Creating and maintaining a Creating and maintaining a healthy reef tank takes time healthy reef tank takes time

and attention to detail. In this and attention to detail. In this activity, you will create and activity, you will create and

maintain a marine biome in the maintain a marine biome in the form of a reef tank. form of a reef tank.

In order to set up a reef tank, you will In order to set up a reef tank, you will need a tank, heaters, filters, and light. need a tank, heaters, filters, and light. You need to mix the saltwater and add You need to mix the saltwater and add the sand, and then let this solution the sand, and then let this solution settle. These tasks have already been settle. These tasks have already been set up for you in the lab. You will need set up for you in the lab. You will need to populate and to populate and maintain a reef tank maintain a reef tank for 12 weeks.for 12 weeks. You will You will test the reef test the reef tank's watertank's water each week and each week and record record your test results in the table.your test results in the table.

We will begin by making We will begin by making ourselves familiar with what it ourselves familiar with what it take to maintain a healthy reef take to maintain a healthy reef tank and tank and creating a creating a thinking mapthinking map in in our our notebooknotebook to organize our to organize our thoughts.thoughts.

Log on toLog on to http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/virtual_labs/BL_24/BL_24.html

We will use this site as a research guide We will use this site as a research guide as well as a place to conduct as well as a place to conduct

your experiment.your experiment.

Begin by looking Begin by looking through the through the Reef Tank Reef Tank GuideGuide (click on it)(click on it)

You will also want to look You will also want to look through the through the Fish GuideFish Guide

(click on it)(click on it)

Your thinking map should include, Your thinking map should include, but not be limited to answering the but not be limited to answering the

following questions:following questions:

• What is What is Specific GravitySpecific Gravity??

• What should the What should the specific gravity specific gravity rangerange be for your reef tank? be for your reef tank?

• How is it How is it testedtested??

• What do you do if it is What do you do if it is too lowtoo low??

• What do you do if it is What do you do if it is too hightoo high??

Your thinking map should include, Your thinking map should include, but not be limited to answering the but not be limited to answering the

following questions:following questions:

• What are What are ammonia, nitrite, and ammonia, nitrite, and nitratenitrate??

• What affect does the What affect does the nitrogen cyclenitrogen cycle have on your reef tank? have on your reef tank?

• What is an acceptable level of What is an acceptable level of ammoniaammonia? ?

NitriteNitrite??

NitrateNitrate??• What does What does ppmppm stand for? stand for?

Your thinking map should include, Your thinking map should include, but not be limited to answering the but not be limited to answering the

following questions:following questions:

• What is What is pHpH??

• What is a What is a stable pHstable pH for your reef for your reef tank? tank?

• How oftenHow often should it be tested? should it be tested?

• How do you How do you adjust the pH leveladjust the pH level of of your your reef tankreef tank

• How big is your reef tank?How big is your reef tank?

• How many inches of fish How many inches of fish are are recommended for your recommended for your tank?tank?

• What about in a new tank?What about in a new tank?

Use the Questions Use the Questions section on the left side section on the left side of the page to answer of the page to answer

the following questions: the following questions: ((HINTHINT look at step 9) look at step 9)

In you table In you table group create a group create a poster poster detailing the detailing the requirements requirements for a healthy for a healthy reef tank.reef tank.

PresentatioPresentations!ns!