Macro Madness 2011

Check out this cool picture slide show of us learning how to evaluate the health of a stream by surveying the types of macroinvertebrates present.

The Alevins...

All of our eggs that are going to hatch have finished over our Fall break weekend! Looks like we have a nice, healthy bunch of alevins swimming around in the hatching basket...Another week and they'll be off into the tank on their own!

Life Cycle of Trout

They're HERE!!!!

Our eggs have started hatching over the past weekend!!! Looks like we only have 4 eggs in the basket this morning that aren't going to hatch!! We are so excited to see the next stage in the life cycle of our trout!

Weekly Trout Report for 9-30-11

Weekly Trout Report

Week Ending:­ 9/30/11

Inspectors Completing Report: Nicole, Whitney, Alexis

Average Temperature: ___53.88___________

Mortality (total number for week):  ____6 eggs_________________

Average pH: ____7.2____________

Water change: Total Volume Changed__5 gallons_______ (gal) corresponds to: Approximately 10% water change

Weekly Water Testing Averages

Ammonia Concentration: __0________  

Nitrate Concentration: __0_________     

Nitrite Concentration: ___0________

Observations Noted from This Week: 

 We had our very first alevin hatch on Friday! There are lots of other eggs that look like they are on the verge of hatching too! The water conditions have been excellent this week and the temperature has remained fairly constant. The chiller operation is fantastic and the ½ inch foam insulation is doing a good job helping regulate the temperature to prevent the chiller from working too much.

Our First Hatchling...

We have our first alevin!!! Today, one of our trout eyed eggs hatched into the alevin stage!!

MCMS Trout in the Classroom Project

The students in Mrs. Bowling's science encore class is working to prepare for the arrival of the trout-eyed eggs in September. The tank is in the process of being set up and readied for the trout. We are going to be practicing the water quality monitoring necessary to keep the trout alive and happy in the tank and have established a spreadsheet program to track the growth of the trout as well as the water quality throughout this school year.  We are excited to get this project at Mason County Middle School and look forward to the numerous learning opportunities it poses for our students. Keep checking this wiki for more information, pictures, and videos of our trout and eventually the release of our fingerlings into a Kentucky trout approved stream later this year in March.