Biology Teacher Needs Help

[kszoologist]

Hi! I am new to your forums because I am looking for some advice.
 
I am a high school biology teacher and I have just been informed that I am being gifted a 75 gallon tank. I don't currently have the space in my home so I was contemplating setting it up in my classroom. The problem with that is that I know in May I will need to move it and then move it back again in August. ( My home is less than 2 miles from the school)
 
I have worked at an aquarium for the last year and a half. I have lots of resources from there as far as how to maintain and do routine checks on a saltwater tank however there is a big difference between 75 gallons and 270K gallons... so that being said I'm yet undecided as to salt or fresh water. It's been some time since I've had a personal aquarium as well and I've never had a personal salt water tank.
 
What setup would you recommend? Types of fish? Quantities? Plants/ corals/ rocks? Any other suggestions?
 
Thanks!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The big question is... what are your tap water conditions?  Once you determine that, the rest could take care of itself.  
 
 
 
Personally, I'd stick to freshwater and keep whatever fish are naturally found in that water type - and make it a biotope tank... The more you can make it a truly complete ecosystem, the better.  And if you do it properly, you don't need to tear it down every year, just go in every 3 or 4 days during the summer to take care of the fish... feed, water change, etc.
 
If you can get a proper ecosystem, with the right fish, they are going to have food to eat in the tank, that you aren't providing as they nibble on the plants in the tank and eat microorganisms or algae... so you won't need to go in more than twice a week to watch over them, but 3x a week would certainly be the max needed.

 

[LyraGuppi]

Welcome I agree with Eagle, start with freshwater.

 

[sawickib]

In a classroom setting I would personally stick to freshwater, it will be easier on you and a lot less expensive, and it cycles much faster and will be easier for you to maintain. 

 

[RRaquariums]

While I'm a saltwater guy I have to agree with the rest on going with freshwater regardless of your water type based on the fact that setting up and moving a saltwater tank is not only hard but just the act of moving it can change water parameters and really mess up the whole system giving you nothing but headaches.
A freshwater tank will still be very cool and breaking it down and moving it isn't anywhere near as big a deal when done right.
As Ea said your fist step is finding out what your water is like then you can go from there on what types of fish you can get.
My personal favorite type of freshwater tank is a low tech planted tank they are really cool and in my experience they are easy to take care of as planted tanks go.
Whatever you choose good luck

 

[Vethian]

since you are a biology teacher, i would recommend setting up something to showcase the local environment as a teaching display.  local fish and plants for the win!

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I would advise something totally different. Moving tanks regularly does not make for a stable environment. it is stressful for bot the fish and the plants involved. If I understand sw issues properly, then those fish are potentially much more problematic to move than fw. While it is true that fw sets up faster, it is still more work to keep stable going forward.
 
My take is not to make a tank be intentionally, mobile. Perhaps the biggest danger is damaging the tank in transit can you replace it fast if this happens? The more you move a tank, the greater the odds of this. I would say the real consideration is to have stable tank that doesn't have to move twice a year. If one cannot find a permanent home for it, one should be reluctant to set it up in the first place.
 
For sw many people use ro/di water and remineralize it. So tap parameters are less important that they might be in fresh water.
 
I would suggest you ask yourself the following. Which would you expect would be the most likely to be a healthy stable tank for any inhabitants, a permanent tank or one that gets taken down and reset up twice a year?  Which one would be the more likely to have something go wrong?
 
Just one person's opinion here.

 

[jag51186]

Could you get another 75 for at home and just transfer the filter and fish back and forth?

 

[AmtotheBurr]

If you have the ability to go up there twice a week during the summer and it's well set up like Eagle said, I don't think you'd have an issue.
I'm not sure hardy fish would be extremely traumatized from a 2 mile ride, but obviously keeping it stationary is ideal