a fish tank for a museum
- Thread starter chefjamesscott
- Start date
Great project and a good looking plan.
I'd also strongly suggest taking off that photo background and putting up a blue/black as it far more natural in appearance and will lend itself to a museum-quality display.
If you elect to include some plants, select low-light and hardy options that will require minimal maintenance for you.
My personal vote for fish specimen is the lungfish; it simply doesn't get any more ancient. The museum could incorporate an educational presentation on their occurence in the fossil record, habits, forms today, etc.
Looking forward to photo updates. You have a large budget so you can really keep this looking in top condition.
here is the last email I sent them
my idea for the tank is to mimic this display which is just around the corner from the tank
Hi Marlon
Just finished with Ron regarding the service contract. I will make it a point to talk with the A1 guys this weekend and get those details all sorted out.
As I have been thinking and rethinking the new tank one constant idea has always come to the forefront. So I did a search on the internet to find pictures to show what I have in mind and I found this webpage which had an awesome picture I am pretty sure you will recognize it
It is of course from your very own exhibit there, the idea that really strongly comes to me is to make the tank a living mini me of this exhibit which should not be so hard to do. The back ground of the tank can be changed easily from a planted to a black or blue wrap and the rocks can be replaced with sand. Of course the ancient fish class that I send you references to will look similar to dinosaurs
my idea for the tank is to mimic this display which is just around the corner from the tank
Hi Marlon
Just finished with Ron regarding the service contract. I will make it a point to talk with the A1 guys this weekend and get those details all sorted out.
As I have been thinking and rethinking the new tank one constant idea has always come to the forefront. So I did a search on the internet to find pictures to show what I have in mind and I found this webpage which had an awesome picture I am pretty sure you will recognize it
It is of course from your very own exhibit there, the idea that really strongly comes to me is to make the tank a living mini me of this exhibit which should not be so hard to do. The back ground of the tank can be changed easily from a planted to a black or blue wrap and the rocks can be replaced with sand. Of course the ancient fish class that I send you references to will look similar to dinosaurs
Oh what a fabulous thread! Nice work and congrats on taking on the project, they are lucky to have you and get to PLAY (I know it's work, but still...)
A few ideas: Triops are awesome and easy! As a matter of fact as of about 3-4 years ago there were triops kits much like the sea monkey/brine shrimp kits available for sale designed to be carried in museums for people to purchase and take home as a grow your own sort of thing - what a great educational/revenue opportunity for the museum - and a way for people to take hoe a piece of your/this display tank if the two things can be aligned.
When looking at tank decor, what about fossils? With the budget you've got going (I'm hoping that it doesn't include your pay, as I'm dipping in pretty steep with this suggestion) The possibility for including fossilized orthoceras or ammonites (they show great underwater and are fairly easy to access, plus if crystallized, mineral leaching is minimal and wouldn't negatively impact water parameters). Trilobites could work, tho they generally aren't as eye catching, but they would juxtapose well with the live triops...
With the tank dimensions, good quality photographic background laminates could be specially printed at a kinkos type place that correlate exactly to the fossils you use in the tank...really get that ancient time period thing going, plus if you get a digital pic on a computer you could tweak coloration to work with the actual fossils used in the tank. The possibility of doing more than one background & decor is exciting too, you could change it seasonally to freshen it up for repeat visitors maybe highlight different fossils and/or time periods.
A good specimen with an in tank LED spot would be amazing. If the museum already has some fossils around that could work they could actually sign and display one within the tank this way too. If not and you want/need fossil access give me a pm - I am a bit of a rock/crystal/fossil collector and at one time I was going to start a shop - I still have my contact lists from 2005 with specialty suppliers (hence the triops info) as well as contact info from some guys in Morocco - great source of orthoceras - Romania is great for ammonites but you need to hit the Tuscon shows to catch those guys - no phones, relatively cheap too - that I can 'dig up' and float your way. Come to think of it, I may have some specimens that could work that were moved into storage for that someday project.....
There are also some good resin casts of fossils available, although in my experience knowing where to look and who to ask often gets a better price on the real thing vs, the replicas.
A few ideas: Triops are awesome and easy! As a matter of fact as of about 3-4 years ago there were triops kits much like the sea monkey/brine shrimp kits available for sale designed to be carried in museums for people to purchase and take home as a grow your own sort of thing - what a great educational/revenue opportunity for the museum - and a way for people to take hoe a piece of your/this display tank if the two things can be aligned.
When looking at tank decor, what about fossils? With the budget you've got going (I'm hoping that it doesn't include your pay, as I'm dipping in pretty steep with this suggestion) The possibility for including fossilized orthoceras or ammonites (they show great underwater and are fairly easy to access, plus if crystallized, mineral leaching is minimal and wouldn't negatively impact water parameters). Trilobites could work, tho they generally aren't as eye catching, but they would juxtapose well with the live triops...
With the tank dimensions, good quality photographic background laminates could be specially printed at a kinkos type place that correlate exactly to the fossils you use in the tank...really get that ancient time period thing going, plus if you get a digital pic on a computer you could tweak coloration to work with the actual fossils used in the tank. The possibility of doing more than one background & decor is exciting too, you could change it seasonally to freshen it up for repeat visitors maybe highlight different fossils and/or time periods.
A good specimen with an in tank LED spot would be amazing. If the museum already has some fossils around that could work they could actually sign and display one within the tank this way too. If not and you want/need fossil access give me a pm - I am a bit of a rock/crystal/fossil collector and at one time I was going to start a shop - I still have my contact lists from 2005 with specialty suppliers (hence the triops info) as well as contact info from some guys in Morocco - great source of orthoceras - Romania is great for ammonites but you need to hit the Tuscon shows to catch those guys - no phones, relatively cheap too - that I can 'dig up' and float your way. Come to think of it, I may have some specimens that could work that were moved into storage for that someday project.....
There are also some good resin casts of fossils available, although in my experience knowing where to look and who to ask often gets a better price on the real thing vs, the replicas.
I just couldn't resist:
Here is a link for grow your own Triops - very reasonable:
http://www.discoverthis.com/triassic-triops.html from an online science store - even less if the museum buys wholesale to resell and nearly foolproof.
Petrified wood limbs and slices would be great for depth and effect
Madagascar dealer http://www.madagascarminerals.com/pd-petrified-wood-slices-75851-5lbs.cfm
Larger polished ammonite halves http://www.madagascarminerals.com/pd_ammonites_6-10_inch_10lb_lot_aaa.cfm
I'd have to check my old record to be sure, but I think this company ( Norcross-Madagascar) was my point of purchase for some really impressive and incredibly well priced pieces back in '03 and '04 at the big show in Tuscon, definitely worth checking out that site for all kinds of stuff.
http://www.twoguysfossils.com/cephla.htm Ammonite and Orthocera fossils for sale - this seller has a good track record for price and quality - imagine those peppered on top of the substrate - too cool
ok - time for me to quit, my kids just saw the screen and started groaning - 'no more rocks mama' at me, again.
Here is a link for grow your own Triops - very reasonable:
http://www.discoverthis.com/triassic-triops.html from an online science store - even less if the museum buys wholesale to resell and nearly foolproof.
Petrified wood limbs and slices would be great for depth and effect
Madagascar dealer http://www.madagascarminerals.com/pd-petrified-wood-slices-75851-5lbs.cfm
Larger polished ammonite halves http://www.madagascarminerals.com/pd_ammonites_6-10_inch_10lb_lot_aaa.cfm
I'd have to check my old record to be sure, but I think this company ( Norcross-Madagascar) was my point of purchase for some really impressive and incredibly well priced pieces back in '03 and '04 at the big show in Tuscon, definitely worth checking out that site for all kinds of stuff.
http://www.twoguysfossils.com/cephla.htm Ammonite and Orthocera fossils for sale - this seller has a good track record for price and quality - imagine those peppered on top of the substrate - too cool
ok - time for me to quit, my kids just saw the screen and started groaning - 'no more rocks mama' at me, again.
