what can you learn from the science, biology , chemistry of our fish tanks ?

Snarkys · 06/29/2006, 09:18 AM

Friend of mine Is a science teacher at public high school in a wealthy neighborhood and is interested in setting up some type of tank in a attempt to find a interesting way to teach a few things. They have a greenhouse he would like to use, right now its just empty and no one has any plans for it . Apparently they have never used their entire science budget before so there is some money available for a project like this ...

He needs to write up a proposal for them on what he would use this project to teach. I have discussed a few ideas with him already but i know there are more.

I brought up the nitrogen chain and bacteria ,photosynthesis in both the plants and corals, relationship of calcium and alkalinity, fluorescence of corals, breeding or cross breeding of clown fish, tools like refractometers conductivity/ph/orp/tds meters , how free radicals like ozone function. food chain (phytoplankton to sharks) . How UV light can sterilize the water by mutating the DNA of the organisms so they can't reproduce, how reverse osmosis and deionization of water works works. How acrylic glue melts and bonds the surfaces, interesting relationships like the shrimp and goby, how equipment like protein skimmers and calcium reactors work.

Seems like there is a lot of science involved in a reef tank is its possible that the information could be taught with something interesting to relate it to.

Guess im looking for the billion other ideas that i missed : )

Travis L. Stevens · 06/29/2006, 09:33 AM

Don't forget things like coral reproduction and propogation as well as the simple taxonomy of living animals. There's nothing like taking a microscope to some detritus, sand, and even the water. You can also teach aquaculture and preservation as long as the teacher is willing to do a little research into articles about our oceans current states. This can go ecologically by discussing things like pollutants and commercial fishing effects on our oceans.

mike89t · 06/29/2006, 10:29 AM

You could also teach a financial course on how a Reef Aquarium affects your bottom line.

geckofrog · 06/29/2006, 10:38 AM

or how much equipment/power it takes to run a 100 gallon reef when the ocean runs by itself!

Fuegofish777 · 06/29/2006, 11:01 AM

Dont forget about the light spectrum! Like all the color differences and wave length differences of the different temp. lights.

Fuegofish777 · 06/29/2006, 11:03 AM

if you have questions about set up or anything feel free to pm me or just ask here. my school just set up a 400g system in our marine bio class. a couple of my friends and I pretty much ran the tank, we even went with my teacher/coach to go collect most of the animals. tell your friend good luck!

Biggie · 06/29/2006, 11:08 AM

The reef enviroment as a micro-enviroment in a home aquarium is in itself a living biology experiment. If you include the ocean as a whole in study the variables of possible study are endless.
Micro and macro algae's and the chemistry behind blooms.
The life cycles of copepods and the multitudes of other pods and micro organisms and what each contributes to the marine enviroment.
Light and the differnt wave lengths and the bleaching effects of global warming.
The currents of the ocean. The topics are endless.

MCary · 06/29/2006, 11:20 AM

A real world application would be laboratory techniques. I work in a medical lab. Many of the techniques I use are also used with water test kits. Water testing kits use pH indicators, chemical reactions, and titration. Electronic equipment uses ISE's (ion selective electrodes). Running these tests would also show the importance of running controls and what standards are. The importance of proper pipetting techniques.

Snarkys · 06/29/2006, 12:01 PM

for the moment i think he is more looking at how he can use the aquarium as a tool to teach science, biology and chemistry without necessarily making it a marine biology class. The whole class wont be about the fish or tank but anything relevant he can incorporate with it he would like to.

few examples are the chemical relationship between alk and cal, how ozone (O3) works to neutralize waste, how corals utilize , photosynthesis with the algae that grow within their body's to produce simple sugars, how UV light effects small organisms , how you can measure the salinity of water by the way that light bends (refracts) though it differently and the conductivity of the water. how does RO/DI work and show that water doesn't actually conduct electricity it is the stuff in the water, how the nitrogen chain works, that you can actually add food into the tank and eventually have it completely leave the tank in the form of nitrogen gas with just the simple help of some bacteria that eat specific forms of the nitrogen chain....

the whole idea is to give the same or similar information the normal class would but in a form that you are interested in and can remember. He believes that nemo can help him teach the class more than just reading this crap out of a text book and have it relate to nothing that they care about or think will ever involve them. I guess use nemo as a visual aid

im sure there are endless things i am overlooking

Snarkys · 07/01/2006, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MCary
A real world application would be laboratory techniques. I work in a medical lab. Many of the techniques I use are also used with water test kits. Water testing kits use pH indicators, chemical reactions, and titration. Electronic equipment uses ISE's (ion selective electrodes). Running these tests would also show the importance of running controls and what standards are. The importance of proper pipetting techniques.

this is exactly the type of thing i think he is looking for. ways to teach the same thing but rather than testing meaningless vials of water you can test nemo's water .

Sk8r · 07/01/2006, 09:56 AM

I'd add a few more intangible things: responsibility. Patience. Meticulous records-keeping, and the value of good records. Reward of same, in the prosperity of the tank. And the sensitivity to life that grows in a youngster who's trying to get a fool astraea snail propped back up so it can reach the glass. Once you sensitize a kid to the value of small lives, he's going to live more widely in this world, with his antennae out and his opinions set in favor of life.

06/29/2006, 09:18 AM	#1
Snarkys RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 3,516	what can you learn from the science, biology , chemistry of our fish tanks ? Friend of mine Is a science teacher at public high school in a wealthy neighborhood and is interested in setting up some type of tank in a attempt to find a interesting way to teach a few things. They have a greenhouse he would like to use, right now its just empty and no one has any plans for it . Apparently they have never used their entire science budget before so there is some money available for a project like this ... He needs to write up a proposal for them on what he would use this project to teach. I have discussed a few ideas with him already but i know there are more. I brought up the nitrogen chain and bacteria ,photosynthesis in both the plants and corals, relationship of calcium and alkalinity, fluorescence of corals, breeding or cross breeding of clown fish, tools like refractometers conductivity/ph/orp/tds meters , how free radicals like ozone function. food chain (phytoplankton to sharks) . How UV light can sterilize the water by mutating the DNA of the organisms so they can't reproduce, how reverse osmosis and deionization of water works works. How acrylic glue melts and bonds the surfaces, interesting relationships like the shrimp and goby, how equipment like protein skimmers and calcium reactors work. Seems like there is a lot of science involved in a reef tank is its possible that the information could be taught with something interesting to relate it to. Guess im looking for the billion other ideas that i missed : )

06/29/2006, 09:33 AM	#2
Travis L. Stevens Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Perry, OK Posts: 13,946	Don't forget things like coral reproduction and propogation as well as the simple taxonomy of living animals. There's nothing like taking a microscope to some detritus, sand, and even the water. You can also teach aquaculture and preservation as long as the teacher is willing to do a little research into articles about our oceans current states. This can go ecologically by discussing things like pollutants and commercial fishing effects on our oceans. __________________ Travis Stevens Current Tank Info: Restarting 28g Bowfront

06/29/2006, 10:29 AM	#3
mike89t Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chandler, Az Posts: 1,889	You could also teach a financial course on how a Reef Aquarium affects your bottom line. __________________ Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach that person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks. Current Tank Info: Sold my 150G reef tank. :^(

06/29/2006, 10:38 AM	#4
geckofrog Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 505	or how much equipment/power it takes to run a 100 gallon reef when the ocean runs by itself! __________________ Ryan Current Tank Info: 75G,

06/29/2006, 12:01 PM	#9
Snarkys RC Sponsor Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 3,516	for the moment i think he is more looking at how he can use the aquarium as a tool to teach science, biology and chemistry without necessarily making it a marine biology class. The whole class wont be about the fish or tank but anything relevant he can incorporate with it he would like to. few examples are the chemical relationship between alk and cal, how ozone (O3) works to neutralize waste, how corals utilize , photosynthesis with the algae that grow within their body's to produce simple sugars, how UV light effects small organisms , how you can measure the salinity of water by the way that light bends (refracts) though it differently and the conductivity of the water. how does RO/DI work and show that water doesn't actually conduct electricity it is the stuff in the water, how the nitrogen chain works, that you can actually add food into the tank and eventually have it completely leave the tank in the form of nitrogen gas with just the simple help of some bacteria that eat specific forms of the nitrogen chain.... the whole idea is to give the same or similar information the normal class would but in a form that you are interested in and can remember. He believes that nemo can help him teach the class more than just reading this crap out of a text book and have it relate to nothing that they care about or think will ever involve them. I guess use nemo as a visual aid im sure there are endless things i am overlooking __________________ Ryan B BRSTV & 52 Weeks of Reefing

06/29/2006, 11:01 AM	#5
Fuegofish777 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: S. California Posts: 1,191	Dont forget about the light spectrum! Like all the color differences and wave length differences of the different temp. lights.

06/29/2006, 11:03 AM	#6
Fuegofish777 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: S. California Posts: 1,191	if you have questions about set up or anything feel free to pm me or just ask here. my school just set up a 400g system in our marine bio class. a couple of my friends and I pretty much ran the tank, we even went with my teacher/coach to go collect most of the animals. tell your friend good luck!

06/29/2006, 11:08 AM	#7
Biggie Moved On Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 785	The reef enviroment as a micro-enviroment in a home aquarium is in itself a living biology experiment. If you include the ocean as a whole in study the variables of possible study are endless. Micro and macro algae's and the chemistry behind blooms. The life cycles of copepods and the multitudes of other pods and micro organisms and what each contributes to the marine enviroment. Light and the differnt wave lengths and the bleaching effects of global warming. The currents of the ocean. The topics are endless.

06/29/2006, 11:20 AM	#8
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	A real world application would be laboratory techniques. I work in a medical lab. Many of the techniques I use are also used with water test kits. Water testing kits use pH indicators, chemical reactions, and titration. Electronic equipment uses ISE's (ion selective electrodes). Running these tests would also show the importance of running controls and what standards are. The importance of proper pipetting techniques.

07/01/2006, 09:56 AM	#11
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I'd add a few more intangible things: responsibility. Patience. Meticulous records-keeping, and the value of good records. Reward of same, in the prosperity of the tank. And the sensitivity to life that grows in a youngster who's trying to get a fool astraea snail propped back up so it can reach the glass. Once you sensitize a kid to the value of small lives, he's going to live more widely in this world, with his antennae out and his opinions set in favor of life. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.