Tropical Fish Club – Week 1
We got together for the first time this week and talked about our past/current experiences with pet care, what we would like to get out of the club and what our vision/plan is for the project. We decided that we would aim to create an environment mimicking nature – a heavily planted tank which would provide us with opportunities to learn about photosynthesis, the role of nutrients and much more. We also discussed how this would provide safe environments for the fish and this in-turn reduces levels of stress they can suffer from.
We also talked about our existing ideas/thought of what an ideal ‘fish tank’ should look like. Pupils drew their ‘ideal’ aquarium and we discussed how we would like it to be low maintenance, everything within it ought to be healthy, good-looking and provide us with a relaxing view. We took inspiration from pictures of planted aquariums online. We discussed how this type of scape is relaxing to view compared to the stereotypical kids’ aquarium; decorated with colourful gravel and artificial ornaments containing barely any plants or plastic ones!
We have been lucky enough to have received some booklets on basic aquarium care from one of the largest aquarium product manufacturers in the world, Tetra! [1]. Dave Wardle from Tetra kindly posted us these guides for pupils, which will provide our members with some extra background reading.
Next week we look forward to learning about the different types and species of aquatic plants. How we can create visual depth, provide hiding spaces/safe spaces for fish and how we can use materials to achieve a natural aesthetic.
[1]: https://www.tetra.net/en-gb
Week 1