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Application Process


tidalsculpin

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So, I am really happy for aqua ed that he has a new tank. Still, I think 180 Bob has a point. We should make the application process more clear. I don't know if we need to make a sticky or add it to the front pnwmas page, but we should make it clear for all. I posted the application on the wiki but did not include a mailing address because I did not know where people should send it. Get my point?

 

Here is a rough suggestion. Feel free to elaborate or critique.

 

Step One: TFT Grant Appication goes out to targeted school districts

Step Two: Applications are filled out online as a word doc or printed out and sent by snail mail to a designated address.

Step Three: All board members review the applications submitted and make a decision by said date.

Step Four: Materials are delivered to a school or teacher is informed of where the materials can be picked up.

Step Five: Teachers submit a periodic report to the wiki about their progress.

Sound logical to all?

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I am so on for making this work....Right now, unless I can secure an endless supply of tanks (which I am working on) or an endless supply of donations...I do not want to put this out "to the public". It would break our club and leave us making empty promises. I am already having a time trying to get Lee's tank to him!

 

I do however, like the outlined process above. I also, would love for Joel or Dennis or Lee to step up and really help promote this as well as "chair" this!

 

As for the application...Please feel free to add that it can be sent via email to Jen Rourk:

 

jen.rourk@gmail.com

 

Or via Snail mail:

 

*contact Jen via pm for address* (theJenchild)

 

 

Kris

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Lee, I think you are totally legit. No need for an open application. Just want to clarify the process.

 

Thanks Kris. I think we can work on finalizing this process now and perhaps promote it "to the public in May 09.

By that time we can get more tanks and systems put together for teachers. We could even cycle rock over summer like Dennis did.

 

One reason I feel the application is important is:to legitimize the program for our sponsors. If they see we have our act together perhaps they will be interested in donating/or selling wholesale used or demo equipment to the program.

 

Remember GARF promised at least 200 pounds of grunge to us and a large quantity of agrocrete. If we send them or contact them with details of the program they will most likely send us the stuff. Still, we need a place to stock the live stuff and the tanks. Kris got a big garage? lol

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I agree with Joel. I too think the process should be open and well defined. Not that I think in any way that was unfair or not legitimate, but that the more open it is the more people will be come involved and help this effort grow.

 

We might be able to get a starting idea of an application process here:

 

http://www.masna.org/fundraiser.php

 

It's not for donating tanks to teachers, but for student scholarship though the application process might be similar.

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Remember GARF promised at least 200 pounds of grunge to us and a large quantity of agrocrete. If we send them or contact them with details of the program they will most likely send us the stuff. Still, we need a place to stock the live stuff and the tanks. Kris got a big garage? lol

 

I do have a large room in my basement that I can store excess material (grunge, rock, frags, and CUC) until it is needed. I may need to get some extra tanks or storage bins, but I have the room for it. My new fish room is 8' x 16'. I could easily squeeze another four or five 55g tanks in there if I needed to.

 

I also have a 55g tank stuffed full of DIY rock that is cured, and ready to be made into LR. I plan on setting up a small tank with a large sump and have most of the rock in the sump and a few fish in the tank. That will get the bacteria cultures going. Then if I put some PC lights over the sump I can get some coraline algae growing on the rock too.

 

I have a second 50g rubbermaid tote that is 1/2 full of rock that is almost ready (pH is almost at tank normal), and a 3rd 50g tote full of DIY rock that is still at the start of the curing process, but give it 3-4 months and it will be good to go.

 

dsoz

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Application has been updated with address.

 

Cool Dennis. Sounds like we might not need rock for a while. Perhaps we should focus on the grunge and dry goods from sponsors and others.

 

One thing the GARF guy mentioned is that we might want to start a brood stock tank to raise frags for the program. If it was a softies and mushroom tank that members got going.

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If I could get a tank or two, some salt, a heater, and mag-float, and some pumps/powerheads I could get a couple of frag tanks going pronto. All the specimens that I have been given so far have been growing in the first TFT tank, and I can frag them. I was planning on giving pieces of them to aqua-ed to start out his tank already. But I could also get some sort of frag tank going. I can supply some mushrooms, xenia, some zoas, and maybe a little frogspawn. But any donations would also be appreciated.

 

I am OK with the lights, I think. I have a 3' coralife 2 x 96w PC fixture, and I may have a lead on some more PC lights.

 

I could plumb two tanks together and have a common sump to put the DIY rock in... The possibilities are limited only by what we can get members to give.

 

dsoz

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One thing the GARF guy mentioned is that we might want to start a brood stock tank to raise frags for the program. If it was a softies and mushroom tank that members got going.

 

I think the brood stock tank should be lower priority. The tank, salt, lights, etc needed for that could be used for a teacher tank instead. If we are primarily after softies, soliciting frags from members will likely supply plenty of livestock unless the numbers of new teacher tanks increases dramatically. I know dsoz had a number of donations when he started his, and people will likely have more frags available for this good cause. I certainly will.

 

Speaking of which, do you need livestock for your new tank, Lee?

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As of right now, no. The tank isn't here yet, and I don't think I'll be putting much in it before Christmas break. I have stuff in my tank to add, and several people have already pledged. In January, though, I might start pounding pavement for donations.

An update on my end, I met with my aquarium "team" today. It is composed of 3 students; two future marine biologists and a web designer. Let me tell you, they are excited. As I mentioned before (i think???), I teamed up with the careers class, so this is going to be a project that they receive graduation credits for! The students who will be working on the tank are a great kids and will have no problem making PNWMAS proud!

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Nice work aqua-ed! Keep it up!

 

One thing to add about the brood stock idea. Dennis, myself and and other members of pnwmas are potential broodstock keepers for the program. I think supporting teachers with consumable supplies is very important for this to be a success.

 

20 gallon tanks or thirty gallon tanks are sustainable for a classroom. Some teachers have budgets that might include enough for a salt supply for a 20 gallon tank. Some do not. This might be a good question to ask before accepting an application. Since salt prices are going up, it might put a ceiling on the amount of teachers we can help. Let's keep this in mind as we implement the program.

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Lee,

 

If I don't hear back (with some pics) of the 20 gallons that were offered by the end of the this week (Friday), I will figure out a way to purchase I new or use aqua-pod. The board has already agreed on the purchase of this tank...I am sure that I can get one of the local sponsors to give us a deal.

 

Again, I appreciate the Tank that barelycuda had found us...but I have heard some not so good things about this brand.

 

Kris

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.I am sure that I can get one of the local sponsors to give us a deal.

 

Kris, ask Joel at Waves. He has already said to me that he would buy us an AP tank at cost for the TFT program. Just check with him to get the details.

 

If need be I can pick it up from Joel and take it with me to Woodburn, where Lee can pick it up from me, or I may be able to meet him in Salem or Silverton to transfer the tank, sand, DIY rock, hermits, snails, frags, etc...

 

dsoz

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Nice work aqua-ed! Keep it up!

 

One thing to add about the brood stock idea. Dennis, myself and and other members of pnwmas are potential broodstock keepers for the program. I think supporting teachers with consumable supplies is very important for this to be a success.

 

20 gallon tanks or thirty gallon tanks are sustainable for a classroom. Some teachers have budgets that might include enough for a salt supply for a 20 gallon tank. Some do not. This might be a good question to ask before accepting an application. Since salt prices are going up, it might put a ceiling on the amount of teachers we can help. Let's keep this in mind as we implement the program.

 

I got the same message when I talked to Mr S. in Albany last year. He had many more problems coming up with funds to keep tank running than he did getting the original tanks. A years operating cost can easily be equal to the initial tank cost.

 

Maybe we should think about some kind of sustaining funding for those teachers that we award tanks to??

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