Week 2 (Growth)

This week I noticed some definite changes in my MicroAquarium. To start with, the water was considerably clearer. Now the water I used was from #7, which is from the "Pond at University of Tennessee Hospital. Cherokee Trail. Knox Co. Knoxville TN Full sun exposure. Storm sewer sediment pond N35 56.305 W83 56.717 850 ft 10/11/2009." The second thing I noticed was that the midge larvae from the week before had become fewer and bigger. The ones that I could find were also not active at the time. Then I noticed that many more smaller clear like organisms had appeared in the water and were eating all different types of sediment. Plant B had eaten many of the organisms because I noticed the sacs on the plant were large and purple color inside. Finally I fed the aquarium "Atison's Betta Food" is made by Ocean Nutrition, Aqua Pet Americas, 3528 West 500 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104. Ingredients: Fish meal, wheat flower, soy meal, krill meal, minerals, vitamins and preservatives. Analysis: Crude Protein 36%; Crude fat 4.5%; Crude Fiber 3.5%; Moisture 8% and Ash 15%." Included with this post is a picture of the aquarium from the outside showing the clearer water and less sediment.

Week 1 (Set up)

Today, Wednesday Oct. 14, I set up my microaquarium project in lab. First I took my glass slide and filled it with sediment from the bottom of the #7 water container. Then I added water, two different types of plant samples, and capped it off with water. I put the slide under the microscope and examined it. The first thing I noticed was the sediment and what was in it. gliding around inside the sediment was a clear wormlike insect larva that Dr. Mcfarland described as what he thought was a Midge. It was eating the sediment and slowing writhing around. I then moved the slide over to examine the other parts of the microaquarium. Looking at the plants and water I noticed smaller organisms moving around inside the layers of water. There was several different types of organisms but the ones that stood out most were a water mite and a some sort of interesting creature with a bright red dot in its center. I have added a picture of my microaquarium (above) as a whole from my cell phone and I will have detailed photos later.