need help educating classroom

[Art_Vandelay]

Hey, everyone. . . I need a bit of help! I teach high school biology and chemistry at Harmony Christian School in Middletown, New York. I'm looking to set up a reef tank in my classroom however, being that we are a small private school without state funding, there is little to no money available for such a task. So I figured I would exhaust all possible avenues and ask if anyone would be williing to help donate anything that you may have laying around. We all have items that we don't use anymore because we have upgraded things, downsized a tank or whatever the reason. I too am a fellow reefer and have a few things in the attic that I'm not using and they will make their way to my classroom. If you can donate a heater, a filter, an old light fixture, a single powerhead, just one piece of live rock, a bag of sand, a crappy sea clone skimmer. . . you get the idea. If you would like to donate financially, we would be happy to give you a tax deduction as it would be a donation to charity. ANYTHING you could give WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!

Having this tank in the classroom would be an awesome teaching tool. I could use it to educate students on ecology, photosynthesis, respiration, food pyramids, nutrient cycling through ecosystems, symbiotic and parasitic relationships, water chemistry, pH, density, specific gravity and energy flow. Most of all, it would give students a window to a world that they perhaps were unware of and would inspire them to persue a career in marine biology, scuba diving, or reef conservation of some sort.

Please, consider how this endeavor could positively impact more than just small student body; the effects that each student would have on others they come in contact with could help educate numerous people about reef conservation and how important they are in our ecosystem.

Contact me through this thread or pm me and I can give you more info through phone conversation if you would like. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider this task.

[o.c.d.]

I bet some of your LFS would help out,And setting up a reef as a teaching tool I think is a great idea.

[Pea-brain]

Check out the local clubs-alot of them are willing to donate items to stuff like this. Also contact Drs. Foster and Smith-they donated some small frags to my local reef club.

Dan

[ccoons43]

I agree with pea-brain check with your local clubs. Our club has setup two tanks one in the public library and one in an elementery school. The one in the school is being turned over to the kids to maintain.

[reefworm]

great idea - I'm helping our bio dept. is setting up a 75 gal. reef. Good advice on checking our local clubs etc., possibly some of RC's sponsors might be willing.

On a different note, an issue we've discussed is potential student impact and tank/sump security. All it takes is one ignorant student with a penny and an unguarded moment to kill everything. We closed off the sump area with sheet metal and zeus fittings, and looking at a lock for the top. Hate to think that way, but after 15+ years of teaching you learn not to take anything for granted [including 4 at a Christian school myself ]

All the best in this endeavor! Keep us posted!

regards,
-rw

[Art_Vandelay]

thanks for all the advice guys!

[Art_Vandelay]

Originally posted by reefworm
great idea - I'm helping our bio dept. is setting up a 75 gal. reef. Good advice on checking our local clubs etc., possibly some of RC's sponsors might be willing.

On a different note, an issue we've discussed is potential student impact and tank/sump security. All it takes is one ignorant student with a penny and an unguarded moment to kill everything. We closed off the sump area with sheet metal and zeus fittings, and looking at a lock for the top. Hate to think that way, but after 15+ years of teaching you learn not to take anything for granted [including 4 at a Christian school myself ]

All the best in this endeavor! Keep us posted!

regards,
-rw

Good point about security; A huge investment could easily be ruined in minutes. Thanks for the advice and gl teaching....God bless

[Twz]

a crappy sea clone skimmer

What the hell are you talking about?
i bought one as my first worked great then every one was telling me that it was crappy
so i upgraded to a berlin i have had it set up for just over a year and in total it has only probley removed about half a cup,
were my sea clone removes about quarter of a cup every two days.

[Art_Vandelay]

Originally posted by Twz
What the hell are you talking about?
i bought one as my first worked great then every one was telling me that it was crappy
so i upgraded to a berlin i have had it set up for just over a year and in total it has only probley removed about half a cup,
were my sea clone removes about quarter of a cup every two days.

I didn't mean to offend you. If it works great for you that's awesome.

[Twz]

Originally posted by Art_Vandelay
I didn't mean to offend you. If it works great for you that's awesome.

Lol,
Sorry but it just kinda ****'s me off that i payed nearly $400
For a skimmer that dosnt work at all
and cant return it because it was past the 30 days
then i spend $70 on a ''crappy'' sea clone and it works wonders,
another words i just want it to work =(

[o.c.d.]

Twz is liven in Edmonton starten to get to you? I understand it's hard ''

[Twz]

Originally posted by o.c.d.
Twz is liven in Edmonton starten to get to you? I understand it's hard ''

Lol,
Yes why yes it is!
i would really like to have a good LFS That tell you the true information rather then just saying what ever to sell you a product tell you its going to take a few weeks to break in then i cant return it because ''I'v had it for to long and they would not be able to resell it''
''