Ammonia/Nitrate Level

October 18—Create a line graph for your ammonia and nitrate data.  Label the x axis “days” and the y axis “parts per million” and number appropriately.  Use a different color line for each test and provide a key.  Interpret your data.  

I didn't keep up with all of my ammonia and nitrate data, the days we tested it, I lost my chart that we originally created because it wasn't ever turned back into me with the journal check.. 
Heres an example of how it should be though I guess. 

Changes Observed

October 17—What changes have you observed in your ecosystem over time?  This includes water quality, plant and algae growth, fish and other organisms.  Be sure to include a picture of your ecosystem.

Over the time of having my fish tank, I have observed a lot of changes. The water quality has gone back and forth on the nitrate, from testing perfectly, to testing very badly, but all of the fish seemed to waver through and all were very healthy. The plants grew very well, had a few leaves that needed to be pruned off, but overall stayed a very bright green color and became longer. The fish grew bigger bellies, feeding well, all worked together, no aggression or territorial problems, worked well as a community together and all ate the same types of food, they grew in size a little bit over the time that I kept them. I didn't really notice any growth of algae anywhere. The AquaCheck was similar the second time, to the very first time we checked it when the tank was set up. Besides that, no other notable changes were really made.

What Have I learned?

October 16—What have you learned from the aquarium project?  List at least five educational things that you learned.  BE SPECIFIC. How would you change this project for next year?
 
I have learned from the aquarium project:
- The importance of keeping track of everyday changes in a tank
- The importance of nitrate and ammonia levels and the roles they play on the fish
- How the nitrogen cycle works in an aquarium and how easily it can be disrupted
- The role each plant, animal and bacteria plays in the nitrogen cycle and the importance of each role being fulfilled.
- The types of plants that are appropriate for aquariums, what type of fish can live together safely
- Adding bacterial supplements in, instead of just a dechlorinator alone
- Tracking progression of plant growth and fish behavior

Next year, I would be more strict about getting a fish on time, some people took halfway through the class to even add a fish to their tank. I would not allow the super small tanks, each tank should have a filter or bubbler of some sort and be able to actually watch and track more than just a small tank allows. I would allow other aquatic animals other than fish, more turtles, frogs, salamanders, toads, newts, crabs, interesting things like that so that people can experience more than just fish, but besides that, It is a very great project and allows people to learn more about raising a fish tank for people who don't really know what goes into it. 

Aquarium Update

October 15— Update me on your bottle/aquarium.  Refer to your observations and BE SPECIFIC.  What were your water quality test results?  What do these results mean?  What changes have you made to your aquarium as a result? 

 

The only thing new with the aquarium is that the nitrate has raised significantly, ammonia still proceeds to be pretty fine. Just adding in a bacterial supplement every other week, or as needed seems to control the nitrate from rising too high. No other changes have been made, no water changes at all, just refills when necessary. This is the last update of my aquarium, it will be taken down as of 10/21/13 and taking all of my fish and frogs home, plants as well. I contribute the nitrate levels to the plants needed to have the dead ends pruned, and possibly the frogs if I do more research into it. I also believe the frogs make the ammonia waver back and forth. Everything else is well. No guppy babies yet, frogs are very full, fat and happy, very active. Fish are still eating very well. Hopefully they will be okay with moving to a new habitat.

Nitrate was at a 40~

Ammonia was at a 0~

Temperature was at a 76 degrees Fahrenheit 

Invasive Species

October 14—What make a plant “invasive?”  Choose one emergent, one submergent and one floating plant that are considered invasive in Texas.  Provide a picture, brief physical description, and explanation of the problems caused by each.  Why aren’t these plants a concern in their native areas?

Characteristics of an "invasive" plant -

• Produce abundant viable seeds. 
• Produce seeds that germinate and leaves that leaf out early in the spring, and they keep their leaves late into the fall, allowing them to photosynthesize earlier and later than native plants. 
• Have few pests or diseases. 
• May produce chemicals that make it difficult for other plants to grow nearby.
• Invade a wide variety of soil types, moisture regimes and light conditions. Invasives are typically generalists and can be difficult to kill.
• Often produce monocultures over large areas so few other species can reproduce and grow.

Reproduce both sexually and asexually, making it easier for them to spread far and wide.

Common Water Hyacinth 

• Aquatic plant that floats on water
• Thick, shiny, bright green, kidney-shaped 
• leaves; 1-5” in width

Water Hyacinth can double its biomass within a month at optimum temperatures. The combination of floating mats and rapid growth of Water Hyacinth can clog waterways, reduce water flow, impede boat traffic, interfere with hydroelectric power generation, and outcompete native plant communities.

Eurasian Watermilfoil 

• Rooted, submersed, aquatic plant
• Grows in 3-10’ of water
• Grayish-green leaves in whorls around stem
• Feathery appearance

In nutrient-rich lakes it can form thick underwater stands of tangled stems and vast mats of vegetation at the water's surface. In shallow areas the plant can interfere with water recreation such as boating, fishing, and swimming. The plant's floating canopy can also crowd out important native water plants.  single segment of stem and leaves can take root and form a new colony. Fragments clinging to boats and trailers can spread the plant from lake to lake. The mechanical clearing of aquatic plants for beaches, docks, and landings creates thousands of new stem fragments. 

In native areas, these invasive species are not a problem because there is natural competition going on, there are either fish, bacteria, or other things that make sure that these populations do not spread and invade the other things living in the ecosystem. But when these invasive species are entered into a non-native area, there is no competition or ability to drive it away and keep it from spreading so wildly like it is designed to do, therefore it becomes an invasive species and becomes out of control is some cases. 

Water Quality Successes and Problems

October 11— What have you learned about water quality in your ecosystem?  Tell me about your problems and successes with water quality.

I have learned the testing the water quality in an aquarium's ecosystem is very important to create balance. A balanced ecosystem is critical to the health and the survival of my fish and it's a very important cycle that needs to be tracked to ensure the best results possible. Cycling can actually take 4 to 6 weeks to complete though. My problems and success with water quality, I have more problems than successes probably. I constantly have high nitrate levels, and the ammonia fluctuates here and there. I never have any problem with temperature though. My fish are very healthy and plump and active but I believe the dead plant material in the bottom and stuff creates a higher nitrate level than desired. I need to syphon out the bottom, prune my plants back and make sure that there is no decay in there and see if that fixes my problem. Or if I wanted to, just continually add bacterial supplement every week to keep a healthy cycle going, which seems to be working pretty fine. Also the filter cartridge should possibly be changed, it is very filthy! 

Aquarium Update

October 10— Update me on your bottle/aquarium.  Refer to your observations and BE SPECIFIC.  What were your water quality test results?  What do these results mean?  What changes have you made to your aquarium as a result? 

My temperature was 76 degrees, my nitrate tested at a 40, and ammonia is at a .50-1.0, I added in more bacterial supplement, added more water into the tank, The tests aren't coming out great but they are still sustainable to my fish. I still haven't decided about taking the plants out or not, they don't seem to be improving still but they don't seem to be worsening. Fish are very active, they have realized the feeding schedule and are very excited in the morning when the lid is opened. No guppy babies at all yet, still waiting. I don't notice any breeding between the sword tails. Frogs seem happy as ever and are getting plump little bellies. I have been feeding them all mostly blood worms, but I switch to regular tropical fish flakes sometimes too. They are eating every day, small amounts through the classroom period. They only have light on for about an hour and a half though instead of 8 hours like they probably should have. Nothing much really to ever report about the tank, just a back and forth battle between trying to balance out the levels. I am very pleased with how well my fish are getting along. Everything is smooth.