Since Gov Murphy gave a Stay at Home order today starting at 9 pm on Saturday, March 21, it was now or never for the trout to be released, rather than dying due to poor water quality or not being fed since his order was indefinite in terms of time. Many of the trout in the classroom teachers released their trout last week before their schools closed.

I took a bunch of pictures and a few videos with my husband and mother-in-law who helped. Here are a few teaser pictures before I make a little compilation video.

3/16/20- 6.0 grams of size 2 food was fed to the trout. 8 gallon water change was done. 20 mL of Nitrifying Bacteria was added.
3/17/20-6
WATER QUALITY UPDATE

• pH = 6.6
• Ammonia = 0.25 ppm
• Nitrates = 40-80 ppm
• Nitrites = 0 ppm

6.0 grams of size 2 food was fed to the trout. 12 gallon water change was done. 25 mL of Nitrifying Bacteria was added.

​This is what a 12 gallon water change looks like!

Below is after the 12 gallon water change was completed.

3/9/20- Fed 2.3 grams of size 2 food to trout.
3/10/20- Fed 2.4 grams of size 2 food to trout.
 WATER QUALITY UPDATE

• pH = 6.4

6-gallon water change was done. 15 mL of Nitrifying bacteria was added.
3/11/20- Fed 2.4 grams of size 2 food to trout.
3/12/20- Fed 2.5 grams of size 2 food to trout.
WATER QUALITY UPDATE

• pH = 6.4
• Ammonia = 0.5 ppm
  
• Nitrates = 80 ppm
  
• Nitrites = 0 ppm

15 mL of Nitrifying bacteria was added.
3/13/20- Fed 2.6 grams of size 2 food to trout.
3/14/20- Fed 2.2 grams of size 2 food to trout. 2-gallon water change was done. 10 mL of Nitrifying bacteria was added. 15 mL of Special Blend bacteria was added.

3/2/20- A student fed 2.2 grams of size 2 food to the trout.
3/3/20- A student fed 2.3 grams of size 2 food to the trout. A 7-gallon water change was done since the pH on Friday was 6.6. 20 mL of Nitrifying Bacteria was added to the tank.
3/4/20- A student fed 2.4 grams of size 2 food to the trout.
3/5/20- A student fed 2.2 grams of size 2 food to the trout.
3/6/20- A student fed 2.4 grams of size 2 food to the trout. Cleaned out the filter intake cover and chiller intake cover.
WATER QUALITY UPDATE

• pH = 6.4
• Ammonia = 0.25 ppm
  
• Nitrates = 40-80 ppm
  
• Nitrites = 0 ppm
  

Students did an 8-gallon water change. 20 mL of Nitrifying Bacteria were added.

2/24/20- A student fed 2.2 grams of size 2 food to the trout.
2/26/20- A student fed 2.2 grams of size 2 food to the trout.
2/26/20- A student fed 2.0 grams of size 2 food to the trout.
2/27/20- A student fed 2.1 grams of size 2 food to the trout.
WATER QUALITY UPDATE

• pH = 6.6
• Ammonia = 0.25 ppm
• Nitrites = 0 ppm
• Nitrates = 40-80 ppm

2/28/20- A student fed 2.2 grams of size 2 food to the trout. The filter and chiller intake covers were cleaned off in tap water. Then an 8 gallon water change was done. 20 mL of Nitrifying Bacteria were added to the tank after the water change. 15 mL of Special Blend Bacteria was added to the tank.
0.8 grams of size 2 food was fed to the trout to get the slow motion video below:

2/18/20- A student fed 2.0 grams of size 2 food to the trout.
2/19/20- A student fed 2.1 grams of size 2 food to the trout.
2/20/20- A student fed 2.1 grams of size 2 food to the trout.
WATER QUALITY UPDATE

• pH = 6.8
• Ammonia = 0.25 ppm
• Nitrates = 40 ppm
• Nitrites = 0 ppm

The filter intake cover was cleaned. A 4-gallon water change was done. 15 mL of Nitrifying Bacteria were added to the tank.
2/21/20- A student fed 2.0 grams of size 2 food to the trout.

2/10/20- A student fed 1.8 grams of size 1 food to the trout.
2/11/20- A student fed 2.0 grams of size 1 food to the trout.
2/12/20- A student fed 2.0 grams of size 1 food to the trout in the morning. Mrs. Daniel fed 1.0 gram in the evening.
2/13/20- A student fed 2.0 grams of size 2 food to the trout. The filter cover was cleaned. A 4 gallon water change was done. 20 mL of Nitrifying bacteria was added to the tank.
WATER QUALITY UPDATE (two hours after the water change)

• pH = 6.6-6.8
• Ammonia = 0.25 ppm
• Nitrates = 0 ppm
• Nitrites = 40 ppm

2/14/20- A student fed 2.0 grams of size 2 food to the trout.

​

In the picture below, you can see how much fish waste and excess food get pulled in toward the filter intake. Once a week, Mrs. Daniel removes this cover and washes off the waste. Previously, the cover was there to make sure smaller fish didn't get sucked into the filter. Since the fish are bigger now, it acts as an easy way to trap waste. It's easier to remove the filter cover than to clean the inside of the filter tank.

2/3/20- A student fed the trout 1.8 grams of size 1 food.
2/4/20- A student fed the trout 1.7 grams of size 1 food.
2/5/20- A student fed the trout 1.7 grams of size 1 food.
2/6/20- A student fed the trout 1.8 grams of size 1 food.
2/7/20- A student fed the trout 1.8 grams of size 1 food.
WATER QUALITY

• pH = 6.8
• Ammonia = 0.25 ppm
• Nitrites = 0.25 ppm 
• Nitrates = 40 ppm

6 gallon water change was done. 20 mL of nitrifying bacteria was added to the tank. 15 mL of Special Blend bacteria was added.
 ​

1/27/20- N/A
1/28/20-Fed 1.4 grams of size 1 food to the trout.
1/29/20- Fed 1.6 grams of size 1 food to the trout.
1/30/20- Fed 1.9 grams of size 1 food to the trout. 
WATER QUALITY UPDATE

• pH = 6.8
• Ammonia = 0.25 ppm
• Nitrites = 0 ppm
• Nitrates = 20-40 ppm

1/31/20- Fed 1.6 grams of size 1 food to the trout. A 4-gallon water change was done. Added 15 mL of Nitrifying Bacteria.

1/21/20- Fed 1.6 grams of size 1 food to the trout in the morning. Opened up the trout filter and cleaned out the white sponge-like material in the filter. Added 15 mL of Special Blend Bacteria to the filter.
1/22/20- Fed 1.7 grams of size 1 food to the trout in the morning.
1/23/20- Fed 1.7 grams of size 1 food to the trout in the morning.
1/24/20- WATER QUALITY UPDATE

• pH = 7.2
• Ammonia = 0.25 ppm
• Nitrites = 0.25 ppm
• Nitrates = 20 ppm