Graph 5/24

Here is a line graph of our (Me and James W.) results that was compiled by James W. Over the time, our Nitrate got higher and higher. As the days wore on, our Ammonia got lower and lower until it stabilized about April 18th.

Changes 5/23

Over the last few weeks I noticed that changes in our aquarium came slowly, subtly, and sometimes not at all. The water quality grew staler and more turbid over the course of this project, and we never completed a full water test to create a clearer environment for our fish friends. The plants that we placed in our tank were eaten by our fish so much that I am beginning to doubt that they ate the fish food we gave them every day. It probably just decayed and disappeared into the rocks. Our biggest change was with our fish. After a few weeks of stable living, all of a sudden, one of our fish died a terrible death and was covered in mold when we returned after the weekend. The cause of death is still uncertain, but I really don't care. We had other organisms in our tank but after a while I think most of them died.

Here is a picture of our aquarium from an earlier blog:

Project 5/22

During the course of this project I learned many new things about taking care of an aquatic ecosystem. I learned how to perform Nitrate and Ammonia tests and the importance of both of those. I learned about the seriousness of water quality and its effects upon aquatic creatures. I now understand the Nitrogen cycle and its role in the lives of plants and animals in an aquatic ecosystem. I learned that dechlorinating the water is perhaps the most important thing in keeping your fish alive, other than feeding it.

If there was anything I would change about this project, I would just get rid of blogs because they take a lot of time and I'm not sure it helped me out in this class. I learn better through the CPS tests and questions from teachers than doing blogs online every week.

Update 5/21

As this is my final update, I wish I could have given the cause of death of our fish, but the autopsy report has not come back yet. Our water has faded over time and grown more and more grey and cloudy. This is probably the result of us never doing a complete water change, and only adding more water when the water levels decreased. Our only surviving fish was donated to Mrs. Wind and I sincerely hope he/she has a happy life in that tank. Our water quality tests were weaker than our last time out, but still good. Now we don't have to worry about taking care of any fish any more. We did not make any changes.

Invasive plants 5/20

An invasive plant is a plant that is put in an area that it does not belong and where it negatively affects the new environment that it was placed in. The most likely reason why they are not a concern in their native areas is because those environments have adapted to their problems and created solutions for them.

                                                                            Hydrilla

The hydrilla is a submerged aquatic plant that has a long stem and is covered in many leaves. The negative effects of this plant are that it reduces oxygen levels, its hydrogen ions acidify the water, and it can change the  pH of the water vastly.

                                                                       Water Hyacinth

The water hyacinth has big, oval, lavender leaves, and it negatively affects the pH levels and reduces the oxygen in the environment, while also impeding navigation of other plants.

                                                                        Alligator Weed

The alligator weed has white flowers that has long stems that branch out. It creates mats on top of the water, and reduces oxygen levels that effects the fish and people that are travelling on the water in boats.

Water Quality 5/17

Water Quality is the single most important aspect of a stable ecosystem and critical to the survival and quality of life of the animals in an ecosystem. Reproduction is affected if the pH is low and the water quality is of poor quality. Nitrogen is one of the most essential factors in an ecosystem. We did not have many problems with our water quality, in fact we had mostly successes. I can not name a single issue that affected our aquarium in a serious way. Our water quality was always steady and provided a great environment that let our fish have an enjoyable life.

Update 5/16

Our fish has lived peacefully and, in my opinion, healthily even though the other fish in our tank died a few weeks ago. He spends his time underneath the filter and enjoys swimming through the rock in the middle of the tank and hiding behind it. We have had well performing tests and we have not been required to completely change the water. We had to add some more water from the sink because the water level had sunk to almost below the filter. Over the entire run of our aquarium, we have had to make very little changes and our tank has been better off without our interference.