10 gallon WC on arrival home. Then we'll see about more livestock.

[thepanfish]

Thank you so much to the very kind Sir P for donating corals! :propellerhead:

[Sir Patrick]

Any updated shots??

[Rook]

Tank is looking good. There are a ton of good lessons that can be extrapolated from a reef tank into the classroom.


We need to get someone to donate you a refractometer :D

[thepanfish]

Any updated shots??
I'll get some up for ya when my iPhone finishes charging

Tank is looking good. There are a ton of good lessons that can be extrapolated from a reef tank into the classroom.


We need to get someone to donate you a refractometer :D
Yeah, the kids are loving it. The teacher actually bought Tony Vargas' new book. May have to take that in lieu of payment :roll_eyes:

Also, I would love that. I was planning on getting one for myself.

[thepanfish]

Condy anemone

[thepanfish]

Pair of Percs from ReefSolutions
Thanks guys!

[thepanfish]

Golden Chromis and Sand Sifter Goby

[thepanfish]

Falco Hawkfish

[thepanfish]

Green Palys from personal collection

[thepanfish]

Some zoos from Sir P

[thepanfish]

Large Kenya tree from my DT

[thepanfish]

Green finger leather from Sir P

[thepanfish]

Another pic of the condylactis anemone

[thepanfish]

A better pic of the goby acclimating

[thepanfish]

Since these pics I added a 4 bulb T5. I'll be adding another condylactis anemone and perhaps another fish. MOst likely a school of 5 chromes or a wrasse. Hopefully someone can chip some more live rock in! The huge is finally operational as well.