Find It Fund It Florida - Hillsborough Education Foundation

Introduction to Marine Aquarist Methodologies

School:: King Senior High School
Category:: Science
Teacher/ Administrator:: Stephen Kelly
: 205515
Students Impacted:: 100
Grade Levels Impacted:: 9-12
Date:: July 29, 2021

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

Mosaic - $940.00

Project Goal

The project goal is for students to obtain a hands on experience in salt water aquarium construction, design, and maintenance.

How Project Benefits Students

This project will require that students learn how to prepare the aquarium for stocking marine fishes and invertebrates. This will include preparing the salt water and ensuring the correct salt concentration and correct water variables for each tank are monitored and mantained. Additionally, students will pick the correct filtration system for their tanks and implement mechanical, chemical, and biological components. Also, live rock and substrate will be used to ensure adequate buffering of the water. The final step will be to select and add the fish and invertebrates to the tanks once the cycling period has been completed. The project is projected to begin in the month of September and will continue throughout the school year. Learning about, constructing, and maintaining a marine aquarium will allow students to integrate what they are learning about in class in a hands on, differentiated, and group-oriented way.

Expected Outcome(s)

This approach will not only inspire students to understand more about the marine environment, it will also give the students the opportunity to take responsibility for the health of the aquariums as individuals, lab partners, and as a class. Additionally, the marine aquariums project will introduce students to the practical skills required to work as an entry level aquarist or marine technician. Finally, the aquariums project will provide a learning platform through out the year which will incorporate the course curriculum and the district standards and state science standards in a comprehensive and meaningful way.

Detailed Cost Summary

The items required to complete the marine aquariums project sum to $940.00. All materials and organisms listed are to create between 6-8 salt water aquariums for six marine science classes.

Items

#	Item Description	Total Cost
1	Instant Ocean Sea Salt	$55.00
2	Instant Ocean Sea Salt	$55.00
3	Instant Ocean Sea Salt	$55.00
4	Instant Ocean Sea Salt	$55.00
5	Live Aragonite Reef Sand	$25.00
6	Live Aragonite Reef Sand	$25.00
7	Live Aragonite Reef Sand	$25.00
8	Live Aragonite Reef Sand	$25.00
9	Clown Fish	$40.00
10	Blennies	$60.00
11	Pipefish	$80.00
12	Spotted Eel	$150.00
13	Angel Fish	$100.00
14	chocolate chip sea star	$20.00
15	Lettuce Sea Slug	$20.00
16	Beginner Coral	$150.00
	Total:	$940.00

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