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Welcome to the most commonly asked
question section of the Touch Tanks for Kids website. Marine
Ecological Habitats designs and builds the best self-contained Touch
Tanks available. All their Touch Tank systems include superior parts that will
not rust, corrode or delaminate, and all filtration systems use the finest
biological, chemical and particle removal process. This provides a healthier
environment for both marine life and the people who participate in a Touch Tank
education program. The most common questions most
always included questions about maintenance, animals, curriculum, and funding. Maintaining a Marine Ecological
Habitats Touch Tank requires weekly maintenance and the animals must eat every
few days. Weekly Requirements: 10 gallon water exchange (10 minutes), Rinse the pre filter
and clean the protein skimmer (5 minutes) Monthly Requirements: Change the carbon (10 minutes) Yearly Requirements: Check the UV bulb (5 minutes) Change as needed usually
every 2 years. The water quality of your Touch Tank
must be tested regularly. As is the case with most aquariums, the longer a
Touch Tank operates, the easier it becomes to maintain. The nitrogen cycle
helps convert toxic ammonia into the nitrates that are easily controlled with
weekly water exchanges, but in order for this natural process to occur, the
Touch Tank must establish the naturally occurring bacteria from the sea-life
that will come to call the Touch Tank Home. To help facilitate this
process, the UV sterilizer and protein skimmer are not activated for two-weeks
after the introduction of the sea life.
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Every Touch Tank educator seems to
teach with their Touch Tank in unique ways. Touch Tanks for Kids works with
Touch Tank educators so that students get the most from the Touch Tank program.
We encourage anyone with time, talent and inspiration to submit your unique
Touch Tank curriculum ideas, so we can share them with other Touch Tank educators.
Just as Justine Lavigne and Matthew Waldo did, explained in the links provide
below: The Rocky Shore Animals of New
England Probably the most frequently asks
question is the most difficult to answer. How do we pay for our Touch Tank
Project? The first step: apply
for the Touch Tanks for Kids Grant and join the Touch Tanks for Kids Discussion
Forum. The next steps include generating as much community support as possible
starting with student, parent and teacher groups, followed by community groups,
and drafting a funding plan. Touch Tanks for Kids offers these fund
raising options: The Achievement Program A Touch Tank funding plan is just as unique as every creature of the Touch Tank. Every successful plan considers local conditions. A Lobster for Learning fundraiser may work great for a school of 300 students, but may not work in a school of only 50 students. We have seen several schools and other teaching facilities achieve a Touch Tank in many ways including grants, private donation, a series of independent fundraiser, proceeds from a concert, and other means. Contact Touch Tanks for Kids at 207-944-9852 or email info@touchtanksforkids.org to learn more. Here are some
other frequently asks questions where we reference other websites to
answer. How does the Touch Tank improve
Ocean Literacy? What do we do with our Touch Tank
during vacations and summer break? How do we stock the Touch Tank? How do we get community support? |
