4/13/15 Reports & Observations

*This week, the experiment ends and set ups will be dismantled. It's been fresh.

Reports:

Spring Break/Weekend Causalities: 0

Tank 1- Galactic Branch (Fish population - 4)

• Nitrate: 5 ppm

• Nitrite: 0 ppm

• Total Hardness: 200 ppm

• Alkalinity: 5 ppm

• pH: 7.0

• Vertical Behavior: Bottom

• Raw Plant Heights (cm): 10, 8, 6, 20, 17

• Average Plant Height (cm): 12.2

• Ammonia: 1.0 mg/L

Tank 2- Terrestrial Branch (Fish population - 5)

• Nitrate: 15 ppm

• Nitrite: 0 ppm

• Total Hardness: 200 ppm

• Alkalinity: 10 ppm

• pH: 6.2

• Vertical Behavior: Bottom/Middle

• Raw Plant Heights (cm): 10, 10, 9, 15, 14

• Average Plant Height (cm): 11.6

• Ammonia: 2.0 mg/L

Observations:

The massive increase in hardness (mineral content) is due to the feeding block minerals that dissolved in the tank to keep the fish nourished over the break. Plants in the Terrestrial Tank (2) were flourishing, unlike the plants in the Galactic Tank (1) that had significantly dried out over the break.

3/30-4/3 Weekly Updates

Spring Break Preparations:
A 10-day dissolving feeder block was split into two and placed in each tank. Water levels were increased to tank capacity to compensate for a week of evaporation. Lamps will remain on for the week.

4/3/15

Week Casualties: 0

Tank 1- Galactic Branch (Fish population - 4)

• Nitrate: 5 ppm

• Nitrite: 0 ppm

• Total Hardness: 75 ppm

• Alkalinity: 40 ppm

• pH: 6.8

• Vertical Behavior: Middle

• Raw Plant Heights (cm): 15, 24, 11, 14.5, 8

• Average Plant Height (cm): 14.5

• Ammonia: 0 mg/L

Tank 2- Terrestrial Branch (Fish population - 5)

• Nitrate: 15 ppm

• Nitrite: 0 ppm

• Total Hardness: 75 ppm

• Alkalinity: 40 ppm

• pH: 6.2

• Vertical Behavior: Bottom/Middle

• Raw Plant Heights (cm): 8, 6, 14, 7, 5.5

• Average Plant Height (cm): 8.1

• Ammonia: 3.0 mg/L