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Setting up a tank in a school

nry

Member
Joined
23 Oct 2007
Messages
1,225
Location
Cumbria, UK
Has anyone got any experience of doing this?

Since moving to my current job where I'm on the same site all week and also work all year round I've wondered on involving the kids in setting up and maintaining what I assume would ideally a low tech planted tank, I'd not fancy the 50% weekly water change that goes with EI though it isn't beyond the realms of possiblity.

We'd have little to no money to fund the project, so it may be down to any aquatic shops/suppliers who may be willing to sponsor it with the aquarium, filtration, lighting, substrate/plants/fertiliser (assuming perhaps TPN+ or equivalent) and finally the fish choice.

We have a large entrance area once inside the main front doors of the school and this area isn't a through-way for pupils, only school staff, so it wouldn't be a noisy or busy area.

Something around the 2.5 to 3 feet width seems to feel right to me, anything smaller I'd find a little limiting and anything bigger is perhaps a bit silly.

Anyone got any thoughts or experience with this, and do you think suppliers etc. would be willing to help?
 
Yup, I did it, and it has died a death! It's low tech in a standard Juwel Rio 180 with soil/sand substrate that got churned all over the place, overfed, under-maintained, and overstocked. Lovely :) They bring me in once a term to try and rescue it. I got all my gear from wholesale, so I don't know about sponsorship. Maybe even local non-aquatic companies might like a sign with their name on, showing them to be supporting a local school?

I found it very difficult even getting a discount at retail from aquatic suppliers in exchange for publicity though. If I was going to do it again I would definitely go Malawi rather than planted, I have to say! Far, far easier and less stressful to maintain in that environment!

Tom
 
I'm on site 5 days a week, so feeding etc. would be supervised by me.

I only feed my own fish every other day, sometimes less, so weekends aren't an issue.
 
I'd look at second hand tanks tbh, or try to find someone willing to donate an old tank. Equipment might be a different story, health and safety might dictate buying new? Or at least PAT certified :)
 
I agree that health and Safety and Pat Testing will be your biggest Hurdles.
I would firstly check with them as to the feasibility of keeping a tank, and the schools insurance liability. Then you will be able to gauge whether or not it is worth it.
Best way to approach it is as a Tender with as much information as possible. It is how I had to do it with E.on and then sent to the Boss and H&S and Housekeeping etc. I could have sent you a copy of my tender, but as it was produced while at work it became E.ons property. So not allowed to keep a copy.
 
I have done a tank for my kids school, half emersed setup and it worked nice. I would not worry about heating, so the only thing you need would be lights, and filter.

For tanks I cannot offer much advice, you may need to buy one, but for plants have a look at planted tanks website, they sponsor schools, contact them.

Put only java ferns, and anubias, some white cloud minows and you will be fine. Otherwise populate it with guppies, they are pretty and hardy.
 
I helped set one up in Hong Kong for a friend in his private tuition school last year.
I went there again this year and the tank is so overstocked its not even funny. Basically what had happened is the parents would bring a fish or two along and drop them into the tank.
Not caring what species they were etc. Fish are dirt cheap in Hong Kong.

I ended up telling him to tell the parents to set up their own tanks at home (where space is tight) but take responsibility of the welfare of the fish.

I explained its like lots of human beings in a small room. So hoping next year when I go back it will be stocked much better.

Good luck with it :)
 
I'm in essence Business Manager for the school so the only issue would be if the Head is happy with the idea, the rest of the H&S stuff is down to me to sort anyhow.
 
nry said:
I'm in essence Business Manager for the school so the only issue would be if the Head is happy with the idea, the rest of the H&S stuff is down to me to sort anyhow.

That makes it a hell of a lot easier.
 
I've set up 5 tanks in my school. The biggest issue you will find if you're half as busy as me is time to maintain things. I have switched them all over to more simple fish tanks with tough stock and very resilient planting such as the odd Crypts, java fern and mosses. I'd certainly look at a fish based tank to gain the interest of the kids, with planting to supplement it.

PAT testing should not be an issue - items can just be added to the inventory when the next round is done.
Equally true of Health and Safety. It should just need to be added to any inventory the site manager would discuss with a H&S officer.
 
I am employed with local school district and PTA thought it would be nice to place an aquarium in the lobby of main office. Once school was out for the year,, the maint of the aquarium along with numerous birds,reptiles,and Gerbils, became the responsibility of the housekeeping crew.
As building engineer, I came in on weekends to feed and care for the critters and were it not so,,they would surely have perished. Teachers,PTA members,and student's all promised to come in during summer vacation and care for their pets but in reality,, It just didn't happen.
 
If I weren't all year round in this one site I'd not consider it at all, will see how things pan out in the New Year, cheers for the comments :)
 
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