By David Fulbright

Plants affect on Water Quality

• This project is the affect of Elodea (a water plant) on the water quality of a fish tank. These fish tanks are filled with one Zebra Danio. The amount of Elodea in each tank varied from tank to tank. The first two tanks had two plants in them. The second pair of tanks had four plants in each tank. The final two tanks had six plants in each tank. Each tank was tested for ammonia, ph, nitration, and temperature every day.

ABSTRACT

• Elodea- a water plant• Zebra Danio- a hardy and active fish• Water Plants improve the water quality of

lakes

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Question and hypotheses

• Question- what affect do water plants have on the water quality of a fish tank

• Hypotheses- If the amount of Elodea in a fish tank increases, then the water quality will improve.

• eight milk cartons,• eight Zebra Danio fish,• water plants, • a can of fish food, • a thermometer, • PH testers, • Nitrate tester,• Ammonia, • a pencil or pen, • a notebook, • water,• and a few towels.

Materials

Variables

• Control- the two jugs with no plants in them.• Independent- the amount of plants in the milk

jugs. • Dependent- the water quality of the fish tanks. • Constant- the amount of fish in each jug.

Procedure

• 1. Clean the milk jugs out• 2. Set up the milk jugs near a window with a towel underneath

the jugs.• 3. Fill the milk jugs just below to where the jug gets narrower, to

let the cap screw on, with water• 4. Cut the narrow part of the jug so that tests can be preformed• 5. Place the plants needed in each jug• 6. Place the two fish in each jug• 7. Observe and test the water quality of the water every day at

8:00 pm for one week• 8. Record all data in note book

Temperature

Jug # Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7Average

Jug 1 72 66 68 68 69 66 6868

Jug 2 70 66 67 67 70 68 6768

Jug 3 71 68 68 68 69 67 6668

Jug 4 74 67 69 69 70 68 6769

Jug 5 72 66 67 69 70 67 6868

Jug 6 74 67 68 68 70 68 6669

Jug 7 72 66 69 70 70 68 6769

Jug 8 74 68 68 69 70 69 6769

Nitrate

Jug # Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7Average

Jug 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 00

Jug 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 00

Jug 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 00

Jug 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 00

Jug 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 00

Jug 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 00

Jug 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 00

Jug 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 00

Ammonia

Jug # Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7Average

Jug 1 0 0 .25 .50 .50 1 1.46

Jug 2 0 0 .25 .50 .50 1 1.46

Jug 3 0 0 0 .25 .25 .50 .50.2

Jug 4 0 0 0 .25 .25 .50 .50.2

Jug 5 0 0 0 .25 .25 .50 .50.2

Jug 6 0 0 0 .25 .25 .50 .50.2

Jug 7 0 0 0 .25 .25 .50 .50.2

Jug 8 0 0 0 .25 .25 .50 .50.2

PH

Jug # Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7Average

Jug 1 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.67.6

Jug 2 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.67.6

Jug 3 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.67.6

Jug 4 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.67.6

Jug 5 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.67.6

Jug 6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.67.6

Jug 7 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.67.6

Jug 8 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.67.6

Discussion

• The ammonia in all the tanks with plants increased much slower.

• The tanks with out any plants had more ammonia in them.

• The temperature varied but was averagely about 68 degrees F.

• The ph level was the same the entire time it was 7.6 in every tank all week. The nitrogen was always 0 for the whole week.

Conclusions

• The ammonia was the only thing that really showed any results

• The ammonia was the same in all the tanks with plants

• The hypotheses was disproven

Future studies

• Bigger environments• For a longer time • Use more fish• Use more plants

Biblography• "Aquatic Plants, Algae & Lakes." Washington State Department of Ecology |

Home Page | ECY WA DOE. 27 Oct. 2009 <http://www.ecy.wa.gov/Programs/wq/links/plants.html>.

•  • NC Division of Water Quality: Algal and Aquatic Plant Assessment. (n.d.).

Retrieved October 27, 2009, from http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/esb/algal.html • Kocic, Aleksandra, Tomislav Hengl, Janja Horvatic. “Water nutriend

concentrations in channels in relation to occurrence of aquatic plants: a case study in eastern Croatia.” Hydrobiologia 603.1 (May 2008): 253(14). Environmental Studies and Policy Collection. Gale Kansas State library. 25 Oct. 2009 http://find.galegroup.com/itx/start/start.do?prodid=PPRES.

• Miri, Rachid, and Abdelwahab Chouikhi. “Ecotoxicological marine impacts from seawater desalination plants. (Report).” Desalination 182.1-3 (Nov. 1, 2005): 403(8). Environmental Studies and Policy http://find.galegroup.com/itx/start.do?prodid=PPES.