Marine Instant Aquarium© Startup Kit #2 - Killer Snails
For lessons on the Food Chain, Mollusks, Predation, Marsh Ecosystem
from Shark Supply LLC

The Big Shark Supplier with the Tiny Little Environmental Footprint

We maintain proper permits for all sharks.  We are not fly by night amateurs or poachers.
We are skilled pros with more than 15 years in shark collection for aquaria.

Why go through the difficulties of setting up a small aquarium and having to cycle the filters, order parts and furnishings from different sources.  THEN...try and hunt down all the compatible species to meet your lesson plan.  OH, and don't forget the lesson plan...  Does the aquarium setup meet the needs of a given lesson plan or set of lesson plans???  All this you have to do to meet a deadline of a few weeks in between all your other classroom deadlines and work.  SO, a month of preparation and hours and hours of extra work on a short term project aren't appealing to you???

Then, try our Marine Instant Aquarium©!  All you need is some saltwater salt mix and a 10 gallon aquarium kit from your local department store or pet shop (or dust one off from the old classroom closet).  THAT'S IT!!!  We will supply the rest!

You get the substrate, initial aquarium accessories like hides for fish, shells for crabs, live plants AND live inhabitants.  Everything you need is packaged and shipped, ready to go.  And, all this comes with instructions (we hope to have a DVD for you soon, but, for now you will receive written instructions).  AND, you get the cycled bacteria and live substrate to charge your filters instantly without cycling.

Instant Ocean Shrimp Marsh Kit

Basic Snail Kit $59.99 USD Super Size Snail Kit $69.99 USD Super Size Snail Kit w/30 Shrimp $99.99 USD

Kit 2 - Killer Snails - Contents

1. Live sand substrate
2. Predator snails (at least 2) [seasonally available species]
3. Live feeder clams (at least 6) [seasonally available species or feeder snails depending on the predator's preference]
4. Algae [aid in water purification/filtration]
5. Sea shell decorations [maintain buffer and help provide calcium for snails]
6. Hermit Crab (1) [Cleans and moves sand]

(Picture from one of our Micro-systems)
Carnivorous Snail [Rock Drill], Shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio), and red algae

These kits are designed to provide you with the living examples for food chain lessons, animal behavior lessons and countless different biology classes.  The species are naturally occurring mixes.  That is, they are normally found in the same ecosystem.  They are basically compatible and work together to sustain the whole micro-system.  You can show students how the basic balance of an ecosystem functions on a simplified scale.  You can conduct experiments, attempt breeding and aquaculture.  You can teach students the basic principles of aquaculture, ALL from DAY#1.  This kit allows you to get an aquarium up and running in days not weeks.  You can maintain it as long as you need to.  Then, next year, you can simply replace any livestock necessary from us with a Recharge Kit.  We're making it as easy as we can for educators.

This is a great and inexpensive program for home-scholars as well.  If you can't afford a field trip to the ocean, you can bring a piece of the ocean to your home or classroom!!!

If you want to make a larger display or have a tank 20 gallons or larger, no problem, you can super-size this order for an additional $19.99 which would do your choice of the following (pick 2)

1. Add more predator snails (we will try to provide another different species than the original ones in the pack if you like and they are available) [WARNING: They will probably eat each other later.]
2. Double the feeder mollusks
3. Add 4 hermit crabs [adds variety to micro-system and increases visible activity]
4. Double the algae [more variety and volume]
5. Add marsh minnows or killifish (5) [variable species seasonal - chosen from those which live with the shrimp in the wild]
6. Add a rock or large coral piece for structure and hides
7. Add a sea anemone
8. More sand substrate (whatever fits into a $9.95 flat rate box app. 20 LB.) COUNTS AS 2 picks due to shipping costs

Things you must remember to do!!!

1. Set up your aquarium IN ADVANCE of the shipment from us.  Saltwater made from mix should be cured and aerated for at least 24 hours prior to introduction of live animals.  Deaths and bleaching can occur with the use of mixed seawater immediately after mixing.  Install an airstone and aerate the mixed water before we ship.
2. Install your heater prior to shipping (if one is required).  Do not turn it on yet.  Do that after you introduce everything from the shipment.  In that way you will slowly warm and acclimate the fish to the required temp.  Using a heater with a temperature selector printed in degrees is preferable.  That will make acclimation safe and simple since the aquarium may not be in your home where you can check it regularly.
3. Prepare your filter and place it in the tank to wet it in preparation for the live culture coming in the shipment.
4. Check your salinity with a hydrometer and insure that it is at least 29 PPT.
5. As these are Micro-ecosystems, you WILL need a FULL SPECTRUM light.  Use a GE Aquarium light or equivalent light identified as a plant or aquarium light.  This is necessary to sustain all the algae and plants in the kit.  You can get these at any department store.  Just match the outlet or screw in fixture on your hood or tank light assembly.
6. Make sure you have the essentials in your aquarium set, light, filter (this set up will handle power filtration, no problem), air pump and stone as additional aeration, hydrometer (to check salinity), and a heater (if water will not be given a constant room temperature above 65 degrees F). 
7. An Ammonia buddy ammonia level sensor is always a good back up to warn of problems.  They are available here on EBay at a good price if your pet shop doesn't have them.

You should receive "Care Sheets" in the packaging with your purchase if we have sheets on the creatures you order.  If they are not enclosed, you may certainly email us and request a sheet if available.  And, if they are available at a later date, you can download them from the special page we set up for you.