Virtual TIC Blog Updates
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1.6.21 BLOG ENTRY (from Tom Giannaccini)
The mortality continues. On Jan 4th we lost 14 more alevins. I fed the alevins while still in the basket, then dropped the basket to release them into the 55-gallon tank. The next day (Jan 5th) I found 11 more alevins dead. We removed the dead alevins as soon as we discovered them.
The TIC program offers opportunities for participants to analyze problems as they arise to find solutions. We encourage students to do this when a tank is in their school. This Virtual TIC Tank is being cared for by both Irvine Nature Center & Trout Unlimited volunteers. The volunteers have discussed this mortality event in great detail without arriving at a definite cause of the deaths. The most likely cause was on that on morning of January 2nd we had a volunteer unfamiliar with TIC feed the alevins in the basket. The volunteer followed the feeding instructions but when the top cover was placed back on the tank, the filter output nozzle sprayed water on the underside of the top cover which ended up dripping outside the tank. This went unnoticed because Irvine was closed for the holidays. I made arrangements to get into the Irvine building to readjust our web cam over the top of the basket that got bumped while feeding. On arrival I found that four gallons had leaked out of the tank. The alevin basket was fixed in place (so it did not float around in the tank) in the quiet corner of the tank. The loss of water caused the alevin basket to be tilted and only had about 1/3 of the normal water level. The concentration of the alevins in such a small space may have depleted the oxygen in the water and/or raised the ammonia to a lethal level in the basket. We have no measurements of the DO2 or Ammonia in the basket so this only a best guess. I will point out that there was a slight flow of tank water going through the basket.
The volunteers discussed the following variables that can kill the alevins & ruled all of them out:
The mortality continues. On Jan 4th we lost 14 more alevins. I fed the alevins while still in the basket, then dropped the basket to release them into the 55-gallon tank. The next day (Jan 5th) I found 11 more alevins dead. We removed the dead alevins as soon as we discovered them.
The TIC program offers opportunities for participants to analyze problems as they arise to find solutions. We encourage students to do this when a tank is in their school. This Virtual TIC Tank is being cared for by both Irvine Nature Center & Trout Unlimited volunteers. The volunteers have discussed this mortality event in great detail without arriving at a definite cause of the deaths. The most likely cause was on that on morning of January 2nd we had a volunteer unfamiliar with TIC feed the alevins in the basket. The volunteer followed the feeding instructions but when the top cover was placed back on the tank, the filter output nozzle sprayed water on the underside of the top cover which ended up dripping outside the tank. This went unnoticed because Irvine was closed for the holidays. I made arrangements to get into the Irvine building to readjust our web cam over the top of the basket that got bumped while feeding. On arrival I found that four gallons had leaked out of the tank. The alevin basket was fixed in place (so it did not float around in the tank) in the quiet corner of the tank. The loss of water caused the alevin basket to be tilted and only had about 1/3 of the normal water level. The concentration of the alevins in such a small space may have depleted the oxygen in the water and/or raised the ammonia to a lethal level in the basket. We have no measurements of the DO2 or Ammonia in the basket so this only a best guess. I will point out that there was a slight flow of tank water going through the basket.
The volunteers discussed the following variables that can kill the alevins & ruled all of them out:
- Stress - a definite possibility due to the loss of water volume in the basket concentration alevins. I would have expect those alevins that were stressed out to die within a day or two.
- Water Temperature - We have a thermometer that samples the water temperature every hour and provides a daily report. The water temperature remained between 56 & 60 degrees F. Our chiller is set to 58 with a two-degree differential.
- Food - Unlikely since we just started feeding on December 30th & some of the dead had nice bulging stomachs. In the past light or no feeding over the holidays in the past has not been a problem.
- Tank Water Chemistry - The tank's water test values all remained good. As I stated before the water in the basket could have had lethal values because of low volume & high concentrations of alevins in a small space.
- Tank Water - The same water used in the 55-gallon virtual tank was used in the 145-gallon tank with the two large Rainbows.
- Dissolved O2 - Levels in the basket is a possibility, but not in the tank. On Jan 5th I measured it at 10.0 mg/L, a very good value (using a Veriner DO2 Probe & LabQuest2.)
- Diseased eggs - None of the other schools that received eggs from the same batch had uncommon deaths.
- Microscopic contamination - this remains an unknown because we do not have an expert to examine a water sample.
1.4.21 BLOG ENTRY (from Tom Giannaccini)
The rainbow trout eggs arrived at Irvine on Friday, December 18th. Since Jenna was not able to be at Irvine, I filled in for her. The tank was pre-cycled by moving the Fluval filter from the 145-gallon tank to the 55-gallon tank last week. I tested the water with the API test kit; all results were in good range. The KH measured 165 using a Hanna Alkalinity tester. When starting up the tank for the first time you want a value around 150. I brought the eggs up to the tank temperature of 58 degrees F by slowly adding tank water to the jar with the eggs. The eggs were slowly placed in the Imagitarium nursery basket floating in the 55-gallon TIC tank. I moved our Virtual Web Cam over from the 145-gallon tank to the 55-gallon tank. Using a homemade bracket, I placed the cam directly above the egg basket. The best feature of this basket is that the eggs sink down and align on the grated separator for easy counting. Irvine has 141 eggs.
As of January 3rd, the alevins have lost their egg sac & are swimming to the surface. We started feeding a pinch of food three days ago. Due to unknown reasons, we have lost 51 of the 141 alevins. Each tank is different & the Virtual Tank at Irvine has had the largest loss. It is normal to lose some alevins, but this is an unusually high amount to lose. The tank's water chemistry is available to view HERE. We are planning to lower the basket on January 4th to allow the alevins to swim out of the basked. A video of lowering the basket will be posted later in the week. You can view the alevins on the live webcam HERE.
The rainbow trout eggs arrived at Irvine on Friday, December 18th. Since Jenna was not able to be at Irvine, I filled in for her. The tank was pre-cycled by moving the Fluval filter from the 145-gallon tank to the 55-gallon tank last week. I tested the water with the API test kit; all results were in good range. The KH measured 165 using a Hanna Alkalinity tester. When starting up the tank for the first time you want a value around 150. I brought the eggs up to the tank temperature of 58 degrees F by slowly adding tank water to the jar with the eggs. The eggs were slowly placed in the Imagitarium nursery basket floating in the 55-gallon TIC tank. I moved our Virtual Web Cam over from the 145-gallon tank to the 55-gallon tank. Using a homemade bracket, I placed the cam directly above the egg basket. The best feature of this basket is that the eggs sink down and align on the grated separator for easy counting. Irvine has 141 eggs.
As of January 3rd, the alevins have lost their egg sac & are swimming to the surface. We started feeding a pinch of food three days ago. Due to unknown reasons, we have lost 51 of the 141 alevins. Each tank is different & the Virtual Tank at Irvine has had the largest loss. It is normal to lose some alevins, but this is an unusually high amount to lose. The tank's water chemistry is available to view HERE. We are planning to lower the basket on January 4th to allow the alevins to swim out of the basked. A video of lowering the basket will be posted later in the week. You can view the alevins on the live webcam HERE.