Tank Additions!

We are proud to say that our tank is now home to 2 plants, 2 lbs of live rock, 2 Blue Leg Hermit Crabs! Pictures will be on the way...

-Team Alpha

Water Is In!

Yesterday, Alex and Sophie stayed after school to spread the live sand across the bottom of our tank and mixed 4 1/2 cups of sea salt mix into 4 1/2 gallons of dechlorified tap water. They then poured the water into our tank, making our tank look very, very murky. We hope that the water will settle well over the course of this weekend and look better on Monday. (No pictures, yet again)

We will purchase roughly 3 pounds of live rock on Monday!

-Team Alpha

Tanks Have Arrived!

Our tanks arrived Tuesday afternoon!!! We spent this morning opening the box, setting up the light, water heater, thermometer, and lid for our tank. Tomorrow we hope to make the salt water mix and add the live sand into the tank. Unfortunately, no pictures for today, but we hope to remember to bring a camera for tomorrow!

-TeamAlpha

Fundraising Success!

Yesterday, Patrick and Sophie raked and bagged leaves, earning $55 for our aquarium supplies. Our next big purchase will be 3-4 pounds of live rock.

Aquariums should arrive any second now...

-TeamAlpha

Hello!

Yesterday, Sophie went to Aquarium Adventures and purchased sand, salt water mix, a water heater, and a thermometer! We are still waiting eagerly for our aquariums...

We hope to raise even more money over the course of this weekend and next week.

-Team Alpha

Basic Aquarium Knowledge!

Basic information we have learned throughout our study of aquariums:

-pH is percent hydrogen in a liquid. If it is not at a reasonable level, the fish can die.

- CO2 is carbon dioxide. Without it, plants won't have a way to conduct photosynthesis. You can control the amount you have by ensuring the nitrogen cycle occurs.

- You should feed fish once daily, the amount should depend on the type of fish, the number of fish, and the type of food you are feeding them.

- Plants need light 10-12 hours a day, the strength depending on the type of plant, though it must be enough in order for the plant to conduct photosynthesis. The light should be on ONLY during the day time.

- You can clean a tank by changing the water, only taking about 25% of the water at a time. You should do this roughly twice a month, though this varies from tank to tank.

- Algae is the base of the aquarium ecosystem. You can control its level by having algae-eating bottom feeders in your tank.

- The water temperature should constantly be at around 72 degrees Fahrenheit. A water heater can ensure this occurs.

- You use a combination of mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration to filter your tank.

-The nitrogen cycle is the cycle in which ammonia (a naturally occurring chemical that is toxic to fish) into Nitrite (also toxic), into Nitrate (doesn't hurt fish.)

- We will mainly use a biological filter, which uses aerobic bacteria to keep the nitrogen cycle flowing.

- You remove chlorine from tap water by adding a certain mixture that takes it out in several days.

- We will use about 5 lbs of sand for our substrate because it best replicates the natural environment of the Firefish Goby.

- Add coral into the tank, after about 4 weeks of cycling. Gradually add fish into an established tank, already home to live rock and coral.

Tanks arrive any day now!!

-Team Alpha

Fish Immigration iMovie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACCMrWGK3wo

You can view our fish immigration iMovie through the link above!

-Team Alpha