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Setting up teaching tank, any advice welcome!


Nichole

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Hi! Super excited to join the site and pick the brains of all the experts. I teach Marine Bio at North Salem HD and want to set up a teaching tank for the classroom. I have a 100g bow front sitting on a huge table in my classroom. I am currently setting up a DonorsChoose project for funding and need ideas of what I should ask for. I want a sump with refugium under the table with a spot to grow macroalgae and propagate frags. I want a reef tank with all the different inverts we study in class. I'm thinking maybe I need an RO system? Most of my personal tank experience is freshwater so any advice on setup and equipment would be much appreciated!!!

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Welcome Nichole (clap) and what a great plan :)

 

On the RO/DI question I can tell you from my experience in using one and then not, one of the things to look at is the present level of total dissolved solids (TDS) coming directly out if the faucet-which you need a meter to test. Maybe some folks local to you can chime in with what the levels are they are finding coming out of their faucets, but in my house on a good day the TDS is .04 and a bad day it .12

 

Disclaimer: when it seems overwhelming, the internet is your best friend-I've spent countless hours reading on certain things (TDS as an example) I intended to add or do to my tank.

 

Back to the RO/DI, I presently do not use the RO anymore and it was due to 100s of gallons going down the drown for every 100 gallons I kept. 3 gallons wasted one gallon kept I believe is the ratio. I have the standard pre filters, a sediment filter, 5 micron filter, .01 micron carbon block and then it goes through 2-DI resin canisters.

 

My present water after the filters comes out zero TDS and zero phosphates, which is the end goal. RO Membranes are pricey and waste of water but certain areas the water is so bad coming out of the facet you have no choice.

 

Thats a long post basically saying an RO/DI unit may not be needed, just the 10" canisters/pre filters and then a few canisters of resin.

 

Will you be doing any type of build thread or tank thread? The club's tank for teachers program is being re-vamped and I'm unsure who is heading up this program, someone will chime in I'm sure.

 

Welcome again, its a nice thing your doing!

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Thanks for the info. I am excited to do this for my students. Been wanting to for the past couple of years, am finally making it happen instead of just talking about it!

 

I suppose I could do a build thread. Might be fun to chart the process and discuss what the kids are up to :)

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