Hey! We're Melanie Vasquez and Ethan Kouts, part of a class of 17 students building a 160-gallon freshwater ecosystem at school so students can learn real ecology and biology interactively, not just from a textbook.

It's no longer just an idea either, we've already begun some basic setup as proof of concept. The plants currently in the tank were an upfront investment, because we're willing to take that leap of faith to bring this to life. We’ve also been blessed with support from the aquarium community, CaribSea generously donated 160 pounds of substrate, which gives us a strong foundation to build on.

Our vision: a fully planted, organic-looking freshwater habitat that showcases plants, beneficial bacteria, and fish all working together to keep an ecosystem balanced over time. We want this tank to become a living classroom that students can learn from all year long.

Since this is a large tank, we still need help covering the remaining supplies to complete the build, start and maintain the nitrogen cycle, and keep the ecosystem stable and healthy.

Donations will help cover:

More live aquatic plants

Hardscape (rocks/wood) to create a natural layout

Filtration media + beneficial bacteria

Water testing supplies

Fish food and basic maintenance supplies

Any extra money raised beyond what we need for the tank will be donated to World Vision to support clean water wells in Guatemala.

Even a small donation makes a real difference for our class. Thank you for supporting a project that students will learn from every single day.