aclman88

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Hey guys!

I was at Pratt for the frag swap and after talking to some members I was enticed by the idea of starting a nano reef for my middle school classroom. I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has any experience or advice before I really commit to this. I teach science and currently have a variety of animals and freshwater tanks, but since we do an entire unit on Ocean Acidification and Coral Bleaching, I thought it a good idea to try a small reef tank keeping mostly softies and possibly a few very hardy LPS coral.

One of my main questions concerns the type of tank.. I have a 20L not being used along with filters, heaters, powerheads, ATO. I would need to purcahse a filter and lights. I am also considering going with a Fluval Evo XII as it is an all in one and might be a little easier to maintain. Does anyone have any thoughts or advice which way to go?

Thanks!
 

tsouth

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My current setup is a an aquamaxx 12 long running on a Fluval 107 canister filter. Something like this is pretty maintenance free aside from water changes once a week + changing a filter pad and topping off daily (not using an auto on this at the moment). Heater runs inline on the filter output.

You really have to consider practicality in this instance. Go with what you need that allows you to set it and forget it. Use that ATO because the water will drop too much on the weekends.

Don't forget about an RO/DI setup too.

Lastly - in my opinion - use what you have already. No point in spending money on something new when you have everything already needed to test the waters. If you buy a filter and lights - then purchasing something that can be re-used if you do upgrade. Shopping in this hobby is fun, but it'd be a shame to buy all this great stuff only to find out that it was too much of a hassle to maintain in the long run. Test it!
 

aclman88

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Lastly - in my opinion - use what you have already. No point in spending money on something new when you have everything already needed to test the waters. If you buy a filter and lights - then purchasing something that can be re-used if you do upgrade. Shopping in this hobby is fun, but it'd be a shame to buy all this great stuff only to find out that it was too much of a hassle to maintain in the long run. Test it!

I think this is what I really needed to hear... I already have almost everything (minus light) to set up a tank. I like the idea of an all in one, but the 20L would most likely be the easiest to set up/maintain and would allow for a little more wiggle room with parameters with the increased water volume. The only issue would be that the Evo would take up significantly less space in the classroom and is AIO so it is a much more compact unit.

You gave me a lot to think about... I think my money would be better spent investing in a stand for the tank and a solid filter/light as well as all the minor things needed for a successful reef.
 

aclman88

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Does anyone have a solid RODI system that I can use that won't break the bank?

Also, for filtration I was thinking HOB but was between the AC 70 or 110... any thoughts on one vs the other?
 
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Not to change the subject but maybe more to reinforce the idea of a tank in schools...several times over the past school year or so, my daughter was able to relate certain things they were learning in school to things we do in the reef.

Solubility of salt and supplements into water, converting and graphing of test results, tank volumes, the nitrogen cycle, photosynthesis in relation to corals, water chemistry, treatment of pests and diseases and coral propagation and conservation are all things that were touched on at some point, in some form during math and science classes.

Whether it be relating how decimals are used in test results and the difference between a reading of .015 vs 1.5 or just seeing first hand how long coral growth actually takes...incorporating a tank into the class room I feel is a valuable tool. And using it to teach could be a unique way of spicing up not so interesting school topics.

I applaud you for taking on the endeavor as we all know the difficulties associated with it...best of luck!
 

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