Water Filtration
Hypothesis:
If a water filtering system is added, the living conditions of the organisms living in the ecosystem will improve. The water quality will improve and contaminants will be removed, being able to better sustain the organisms that rely on the water and boosting the overall health of the ecosystem.
How will you collect data?
pH can be found with litmus paper,
more aerated water is better until an extreme point so being worried about over-aerating the tank,
temperature with thermometer,
turbidity can easily be found using a jar filled with water and waiting for all particulate matter to settle → faster settling means less matter + nephelometer can give exact quick measurement
sunlight can be measured using numerous expensive devices but likely cannot be controlled and therefore should be omitted from the experiment,
bacteria can be counted in numerous ways such as plate counts but it's best to just try to filter them out regardless of amount despite some bacteria being necessary for ecosystem(may be expensive),
best to focus on certain vitamins and minerals rather than all → the processes differ and may be expensive or time consuming (Vitamin[Tests for A and B are for blood] C, B, E, Minerals Potassium, Copper, manganese)
How will you analyze the data?
First, we will collect data from before and after going through this system. Then, we will analyze how effective it is at making the water a more habitable area by measuring the differences in each respective part the system aims at ‘fixing’ to a certain degree. By then, we may attempt at finding some quantitative way-through percentages, for example-to show to what extent the system works.
What are the main objectives for your project?
The main objective of the project is to, as aforementioned, help make some waters a more habitable environment for the ecosystems that run inside of them. We will first try doing so in the inside pond of the greenhouse of BCA. Within that, some smaller objectives are reached as well: reducing negative human impact on these environments and allowing the organisms within the waters to continue to play their crucial roles that have impact beyond their own habitat. For example, kelp holds a large majority of carbon that allows for the carbon cycle to continue as it has. However, with our carbon emissions rising, we cannot afford for kelp populations to drop as well, so we have to find a way to maintain water environments; this being an attempt at a step in the right direction.
Are there any potential risks associated with your project? (Ex: will it impact the broader ecosystem?)
A major concern is that this project will not work on a larger scale due to the increase in biodiversity as well as different niches or needs in water quality. However, that means that we just need to focus mostly on broader issues that are harming all aquatic ecosystems; mainly to return water to what it was or to maintain a sense of stability.
Example water without filtration:
~50-60 degrees Fahrenheit
Dissolved Oxygen: 11.14 mg/L (distilled), 12.18 mg/L (pond), actual good 10-12
10 mg/L NO3, safe range 0-25
Almost 1 mg/L NO2, NOT GOOD SAFE RANGE ONLY AT 0 “Nitrite is toxic to fish because it binds with the hemoglobin in fish's blood to form methemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen through the body while methemoglobin does not, so fish in high nitrite waters may suffocate even if sufficient oxygen is present.”
Safe amount of Cl2 safe range at 0
Safe amount of GH (like 100), almost turning to 0, but maintain: general hardness (calcium and magnesium)
Around 80-120 mg/L KH, good range 40-120: carbonate hardness, determines the swing of pH, higher better but not too high (ie above 120)
pH around 6.8/7.2, safe range 6.8-7.6
