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Equipment I (The classic)
Below you will see a list of materials needed to build your own tank.
l0 gallon aquarium and bottled spring water (cold). Ice may be needed. You can use regular tap water that has been dechlorinated over night in the fridge.
Custom fitting styrofoam insulation. Styrofoam will be slightly larger than the sides and bottom. Top lid will have to be measured and cut to allow room for installing the chiller and filter.
Insulating foil/insulating tape for the styrofoam sides
Velcro to secure styrofoam
Filter Cartridge
Aerator/filter
Thermoelectric Aquarium Chiller
Thermometer
Gravel Vacuum
Ammonia Remover
Washed gravel + Large rocks (info below)
Turkey baster to remove eggs if deceased
Tank Set up
Incubators often don't run perfectly right away and it takes a long time to get the correct water temperature. If anything goes wrong, you'll probably have time to fix it if you start soon enough. Set up your incubator unit completely and have it running at least one week prior to your egg delivery. If you are setting up your aquarium prior to your Christmas vacation, leave a note for the janitorial staff to keep it plugged in.
Try not to set the tank directly under a light, a window or near a heater so that you don't have to fight the elements.
Choose the location before you add the water as the tank gets very, very heavy. Some teachers put it on a rolling cart if they can't claim a permanent location and if they have smooth rolling surfaces. Remember most tanks are made of glass which can injure people if broken. Before filling with water, the tank should be placed squarely inside the insulation so that the cover fits.
1. Secure/glue insulation under and on the back of the tank, then secure insulation on the sides.
2. Add washed pebbles for substrate to the bottom of the tank.
3. Add a layer of large river rocks towards the front so that fry can seek cover. You could use a few very large rocks to cool less water.
3. Set up the filter (refill cartridge- white mesh, ammonia filter - sponge like), close the lid.
4. Install the filter on a side of the aquarium (match the opening in the styrofoam)
5. Istall Chiller.
6. Secure the lid.
7. Plug in chiller and filter. Put the front styrofoam insulator wall on. Your tank is ready! Place it away from windows and heating vents.
Equipment II (The Updated version)
Below you will see a list of materials needed to build your own tank.
Can Cooler with glass door, adjustable wire, and glass shelves. Digital temperature control (40°F - 61°F)
2.2-gallon habitat portable clear and transparent plastic tank.
Air Pump
Tubing for aquarium
Aquarium Air stone (1 inch)
3-4 Large Rocks (washed/sanitized)
A layer (approx 1lb) of clean, small gravel
Turkey baster to remove eggs if deceased (white color).
An ammonia test to check the ammonia/nitrate levels (0 ppm is ideal) and maintain a healthy tank.
pH test. Water should have pH balance of 5.8 to 9.6, ideally 7-8.
Aquarium Ammonia Detoxifier
Waterproof Silicone Liner
Cooler Set up
Setting up the Salmon Cooler is relatively simple and typically does not require preparation many days in advance. However, it may take a couple of hours to achieve the desired temperature range of 50°F to 54.5°F. Avoid keeping the door open for extended periods to maintain the temperature. Since the aquarium is small, it’s important to monitor the water regularly, refilling and cleaning the foam as needed to ensure optimal conditions. We did not find it necessary to have filter for this set up.
Set the "Salmon Cooler" on the waterproof silicone liner in an easily accessible, secure location. Do not plug in yet!
To assemble the air pump, lay out the pump, tubing, and air stone. Attach one end of the tubing securely to the outlet nozzle of the air pump, ensuring a snug fit to prevent air leaks. Next, connect the other end of the tubing to the air stone, pushing it firmly onto the stone’s inlet.
Place the gravel and large rocks at the bottom of the fish aquarium. Fill your aquarium with cold, chlorine-free water and place it on the wire rack in the Salmon Cooler. Clip large binder clips or chip clips on the wire rack in front of the aquarium to help secure it.
Set the aerator on top of the Salmon Cooler. We secured the tube with painter's tape on top of the aquarium.Thread the tubing through the cut gasket hole. Thread tubing through the top of the aquarium lid. Drop the air stone into the water and tuck it under the gravel.
Plug in the Salmon Cooler and make sure the electric cord drops below the outlet, as pictured. Set the temperature to the desired level.
2. Boil the rocks and gravel for 20 minutes each time you set up your aquarium .
3. Use non-chlorinated water.
We recommend using bottled spring water. Avoid distilled water or Aquafina brand which are less beneficial for fish rearing. In some communities tap water can be used if it is allowed to sit overnight.
lf you pre-chill the water in a container in the refrigerator for several hours your chiller will not have to work so hard.
Do not use river water which may come with unseen organisms. CAEP fish should not share the tank with any other types of fish, invertebrates, or live plants. The tank should be clean and only used for the CAEP program.
4. Oxygen
The air pump will help filter the tank and will add oxygen which the-eggs and fry need. Keep the air tubes clear to maximize the bubbles. It is good to pretest the air flow while you are setting up, before all the rocks and pebbles are put in place.
5. Temperature:
Keep the water level high enough for the chiller's probe to remain submerged so it can keep the water cool. Add water that has set out over night. Chill the water first or add it slowly.
Try to keep the tank between 50 and 55 degrees (55F average) for best results. A few degrees warmer will speed egg/fry development and a few degrees colder will slow development. There are some lessons on "thermal units" that can help you weave mathematics into your fish rearing activity. They can also help you time the rate of fish development to align with your preferred release date.
If needed, float a tightly zipped plastic bag of ice in the tank until it cools down.
The tank should be able to survive over a weekend without attention as long as there is no loss of power.
6. Darkness:
Eggs and alevins are somewhat light sensitive. Lower the lights and window shades during egg delivery.
To control the temperature and light, keep the insulation tightly in place when the class is not actively viewing the eggs. Align covers to avoid gaps that let the li ht in. (Classic set up)
7. Egg Delivery
Egg delivery is determined by the Mokelumne Fish hatchery and your sponsors. You will be contacted by your sponsor after you fill out the permit application. ( form 772). Eggs are usually transported in a cheesecloth sack packed in ice.
Put them into your aquarium as soon as they arrive in the classroom, but first, turn off the power in the aquarium.
Make sure your hands are clean and free of soap or lotion. Carefully drop the egs several at a time, along the front fo the aquarium. they will settle into the spaces between the rocks along the front of your aquarium.
Shut the power off when you put the eggs into the aquarium.
We recommend that you check the aquariums at least once each weekend. Power outages another problems can kill all the fish.
Your sponsor information:
Lodi USD (except the schools located in Stockton CA) sponsor is Beth Fox: bfox@lodiusd.net Sandi Starr: sastarr@lodiusd.net and Dena Mason: susan.krietemeyer@yahoo.com
Stockton USD sponsors Vanessa Piccinini: vanessa.piccinini@stocktonca.gov , Dena Mason: susan.krietemeyer@yahoo.com and MacKenzie Owens: mackenzie@restorethedelta.org
Linden, Manteca, Tracy, Escalon, Jefferson, and other school district sponsor is Kristine Stepping: kstepping@sjcoe.net
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