science room tank

[HoCkEyGmC]

okay, so we have a fish tank in our science room to learn about the nitrogen cycle. (which should be cake 4 me now). but anyways the tank is pretty much brand new, the rocks aren't cured, the tank isn't cycled. anyways yesterday she picked up 2 clowns(false perc or true perc?), 2 anemones, and a cleaner shrimp. wow. im pretty sure shes new to this. its a 28 gal tank with like a 4 inch live sand bed and what looks to be about 20 pounds or so of live rock. there is almost no flow and the lights are pc i think. theres a heater and a hob filter. idk about you but i dont the tank will do too great. i guess we'll see. oh yeah, and the anemones: i want to find out what type they are, they have about a 3 inch wide disc with very short, stubby, frilly tentacles on the outside border part. (sea anemones???)
Thanks, and ill keep you updated on the progress.

 

[Chisel]

okay, so we have a fish tank in our science room to learn about the nitrogen cycle. (which should be cake 4 me now). but anyways the tank is pretty much brand new, the rocks aren't cured, the tank isn't cycled. anyways yesterday she picked up 2 clowns(false perc or true perc?), 2 anemones, and a cleaner shrimp. wow. im pretty sure shes new to this. its a 28 gal tank with like a 4 inch live sand bed and what looks to be about 20 pounds or so of live rock. there is almost no flow and the lights are pc i think. theres a heater and a hob filter. idk about you but i dont the tank will do too great. i guess we'll see. oh yeah, and the anemones: i want to find out what type they are, they have about a 3 inch wide disc with very short, stubby, frilly tentacles on the outside border part. (sea anemones???)
Thanks, and ill keep you updated on the progress.

Edit: mods, can u please change the name of this thread, i cant type today. thanks!

Can you post pics of what is in the tank? This will help greatly in indentifying the anemones.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Anemones will most likely die off first as the tank cycles, then pretty much nuke the tank as they decompose.

Sooo... is this a high school? College? Have you suggested that they may learn more than what they're expecting?!

 

[roka64]

I changed the thread title.
I agree with Kurt. They are about to learn a very distressing lesson.
Have you read up on a fishless cycle?

 

[Chisel]

I believe it is the teacher who needs to read up. Assuming that this was the teacher's brilliant idea.

 

[MsBeanCtr]

How about printing up the article on 'fishless cycling' and leave it on her desk? Maybe you could direct her to this site for some info? I hate the idea of the critters having to suffer through that. Can you mention to her that you have a sw tank and would be happy to help her out?

 

[Chisel]

Yes, Roka64 has a link in his sig for an excellent article on fish less cycling. Check it out.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

yea its the teacher. i kinda figured that the anemones would pollute the tank. and i cant get a pic for now cuz i dont have that class until tuesday. ill try to find it in google. but yeah, before when the tank was just sand water and rock, i was emailing her and she said that she was getting some critters for the tank. i reasonably thought that she meant some hermits or some snails or something. but i guess not. well ill keep ya posted.
EDIT: anemone

 

[Chisel]

Is this a college or high school class? (for Kurt and others)

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

highschool

 

[Chisel]

Send her a link to the article i spoke of that is in roka64's sig. Or you could let me do it......wait...nevermind....bad idea. Serously though. It would be nice if you did point her to it.

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

it would be good but i dont think she would do it, she already bought them and i doubt that she would take them back, and she already told everyone all about it and she wants that to be her ammonia source. i know its not rite but i know that it would jeopardize my grade and how much she likes me (not that she would but i always want to be cautious). i really would like to and i know i should but i just dont think i can cuz it would get hir p!ss3d off, she wants to create the whole "realness" of the fish in the tank making ammonia rather than an empty tank cycling its self.

 

[roka64]

Well, she is more than welcome to join the site and we can guide her along.

 

[Chisel]

it would be good but i dont think she would do it, she already bought them and i dbout that she would take them back, and she already told everyone all about it and she wants that to be her ammonia source. i know its not rite but i know that it would jeopardize my grade and how much she likes me, and i cant afford that. i really would like to and i know i should but i just dont think i can cuz it would get hir p!ss3d off, she wants to create the whole "realness" of the fish in the tank making ammonia rather than an empty tank cycling its self.

I see your point. The same thing can be achieved using already dead, uncooked shrimp from the supermarket.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

How about printing up the article on 'fishless cycling' and leave it on her desk? Maybe you could direct her to this site for some info? I hate the idea of the critters having to suffer through that. Can you mention to her that you have a sw tank and would be happy to help her out?

I think this is an awesome idea. Just make sure you do it in a way that doesn't make her look bad in front of the class.

Seems like the just process of cycling the tank (fishless, of course!) and testing each day during the cycle (along with charting the results) would teach everything there's to know about the nitrogen cycle. But hey... I'm not a teacher!

[Edit: sorry... didn't see that last post before I posted this. Guess we're all thinking along the same line! In the end, it sounds like your class will definitely get a "learning experience" on what living in a toxic waste dump will do to a living organism. If nothing else, maybe it'll teach a lesson about keeping our water clean!]

 

[roka64]

Fishless cycling makes for an easy and fun science project!

 

[HoCkEyGmC]

well is the anemone a sea anemone? whatever it is they look pretty cool, i think i might want 1 or 2. but i still would rather have a bta. thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[Chisel]

well is the anemone a sea anemone? whatever it is they look pretty cool, i think i might want 1 or 2. but i still would rather have a bta. thoughts?
Thanks!

A BTA is an anemone. "Bubble Tip Anemone"

 

[Ziggy953]

Yikes...I think I'll sit on the sidelines here and just keep up with the thread.

 

[Chisel]

Yikes...I think I'll sit on the sidelines here and just keep up with the thread.

hehehe...Did I misunderstand his question?