I voted mixed community. A tank that is easier to care for and works with your schedule. I'm sure younger students would be more interested in the fish than corals.

Aquaria in the classroom
 

I've read the comments here with interest and thought I would contribute my thoughts. I teach Biology 11 and Junior science and am currently running a 29 gallon biocube, and 2 - 14's in the classroom. I have had them running since last year and the kids find them fascinating. I actually gave quite alot of thought to what I wanted to do before I started stocking the tanks and this is what I wanted to accomplish.
1. I've had freshwater tanks in the classroom in the past and have found erasers, pencils etc in them so a) the tanks are located at the front of the class and b) the tops are covered. This also reduces evaporation.
2. Smaller multiple tanks are easier to breakdown and transport as well as for setting up different themes. The downside is I need alot of outlets for electrical and have had a 14 gallon get wiped out when the breaker tripped over a weekend and I lost filtration and heat.

The 29 is my display tank with heavy emphasis on the inverts to correspond to the Biology 11 curriculum. I've got a pair of Bangaiis (mouth brooding would be fascintating for the students if they get to that point), a mandarin (the body shape with large pectoral fins for hovering and small mouth shows adaptations), an anemone crab to show symbiosis as well as filter feeding, a tiger tail cucumber that deposits sand pellets as it feeds, and a variety of softies like pulsing xenias and LPS that I can feed to show that they are animals. The softies are also great for talking about things like palytoxin and how tropical cnidarians pack more punch than our local stuff. I take my student to the intertidal invertebrate program at the Vancouver Aquarium for the touch tank experience so they don't miss out on the touching inverts part.

The theme for one of the 14's is symbiosis between a pistol shrimp and goby (plus the action of the pistol "cracking" is a lesson in physics). I started out with what I thought was a pair of high fin black ray gobies and a Randall's pistol but the gobies had a squabble and one ended up in compartment 3 in the back and I haven't been able to get it out. I lost sight of the Randall's pistol recently so now have moved the lone goby to the 29 since the biggest complaint of students is the lack of "fish" action. Fish are more immediately noticeable than inverts, especially colourful fish and sometimes that's the hook before the students become more fascinated with the inverts. On that note, the cardinals are great since they don't hide in the rockwork as much as some other fish. Students always want "nemos" but I've had a few too many clowns that didn't get along with each other so I am now staying away from them unless I go with just a single individual. In the other 14, I had purchased a tiger pistol and will be getting a partner goby for it soon.
Haven't decided what to do with the vacant 14 at this point and may sell it to finance other acquisitions (the school does not chip in any funds). Some options may be a small angler. I've had a couple before and the fin adaptations and spiracles instead of gill flaps amaze students as well as, of course, the carnivorous predator action.
I also have a nice acrylic 29 gallon sitting empty that I 'm saving for a peacock mantis when one becomes available. I've had one before and the destructive power of its smashing apendages is awe inspiring! (Did I mention, I'm running out of outlets. :mrgreen: The students still need some for microscope work!
Anyways, that's my 2 cents.:smile: If I get a chance, I'll post some pics.

I wqould go with a 6 foot FOWLR for one reason. Teenagers can be destructive people... So with a six foot tank, you have the water volume to handle most minor vandalism (dumping stuff in tank) and FOWLR because that way if a teenager gets angery over something and decides to dump 30% HCl into tank your not killing off an entire reef but just fish, still a loss if just fish die but at least its only half of a loss.

I have to agree, moving a tank over 3' at the end of the year is alot of work

what class do you teach btw and at which level

The best idea I have had so far was putting up this poll. This is awesome - keep the ideas coming!!!


I'm teaching mainly Science levels 10 and 20. As for vandalism, destructive behaviour, etc. all I can say is this. Yes, there is the possibility of it happening. However, the students here are extremely respectful of things that do not belong to them. I strongly believe that if you talk to the students and explain to them how you are bringing in something for THEIR enjoyment, in order to IMPROVE their day and make it more interesting FOR THEM, they will respond favourably. Plus, there is the fact that the atmosphere of the students at this school towards respect would rat out the individuals within a couple of minutes would probably keep that in check.

I suppose I could look at taking the tank down over the summer, but that wasn't what I had planned. I'm here quite often in the summer (I work in a different city from home), but it's very close (15 minutes or so). Nothing to drop in and check on things. I'd like to set up a tank at home as well, so I might be able to transfer some things over the summer in order to make things easier for maintenance.

yea, 4ft reef would do. Maybe a 55. Can't imagine much more room in classroom.

Get a bunch easy corals and damsels just in case one of the students drops a hit of ecstasy in there:) Smaller financial hit.

I think that's big enough to add some interesting creatures. You wouldn't have to go too crazy with cost.

just be careful of the janitors when they clean the glass. They have spray bottles that might get cleaner in there.

In my experience, the general rule is the smaller the tank, the more work they are to maintain...?

I put maybe an hour to an hour and a half into my 95 a week but my 3 tanks from 12 to 20 gallons take much more time and things are so much harder to maintain at stable levels....

If it were me, I would go with a 40 or 60 gallon breeder tank, sumpless (cuz it's a lot quieter) with zoas and lps and a softie or two and an oversized skimmer.

I work at a high school and had donated my 4ft reef ready tank. Unfortunately someone pushed it up against the back wall and it caught the ledge where the dry eraser markers go. Cracked the back pane right in the corner. Kind of put our Reef plans on hold.

There was a coldwater tank in the back of my grade 10 bio class and I was always looking into it so yes def a distraction. Far as I could tell (at the time) there wasn't even anything living in it but I was curious!

Of course it will be a distraction of some kind. There's always distractions.

But it's the interest and student engagement that these things bring that outweighs the distraction.