Ammonia and Nitrate Results

As you can see by the graph, the ammonia levels throughout this entire project have stayed relatively the same, staying at 0.25 most of the time. The nitrate level however fluctuated a bit before leveling out. However, this was normal because of the death of one of our fish.

Aquarium Changes

There has been many changes to my aquarium during this nine weeks. First of all, originally, I had perfect a nitrate level but had high ammonia. Once we added fish  and bacteria to the aquarium, our ammonia levels dropped significantly. However, once we had a buildup of feces and one of our fish died, our nitrate level increased dramatically. To reduce this, we added plenty of duckweed because plants absorb nitrate. After some time, our water started to turn brownish but our water quality tests always turned out good so I saw no reason to change it. There was some algae growth on Squidward's house and on the fake plants, but other than that, there was no plant growth.

Thing Learned From the Aquarium Project

The aquarium project that was assigned to me at the beginning of the last nine weeks this semester has allowed me to gain more knowledge about caring for fish and maintaining water quality than I ever thought I'd know. To begin with, the assignment showed me how harmful ammonia can be towards my aquarium. The ammonia doesn't kill fish immediately but it does add extra stress on your fish which can lead to eventual death. Also, I learned that chlorine is the number one cause of death in aquariums. It didn't even occur to me that the water I was putting in the tank contained chlorine. Thankfully, my teachers stressed the importance of adding dechlorinator to make sure you don't kill your fish. Similarly, I learned that high nitrate levels can kill your fish. Before this project, I didn't know much about the nitrogen cycle, including how ammonia is broken down into nitrite by nitrosomonas and then broken down into nitrate by nitrobacter. Also, over time, I learned that less really is more when feeding my fish. The excess of food led to high nitrate levels, so after a bad nitrate test happened, my group and I decided to put less food in the aquarium. Lastly, you have to be careful which fish you choose to place in your aquarium because certain breeds of fish don't do well with each other and can become quite aggressive.  If I had to change this project, I would have the students take care of their fish the entire semester instead of only nine weeks, which would allow students to add more fish and become more familiar with different breeds of fish.

Aquarium Update

So time to update you on my aquarium again. First of all, Fish is now the fish to eat first everyday. Cow always eats the most food as his name would suggest. Meep is still being antisocial, avoiding everyone. Also, apparently we have a snail. I saw it on the glass and was confused but it was kinda cute so I left it there. He doesn't have a name, but he does move which wall he's chilling on everyday. It's entertaining to find where he is everyday. Also, my water quality tests haven't changed at all. Ammonia is .25, nitrate is 10, and temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result of these good results, we haven't made any changes to the aquarium.

Invasive Plants

A plant is considered invasive if it does not grow naturally in an area. There a numerous invasive plants in Texas. Some include:

• Alligator Weed: Emergent plant that is green with white flowers, originating from South America that is  an aggressive, mat-forming perennial. It spreads from seed or plant fragments. It causes displacement of native vegetation and can impede navigation. 

• Eurasian Watermilfoil: A submergent green plants with red stems when actively growing. It's from Eurasia and was introduced to America in the 1950s. It reproduces by seed fragments, stolens, and is spread by boats, trailers, and birds. It shades out native vegetation, displaces native vegetation, and can impede navigation. 

• Giant Salvinia: A free floating aquatic fern than has hair structures that look like egg beaters. It reproduces through buds and is also known as the plant from hell. It's originated from South America and decreases oxygen levels in water, kills lakes, impedes navigation, displaces native vegetation, and once you get it, it's nearly impossible to eradicate it. 

These plants aren't a problems in their natural habitat because there, there are insects and disease that keeps the population under control. 

Water Quality in My Ecosystem

I've learned a lot since the begging of this project as a result of having to take care of fish in an aquarium. I've learned that a high ammonia reading is bad because it can kill the fish. Also, high nitrate can kill fish. However, the most sure way I've learned to kill fish is not dechlorinating the water. The problems I've had in my aquarium was high ammonia so I added bacteria to break it down. The success was that only one of my fish died, and even the one that died didn't die because of me, he was just sick by himself.

Aquarium Update

When I approached the aquarium, Fish and Cow swam to the surface of the water as if they knew I was the food source. Fish is now the normal one to eat first out of all the fish. Cow eats second while Meep seems to be always hesitant to eat, as if he's intimidated by the other fish. Then, Fish started to chase Meep around the tank for a few seconds. Cow seems to be gaining weight, living up to his name. Our water in the aquarium now has a brown haze but since we're almost done with the aquarium project, I see no need to do a water change. Our ammonia is .25, nitrate is 10, and the temperature is a constant 70 degrees Fahrenheit. These result show that even though our water is brownish, the water quality is still good. No changes have been made because of these good results.

Self-sustaining

Self-sustaining means to be able to exist without outside help. In an ecosystem, self-sustaining means that the natural cycles that occur are able function properly without help from others. My ecosystem is not entirely self-sustaining. Without me, the fish would starve to death because there would be no source of food anymore. Also, the water would eventually evaporate, killing the fish. If there was no bubbler in the aquarium, the fish would die from lack of oxygen. If we didn't do water changes, ammonia tests, and nitrate tests, the fish would die from the pollution they created themselves. As a result of these numerous reasons, the aquarium is far from self-sustaining.

My Ecosytem's Water Quality

I believe that my ecosystem's water quality is pretty decent. Compared to a pond, I think that my ecosystem's water has less diversity in plants and insects than a pond. Ponds are shallower than my ecosystem's water, allowing plants to grow across the entire pond unlike an aquarium would. Also, because of the increased diversity, the diversity of insects would be greater.
 
On the other hand, my ecosystem's water would have a better water quality than a river because it's smaller and I can adjust it easier than changing an entire river's water quality. 

The Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen cycle is imperative in an aquatic ecosystem. It starts out when food is put into the water and the fish urinate. One of the main components in urine is in fact ammonia. The ammonia is then broken down into nitrite by the bacteria nitrosomonas. The nitrite is then broken down by the bacteria nitrobacter into nitrate. Once in this form, plants take up the nitrate, though this is only temporary because once the plant dies, the nitrate is then released back into the water. Without the nitrogen cycle, ecosystems couldn't function properly because the build up of ammonia will kill the fish and other organisms.

Aquarium Update

Since the start of this project, our water has been slowly decreasing. In total, it decreased about 3 inches so we decided it was about time that we add more water, making sure we dechlorinated before adding it. At first after Exstacy's death, Meep had been more social, venturing further out into the middle of the tank. However, Meep has started to become more of a recluse again, staying in his corner of the tank and avoiding the other fish. Cow and Fish have not experienced any change in their behavior at all. Our water quality test was 20 for nitrate, .25 for ammonia, 21 degree Celsius/70 degree Fahrenheit, and no water changes. The dissolved oxygen was 10 mg/L. The results of all these tests mean that our water quality is still good. As a result of this, we have made no changes.

Dichotomous Key

A Dichotomous key is used to identify something through the use of questions. To use one, read the first question. The answer describing the object you're looking at will have a number next to it. Go to that question and repeat the steps. Eventually, one of the answers that you get will have a name next to it. This is the correct identification of the object you're looking at.

To make my own, I stared out with color and moved into more specifics from there. The problems I encountered was figuring out how to phrase the descriptions into questions and how to make the questions in a way in which i wouldn't give too much information away. After thinking about how I could phrase it, I came up with the best way to construct the questions, solving my dilemma.  

Pollution Index Chart

A pollution index chart is used to determine the quality of water. To use one, count the number of a certain algae then divide by 5. If the number of algae in the sample is below before dividing, then just ignore it. Continuing, always round down when dividing. Even if the number is 4.9, it would be 4. Next, take that number and multiply it by the number in the column of the corresponding algae. Once finished, add all the algae numbers together. If the number is 20 or greater, the pollution is high, if the number is between 15-19, the level is probable, and if the number is 14 or less, the pollution is low. The benefits of using a pollution index chart include knowing what algae is in the water and what condition the water is in. However, the drawback is that it's only a pollution index for a small sample of the entire body of water so the results could be deceiving. If the population of certain algae is high but the diversity is low, the water is polluted, possibly as a result of organic pollutants. When the diversity of algae is high but the population is low, the water is cleaner and healthier.

Assesing Water Quality

There are a few steps one should follow in order to assess a body of water. The first is that you should evaluate by observation. See if there is an algae bloom that could indicate pollution, or a particular smell that could tell you what particular algae is growing in the water. Next, capture and identify algae. Certain algae will tell you what kind of condition the water is in. If it's an algae such as Anabaena, the water would be in poor quality. Next, test the pH, ammonia levels, temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, nitrate levels, and nitrite levels. Finally, run a panel of chemical tests. It's important to do the steps in this order because it can save you time as well as money. Organisms such as algae or the lack of algae could help you determine how bad/good the water just by observation instead of having to run chemical test which would be a waste of time and money.

Dissolved Oxygen in an Ecosystem

Two sources of dissolved oxygen is contact with the atmosphere and plants in the water. Throughout the day, the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide fluctuates. When the sun is up, the levels of oxygen increases as plants undergo photosynthesis while the levels of carbon dioxide decrease as a result of the plants absorbing it. During the night however, levels of CO2 increases while O2 decreases. This is because even though production of oxygen by plants ceased for the day, other organisms are still undergoing cellular respiration, using the remaining oxygen while producing CO2.

Dissolved Oxygen

Dissolved oxygen is the amount of oxygen in the water. To do a dissolved oxygen test, first take the "special cylinder", as Ms Wind put it, and fill it with 25 mL of water from your tank. Next, take one of the glass tubes that's filled with a straw color yellow. Next, place it in the cylinder, breaking the tip off. Let it sit in the water for a few seconds before removing it. Then, place your finger over the opening, covering it and gently swish is around. then, let it sit for about two minutes. Lastly, compare your results with the chart. If the level is below 3 mg/L, there isn't enough dissolved oxygen and your fish will die. Anything over 5 mg/L can support life and is a good dissolved oxygen test result. My results were 10 mg/L which is good. In a small pond, the dissolved oxygen is probably lower than in a large river because a pond is usually warmer which holds less dissolved oxygen and fast moving water is more air rated, allowing for more dissolved oxygen.


The darker the blue, the more dissolved oxygen there is.

Aquacheck

Aquachecks are important to know the quality of your water, whether it be in an aquarium or something else. The five components of an aquacheck are free chlorine, total chlorine, total hardness, total alkalinity, and pH. Free chlorine refers to the free ions in the water while total chlorine is the combination of free chlorine and combined chlorine which is the combination of ammonia to form chloramine.   Total hardness refers to the amount of dissolved minerals in the water. Total alkalinity is the measure of the buffering capacity of water, or in laymen terms, the resistance to change in pH. pH is how acidic or basic water is, ranging from 0-14, 0 being the most acidic while 14 is the most basic and 7 is neutral.

The results of my aquacheck was .5 for free chlorine, 0 for total chlorine, 250 for total hardness, 180 for alkalinity and 7.8 for pH. Overall the results were good except for the free chlorine because chlorine is what kills fish. The hardness is good for the fish I have selected for my aquarium and the alkalinity is decent because a higher number means a higher resistance to change in pH. The pH was neutral/slightly basic which is good. A pH of 4 affects fish reproduction and a pH of 3 kills adult fish. So all in all, the aquacheck showed that my water was good for my fish to live in.  

My Fish

Well as of now, I only have three fish; a minnow, a Dalmatian Lyretail Molly, and a Red Mickey Mouse Platy. Each fish has different requirements and behavior.
Some minnow behaviors and requirements include:

• Most minnows do well in single-species groups in 20-gallon aquariums with canister or trickling filtration 
• water changes 
• They do well on a diet of flakes
• Most cannot tolerate heat, and some require a chiller. 
• Dart around 
• Don't stay in the same place for too long
•  Not affected as much as other fish to certain levels or ammonia or nitrate
• Male minnows make a knocking sound when threatened by other males
• Have a bubbler to keep oxygen in the water
• Only need to be fed once a week

Some Dalmatian Lyretail Molly requirements and behaviors include:

• Minimum tank size needed is 25 gallons
• Water pH: 7 to 8.5
• Water Hardness: Medium hard to hard 
• Temperature needed is 78-82°F
• Does best with two or more Mollies. Will successfully live with Angels, Barbs. Danios, Gouramis, Platies, Rainbows, Tetras and other community fish
• Ir will eat algae and aquarium plants
• Favors living in the upper half of the aquarium
• It is a non-aggressive fish which gets along with others very well
• This fish prefers an aquarium with a sandy or gravel bottom, good filtration, and lots of real or plastic plants and wood features along the tank walls.
• The Dalmatian Lyretail Molly can successfully live in a wide variety of aquarium setups

 Some Red Mickey Mouse Platy behaviors and requirements include:

• Water temperature: 72-82° F
• Tank Setup: 10+ gallons, moderately planted
• Active, peaceful, schooling fish that mix well with other community fish
• Live bearing species, meaning they give birth to free-swimming offspring
• Hardness: 10-25 dGH
• They will graze on vegetation
• Tank Level: Mid dweller
• Suitable for even small aquariums
• Alkaline water of moderate hardness is ideal
• A varied diet including plenty of vegetable matter will insure good health

The Dallas World Aquarium

The field trip was really fun, however, I almost didn't make it as a result of my 1st period substitute teacher not letting me leave the class, causing me to miss the bus. My stepmother drove me there, and from then on, it was a blast. I thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the animals and the overall atmosphere of the aquarium. However, I felt as though we were rushed so I missed a few exhibits. I would've liked to stay longer than we did. The most interesting thing I saw was the saw fish. It just looked so different from everything else, plus it was really awesome being in the shark tunnel and have it swim overhead.




Five things I learned from this field trip include:

• The Japanese Spider Crab is dimorphic, meaning that the male and female look different

• The Matschie's Tree Kangaroo is an endangered animal

• Spotted Eagle Rays tend to stay in groups

• Sloths move so slow that algae grows on their fur, providing camouflage for it

• Capybaras are the world's largest rodents

Aquarium Update

So I was absent for the first two days of the week and came into class Wednesday to find out that Exstacy had died. For the past week, his left eye had been inflamed, almost three times the normal size, and had white parasite-looking things attached to his body. We had tried fish medicine, however, I guess that didn't work because my partners found his upside down in Squidward's house.Following Exstacy's death, Meep became slightly more active, swimming further into the middle of the tank. Also, the water now is a hazy brown. Our test results were .25 ppm for ammonia, 160 ppm for nitrate,70 degrees Fahrenheit, and 21 degrees Celsius. The nitrate level  was this high as a result of Exstacy's death. This is normal and should decrease is a few days. Meanwhile, Fish and Cow have not changed in behavior at all. Cow still eats like no other and Fish darts around a lot.