Ammonia levels in the tank have started to rise as more and more eyed eggs hatch into Sac-Fry. So far we have removed 20 dead trout/eggs bringing our total down to 407. Overall the Sac-Fry seem to be healthy looking and active when disturbed (light or probing for removals). Last year we had approximately 45 Sac-Fry who hatched with deformities (curved spines, angles spines, and 2 with two-heads). So far we have not seen any deformities, but we are keeping the light out and only searching quickly for dead eggs/trout. We have started our unit on Water, Water Quality, and Watersheds - so we will be prepping the equipment and heading down to the stream to complete our annual creek survey. This survey includes conducting a battery of tests on the Pickering Creek that runs along the south side of the school's property. We will be gathering data on stream flow, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH, ammonia, nitrites & nitrates, along with a riparian assessment and biotic index of water quality using Macroinvertebrates. This is always a student favorite as we catch and identify the organisms that live in our local stream. One year we even caught a small Rock Bass. We also plan to put out a small fish trap to see what fish are in our stream. Last year, when we worked with the scientists from the Ruth Patrick Center for Environmental Research we completed a fish survey and found 25 different species of fish in our section of the Pickering Creek. However, we found NO Brook Trout.  Therefore, it is our contention that if we find Brook Trout in the traps this year, they will most likely be some of the ones we released last year. One can always hope! We will keep you informed.