The Backup Reef
In January 2016 our reef aquarium was stable, had survived its first hot summer and first winter break, so we began stocking it with corals. Students will learn about coral propagation and sustainability. We will trade "frags" (fragments of coral) with Bay Area reefkeepers to grow out in our tanks. In addition to displaying reef organisms, our project calls for the tank to serve as a Backup Reef. People who contribute frags will be helping ensure the survival of the strain. If anything happens to the original specimen in the donor's tank we will return to the donor the frag that we were keeping in the Backup Reef. (BAR reef club corals in the Don't Break the Chain program are indicated by DBTC.) Students will track frag growth and develop a log starting with the entries below. Donor is the last field in the entry.
In addition to receiving corals, we also offer corals we propagate. We have shared these corals with other reefkeepers or brought them to frag swaps: Discosoma mushrooms (red, green, blue), 3 species of Gorgonians, plating Montipora (purple, red, green), encrusting Montipora (green), Montipora digitata (blue), Pavona (green encrusting), Cyphastrea (meteor shower), Ricordea florida (orange and purple), ORA blue chalice Echinopora, Hydnophora (green), Capnella (Kenya tree), Green Star Polyps, and Echinopora lamellosa Hollywood Stunner, Mycedium (IWSYU - green with magenta eyes). We also swapped a large rock flower anemone.
In addition, we culture zooplankton called Rotifers and Artemia (baby brine shrimp). Our teacher brings cups of them to reef community events so other people can feed live plankton to their reef, jellyfish, and baby fish tanks.
In addition to receiving corals, we also offer corals we propagate. We have shared these corals with other reefkeepers or brought them to frag swaps: Discosoma mushrooms (red, green, blue), 3 species of Gorgonians, plating Montipora (purple, red, green), encrusting Montipora (green), Montipora digitata (blue), Pavona (green encrusting), Cyphastrea (meteor shower), Ricordea florida (orange and purple), ORA blue chalice Echinopora, Hydnophora (green), Capnella (Kenya tree), Green Star Polyps, and Echinopora lamellosa Hollywood Stunner, Mycedium (IWSYU - green with magenta eyes). We also swapped a large rock flower anemone.
In addition, we culture zooplankton called Rotifers and Artemia (baby brine shrimp). Our teacher brings cups of them to reef community events so other people can feed live plankton to their reef, jellyfish, and baby fish tanks.