What can I do to help?

[dave_C]

Very cool idea, count me in for helping. if you have a idea of what size of tank you want to go with, i can donate the tank, sump and stand for you but you would have to pick them up in calgary though

[lastlight]

You are welcome to have the stock light for my Solana. It's the strange looking disco ball. 150w and I can give you a 3 month old radium and another brand new radium. So your lighting is set for a year or more! I cannot access the rear of the tank to give you the stock ballast but I have an old magnetic that worked perfectly and that's actually what I was using.

The cord coming out the top has been cut and I'm using the swing out arm so you'd need to find a way to hang it after you do some splicing which is easy.

Free free. Just let me know.

[Wingin It]

I know we're all Salty enthusiasts, but IMO, if you're wanting to just give them a little piece of serenity, maybe doing a FW tank would be better. Cheaper for sure and the maintenance would be so much simpler. You could always do colorful Cichlids or community fish that reproduce easily and if you lose a FW fish it's usually much cheaper to replace. Sorry if I offend, but it's just my opinion.

[lastlight]

I was thinking that a bit myself too.

Most won't know much about either...and those african cichlids in some cases look as nice as many sw fish.

[Red Coral Aquariums]

Count Red Coral in:
Kevin

[gobytron]

coem on guys...
a softie tank I think looks significantly more serene with much more to look at and enjoy than even the most elaborate planted tank...

and softies are much more forgiving than a full on mixed reef or sps system.

plus, Kevins in...lol

that can only make this easier to do sw.

[sharuq1]

Oh wow! Your offers are beyond generous and I am just reeling reading your posts! I will be pm-ing everyone who would like to donate and see what arrangements I can make to pick up things and whatnot. On behalf of the residents, thank you so much.

Due to the closure of two nursing homes here in Red Deer, our facility will be receiving many admissions during the months of September and October-so I might not be able to set up the tank until after the majority of the admissions have come in due to time constraints, my own move and the upheaval that will be happening in the building. I was planning on just doing something extremely small (like 2.5-10g) with anything I had lying around, but with the things you guys have listed it could be something so much nicer and bigger as well.

With that being said, bigger also means an increase in the cost--as salt is an added cost and I am on my own with that as this is my "project" and the facility is unable to help. Do you think I should make it a salty tank, or would I be better off making a fresh tank for them? I need to keep this project cheap so the options I am considering are fresh community tank, cichlid tank or sw softie tank.

Will consider any and all ideas, so please help me brainstorm. I do hear what you're saying in regards to cost. It is a big deal so it may be more sustainable to do the freshwater tank in the long run.