Teacher looking for Tank ideas! What to do?

[offtropic]

Hey everyone - looking to pick on the collective creativity and knowledge here.

I am looking to set up a small (16g display) tank to serve as a demonstration and observation tank for my class behind where I am doing my remote/video teaching. I currently have a 90 gallon mixed reef at home but can't use that (for various reasons) so looking to set up this small tank which the students will have some say in and will be used to model/teach lab skills and various concepts relating to environmental conditions in our oceans (this is for AP Environmental Science being taught to high school juniors and seniors). Starting a new tank talking about the importance of bacteria on the cycling of matter (nitrogen to start with) will, I think, be helpful in their understanding of the content. We would go from the start of cycling, through test results, understanding of what is going on in the tank to addition of inverts/fish/corals. Eventually we will end up at sulfur cycles, ocean acidification and the importance of ph/alkalinity.

So, looking for goals for the tank given the following parameters:
Using a used Red Sea Max Nano (16g, 18hx18wx14d) display
Tank will be situated on camera but behind where I teach
Want something they can see ('showcase' fish/invert?) in a small tank from a few feet away
Want something that can be set up and show progress on within short periods of time
Want something I an move easily and safely back to school should we return to in-person teaching

Some ideas but not sure:
Could go local (in California with colder waters and chiller won't fit so not sure)? Tempting though wouldn't know how to go about it.
Clown/nem is always good...don't know if there are any specific species that would excel at this?
Invert tank? Clams?
Some sort of larger fish that doesn't need much space?
Softie/Euphillia tank?

Basically looking for ideas! What would you do????

 

[ScubaFish802]

Following - Clown + Nem relationship is very interesting for sure. Will the tank have time to establish a bit before the class begins? Would give you more flexibility overall as the teacher (although I guess a missed opportunity about the various startup cycles etc . .)
Wish I had a teacher that could of done something like this. Great idea

 

[offtropic]

Following - Clown + Nem relationship is very interesting for sure. Will the tank have time to establish a bit before the class begins? Would give you more flexibility overall as the teacher (although I guess a missed opportunity about the various startup cycles etc . .)
Wish I had a teacher that could of done something like this. Great idea

Yes looking at mutualistic relationships is always good and clown/nem should be somewhat visible. Concepts of biodiversity and the relationships between different organisms is something we live and breathe as reef owners so that would be a big component. I am also toying with some sort of camera that can zoom on tank or livestream on occasion.

The class has already started and I will make some efforts to kickstart the cycle (playing with temp/salinity/established media from my reef tank so they aren't sitting around for 8 weeks.. I had to wait for a part from Red Sea but it now has water in it and the return pump and sump are functioning. I'll look to add lights and circulation depending on the direction I go with it.

 

[ScubaFish802]

There's a few people I've seen who appear to run two cameras simultaneously (one at the tank, and one at the host).
While using the tank side camera as the video background. I don't have much exprience streaming video myself outside of apps like Zoom, but may be an option for you

Here's an example - Example Youtube Video Here

 

[vetteguy53081]

Due to the popularity of the movie, it seems like with schools, the clowns with an anemone is a winner.
Add a hermit crab or two and even a small shrimp and you have activity without spending a fortune

 

[sixty_reefer]

I would suggest, a tank with macro algae’s, pulsing xenia, gorgonian, palythoas, bivalves, tunicates and maybe a goby and a pistol shrimp. Many topics can be used with the above and they are bomb proof to travel

 

[Dolphins18]

Hi, though it may be difficult to view on camera, the symbiotic relationship between a pistol shrimp and a goby may be an interesting point, and it is ideal for a nano.
I am a dummy, +1 to the post above

 

[offtropic]

I would suggest, a tank with macro algae’s, pulsing xenia, gorgonian, palythoas, bivalves, tunicates and maybe a goby and a pistol shrimp. Many topics can be used with the above and they are bomb proof to travel

Interesting ideas (well, palys might be out). I haven't kept most of these in the past. What sort of stocking level is possible in a 16g? I have gobies in my current tank and love them but worried they might not be really visible to the students.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Interesting ideas (well, palys might be out). I haven't kept most of these in the past. What sort of stocking level is possible in a 16g? I have gobies in my current tank and love them but worried they might not be really visible to the students.

Just tough palytoxin could be a good topic
you may need to encourage the pair to get the cave at the front of the tank, there is a lot of other critters that will fit well in a 16g it all depends how you intend to record the image, have you thought of lighting to? T5 have a more crisp look in the camera compared to leds

 

[Dolphins18]

I think getting live rock from the ocean could be a good learning experience as well. (gulfliverock is a great choice) Some of this rock has so much life and biodiversity on it, you never really know what you will end up with and it could be an interesting learning experience for you and the kids! Every time I start a tank with Live Rock I find some very interesting hitchhikers.

 

[offtropic]

Just tough palytoxin could be a good topic
you may need to encourage the pair to get the cave at the front of the tank, there is a lot of other critters that will fit well in a 16g it all depends how you intend to record the image, have you thought of lighting to? T5 have a more crisp look in the camera compared to leds

Right now it is just a laptop cam but I am thinking of exploring other possibilities. The lighting situation is a bit complicated by the fact that due to the location of the tank I only have about 5" above the rim (6" above the water) on a 18" wide tank. I am planning to find the theme first and then work the lighting around that. I like T5s but would have research small fixtures that can mount to the tank rim(!). Probably LED as I can get 18" pretty easily.

 

[offtropic]

I think getting live rock from the ocean could be a good learning experience as well. (gulfliverock is a great choice) Some of this rock has so much life and biodiversity on it, you never really know what you will end up with and it could be an interesting learning experience for you and the kids! Every time I start a tank with Live Rock I find some very interesting hitchhikers.

For sure...I love real live rock and I'm guessing my students would love watching me hunt for the mantis shrimp that is slaughtering my inverts haha.

 

[Tankkeepers]

Not much to add as I like the idea with the pistol and gobie pair with pulsing xeina etc I just wanted to say you are the type of teacher I wish I would of had in school keep up the good work and I hope your classes aperisiate you for all your hard work

 

[Tankkeepers]

On a side note having a mantis shrimp only tank could be really cool there are a few species that stay around 4 inches they are extremely smart and can be trained and mantis are reef safe just not other live things safe they also have some of the best eye sight on the planet and can see in multiple diffrent spectrums

 

[flampton]

Also you'll want to mention Symbiodinium and the symbiosis with the coral animal. That way you have a better way of getting into mass bleaching events.

 

[Tankkeepers]

Power compacts could be an alternative to a t5 or led just a though but I would agree leds are probly your best bet even tho they don't do video well I really hope this all comes together for you

 

[offtropic]

On a side note having a mantis shrimp only tank could be really cool there are a few species that stay around 4 inches they are extremely smart and can be trained and mantis are reef safe just not other live things safe they also have some of the best eye sight on the planet and can see in multiple diffrent spectrums

Yeah they are definitely a fascinating animal. Downside would be they definitely seem to like to hide most of the time. The ones I caught that crawled out of my live rock I only saw maybe twice in a months time (before I caught it and brought to my LFS).

 

[offtropic]

Not much to add as I like the idea with the pistol and gobie pair with pulsing xeina etc I just wanted to say you are the type of teacher I wish I would of had in school keep up the good work and I hope your classes aperisiate you for all your hard work

Thanks I appreciate that!

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

I would suggest, a tank with macro algae’s, pulsing xenia, gorgonian, palythoas, bivalves, tunicates and maybe a goby and a pistol shrimp. Many topics can be used with the above and they are bomb proof to travel

That is a great idea!

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

For a showcase invert, maybe a cleaner shrimp would work. They are large and always out and about. Or peppermint shrimp. Those guys are just as fun, and cheaper. You could do a clownfish like others have said, but I think a pistol shrimp and goby pair would be more interesting.