Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life LO 1.16 The student is able to justify the scientific claim that organisms share many conserved core processes and features that evolved and are widely distributed among organisms today. Our aquaponics system demonstrates this learning objective as the organisms we choose for the fish tank were Xiphophorus maculatus and this species of fish exhibit the core processes and features that evolved and are widely distributed among organisms today. This species of fish displays evolved features as they have been intensely hybridized with each other as well as the Swordtail and no longer share the exact same features as their ancestors. Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to reproduce and to maintain dynamic homeostasis. LO 2.1 The student is able to explain how biological systems use free energy based on empirical data that all organisms require constant energy input to maintain organization, to grow and to reproduce. Our aquaponics system demonstrates this learning objective as both systems with Lactuca sativa use free energy in order to grow and maintain homeostasis. The lights, representing the sun, supply free energy to the Lactuca sativa which allows them to photosynthesize and grow to over a foot. 6CO2(g) + 6H2O(g) C6H12O6(s) + 6O2(g) Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit and respond to information essential to life processes. LO 3.42 The student is able to describe how organisms exchange information in response to internal changes or environmental cues. This learning object exemplifies our aquaponics system as the plant is exposed to the light bulbs, they will absorb photons in order to produce glucose through photosynthesis in order to be broken down in cellular respiration for the cells to have enough energy or ATP to sustain their vital cellular functions. Although every single seed grows differently, those who are late bloomers and are blocked by taller plants due to the positioning of the light bulb, secrete from the stem, buds, and root tips, a hormone named auxin, which promote phototropism, elongating the stems and inhibiting the growth of lateral buds. This process is used in order to gain height in which the plant may be able to growth closer to the light and absorb more of its photons that its emitting. Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties. LO 4.18 The student is able to use representations and models to analyze how cooperative interactions within organisms promote efficiency in the use of energy and matter. [See SP 1.4] As the Xiphophorus maculatus, eat and digest their respective diets (veggies or protein), and instead of us not interfering with the water tanks chemical levels and removing the ammonia from the tank, the fishes excrete wastes that are then broken down into useable ammonia from bacteria for the plants to convert into useable nitrates/nitrites in which the plant cell can use to create proteins needed for cellular structures as well as increased levels of chlorophyll. These components are transported onto our plants via our water pumps. Science Practices: Learning Objective: LO 4.18 The student is able to use representations and models to analyze how cooperative interactions within organisms promote efficiency in the use of energy and matter. [See SP 1.4] During aquaponics we are required to make a plethora of post relating to our system. A few post have involved making diagrams of the carbon cycle , nitrogen cycle, energy productivity. These post allowed us to research how and why are systems were either successful or not doing too well. In our aquaponics system we are able to view how all living things work together and cycle nutrients ,so no matter is wasted. Our systems are closed systems. This allows for the system to work at maximum efficiency. The waste the fish produce are cycled up and converted into a usable form/ food source for the plants. All of the living components in our system work together to provide the proper nutrients to keep the plants, bacteria, and fish alive. Learning Objective: LO 4.19 The student is able to use data analysis to refine observations and measurements regarding the effect of population interactions on patterns of species distribution and abundance. [See SP 2.2, 5.2] Once we planted our seeds for our aquaponics system, we began to measure the growth of the plants every day. The data that has been collected from both systems, vegetarian and blood worm diet, shows us which fish are receiving and using their nutrients in the most efficient way. The aquaponics system with a blood worm based diet data has shown us that over the months our sunburst platy fish and Lactuca sativa are using their energy to convert waste into nutrients at a faster rate than the vegetarian based diet. Even though our bloodworm based system has less fish than the vegetarian system, the bloodworm based system is operating at maximum efficiency because not only are the plants growing at a faster rate, the plants are also healthier and stronger.
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Energy Flow Diagram of our Aquaponics System: Nitrogen Cycle Diagram Carbon Cycle Diagram
Net productivity= gross productivity-consumed in respiration Weekly Observation- Our fish seem to be happy and healthy, which is good for our system because they're producing a sufficient amount of waste. In our vegetarian based system the stems of the plants are elongated, a little purple in color, and can barely hold up the plant leaves suggesting that the growth is not healthy. However, our bloodworm based system is yielding healthier, thicker and greener stems. These signs contribute to the conclusion that, the bloodworm diet is giving the fish more nutrients than the vegetarian system. January 10 Vegetarian Diet Free Chlorine less than 0 ppm Total Chlorine .5 Total Hardness 0 ppm pH<4 Nitrite 1 ppm Nitrate 10ppm Ammonia- 1.0 stress February 1 Vegetarian Diet Free Chlorine less than 0 ppm Total Chlorine less than 0 ppm Total Hardness 50 ppm pH 6 Nitrite .5 ppm Nitrate 1 ppm Ammonia- 0 no stress January 10 Bloodworm Based Diet Free Chlorine 1 ppm Total Chlorine 0 Total Hardness 50 ppm pH 5 Nitrite 0 ppm Nitrate 0 ppm Ammonia- stress February 1 Bloodworm Based Diet Free Chlorine 1 ppm Total Chlorine 0 Total Hardness 50 ppm pH 6 Nitrite 0 ppm Nitrate 0 ppm Ammonia- stress 1.Group/experiment name Group Platy
2.Scientific name(s) of fish(es) Xiphophorus maculatus 3.Scientific name(s) of plant(s) Lactuca Sativa 4.Growing Media Hydration and Lava Rocks 5.Supports for lights and/or grow beds Plastic Green and Red containers 6.Producers Lactuca Sativa/ growing lettuce 7.Consumers Xiphophorus maculatus/ Sunburst Platy fish 8.Light source (with wavelength and intensity) Walmart LED 40-Watt Bulbs with 300 lumens 9. Water flow system/apparatus We have one pump coming out of the water and into the plastic containers in each tank. To make sure the pumps stayed inside the containers we wrapped them with duct tape to secure them in place 10. Miscellaneous (other labels pertinent to your experiment) We have two wooden ledges that are holding up each of our grow beds with of plants in them. Aquaponics Post#4 1. Hypothesis (include scientific names of organisms): We believe that the Xiphophorus maculatus having a vegetable based diet- consisting of zucchini- will yield a higher growth rate of Lactuca sativa than the Xiphophorus maculatus having a bloodworm based diet. We believe this because the Xiphophorus maculatus receiving a vegetarian diet are releasing more waste than the Xiphophorus maculatus receiving bloodworm. We believe that this is because vegetables, like zucchini, are a good source of fiber and is broken down at a faster rate than the bloodworm in the digestive system 2. Literature Review (based on Annotated Bibliography) that supports your hypothesis a. “Dietary fiber found in fruits and vegetables allow for quicker digestion” “one of the most widely accepted vegetables is zucchini” “Bloodworms contain .8 g of fiber while zucchini contains 2gs” b. Easy to Digest Foods: What to Eat and Avoid. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2019, from https://www.healthline.com/health/easy-to-digest-foods. This article discusses why fruits and vegetables are digested at a quicker rate than meat. This article supports our hypothesis as to why the fish in the aquaponics system with a vegetable based diet are pooping more. Carlo, G., Werner, S., C, G., Fachko, R., Thompson, B., & Lewis, V. (2018, March 13). Feeding Vegetables to Aquarium Fish. Retrieved January 18, 2019, from https://aquariumtidings.com/how-to-feed-vegetables-to-fish/. What we discovered in this article is that vegetable are often used to help aid all fish when they’re constipated. This helps explains why our fish are producing so much more waste. Thread: Bloodworms: THE NAKED TRUTH. (n.d.). Retrieved January 18, 2019, from http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?74101-Bloodworms-THE-NAKED-TRUTH. This article discusses why bloodworms are rich in proteins and good for fish.I learned that bloodworms only contain.8g of fiber while the zucchini contains 2g of protein. This article helps supports our hypothesis further. 3. Independent variable (with units) Protein versus Plant based Xiphophorus maculatus diet ( type of food: Glycera (1 capsule/day and Cucurbita pepo (1 slice/day)) 4. Dependent variable (with units) Amount of plant growth, measured in centimeters 5. Control variables (at least 3)
Xiphophorus maculatus (Growth rate: plant based vs protein based) 7. Control Group Species of fish: Xiphophorus maculatus 8. What unexpected challenges have you encountered thus far? A few unexpected challenges that we have encountered thus far is two fish dying, a fish being born, and the seeds beginning to sprout sooner than we thought they would. Due to two fish dying, one in each tank, the amount of ammonia being produced has decreased which will affect the growth rate of the lettuce. 9. How will you know your experiment is a success? The experiment will be a success when the lettuce that receives ammonia from the tank receiving a vegetarian diet shows a higher growth rate per day in cm. 10. How your experiment addresses Energy Dynamics: Our aquaponics experiment addresses Energy Dynamics as there is a constant flow of energy throughout the tank. From the fish providing nutrients to the bacteria converting the nutrients into usable energy for the plants, there is a continuous flow of energy. Through energy dynamics, the plants and fish both depend on one another to survive. 11. Take and post a “before” picture of your set up 12. Compare 1st day and 1st week (Day #1 & Day #5) chemical H2O readings (NO2, NO3, NH3 pH etc.) Day 1: Vegetable Based System Free Chlorine less than 0 ppm Total Chlorine .5 Total Hardness 0 ppm pH<4 NO2-N 1 ppm NO3-N 10ppm Ammonia- stress Day 5 Free Chlorine .5 ppm Total Chlorine 0 ppm Total Hardness 0 ppm pH 5 NO2-N 0 ppm NO3-N 0 ppm Ammonia- stress In the vegetable based system we had a noticeable change in all of our water measurements. The amount of free chlorine increased which could be because we added pond stress reliever to also help disinfect the tank for our fish. Our total hardness levels remained the same. Our pH made a jump from being highly acidic to being less acidic by accepting more hydrogen ions in the water over the 4 day span. Our nitrite and nitrate levels drop to 0 which is good because if those level were to rise any higher our fish would die. Our ammonia levels read as stressed, but our fish appear to be just fine. Day 1: Bloodworm Based Diet Free Chlorine 1 ppm Total Chlorine 0 Total Hardness 50 ppm pH 5 NO2-N 0 ppm NO3-N 0 ppm Ammonia- stress Day 5 Free Chlorine 1 ppm Total Chlorine 0 ppm Total Hardness 50 ppm pH 5 NO2-N 0 ppm NO3-N 0 ppm Ammonia- stress As the data presents our day 1 and day 5 readings are identical for our bloodworm based aquaponics system. This may be because there were no dramatic changes made to this tank because it was previously set up, but it could also deal with human error because our if our wooden ledges cover up one of the holes on the bottom of the grow bed it causes the water to overflow and drip onto the side of the tank which would have affected our data. Our ammonia levels in the tank read as stressful for the fish, but based on observation they’re doing just fine. 1. What is the purpose of this investigation/experiment (Include scientific names of all living organisms) supported by your Literature Review (based on Annotated Bibliography)
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