Introducing: Horseshoe Crabs in the Classroom, Take 2


During the 2011/2012 school year, we had a program called Horseshoe Crabs in the Classroom at our elementary school. This program is offered through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and it's a great idea for a number of reasons - letting kids learn about these incredible pre-dinosaur animals while, maybe, helping add a few more of these amazing animals to the Chesapeake Bay.

Last year, we ended up with no live horseshoe crabs (HSC) and I think this was because of over-zealousness on my part for ridding the aquarium of an unwanted fungus or at least what I thought was fungus. The 4th graders, though, were very enthusiastic and they learned a lot about the critters even though they never saw a live one in their classroom. Sigh.

This year, though, now that the teacher (me) is a bit more experienced, I think we'll have better luck. So here's Take 2...

Monday, June 25, 2012

June 25 - omg

While eating a leisurely breakfast this morning I noticed the magenta Biospira bottle on the table. Oh nooooooo! I poured it into the tank and waited an hour or so before checking the chemicals in the tank. All were fine. Which makes sense, you don't really have to worry about nitrogen compounds until the hsc's are eating and pooping but the bacteria do need time to settle in. Now, the associated issue is that I dumped in the whole bottle instead of just half. I'm not sure what that will mean but the bottle said it was okay to do that so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

(.5 hours spent checking chemicals in tank)
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