The Effects of a Mimicked Underwater Ecosystem on
Hydroponics
By: Claire Downes & Hannah Kim, '18
(CHAOS 2017 EDITION)
(CHAOS 2017 EDITION)
INTRODUCTION :
Hydroponics and Aquaponics have been used for many years as ways to effectively grow food and recreational plants. Aquaponics “utilizes natural nutrients found in fish poop, which is supplied by an integral part of the system, the aquarium full of fish.” (Scully). In other words, Aquaponics, a popular water-based growing system, is the use of transferring water, that was formerly inhabited by fish, into another container/trough in which plants are grown. It uses the natural nutrients found in fish feces to provide life to plants. In contrast, a hydroponic ecosystem does not inhabit fish. “Hydroponics describes all methods used to grow plants without soil using nutrients supplied in a water solution” (McIntosh). Hydroponics is another type of water-based growing system, except it is without the use of fish.
Condensed Materials/Methods:
In the experiment taking place both hydroponics and aquaponics will be used but the real question is, which one works better. The aquaponics element in this experiment is slightly different, only because the resources needed would be expensive to obtain. So, instead of having fish and plants being in separate containers, they will be in the same tank, hence mimicking an ecosystem. The variable in this experiment is the plant Lactuca sativa, more commonly known as lettuce. “The range of food crops grown hydroponically is diverse. Lettuce and other leafy green salad vegetables are the easiest crops to produce and can be grown to market-ready size in as little as six to eight weeks.”(McIntosh pg 480). The control group in this experiment will be two lettuce plants grown in the traditional hydroponic way. The experimental group of two lettuce plants, on the other hand will be grown in a mimicked ecosystem, where tetras or Paracheirodon innesi, Guppies also known as Poecilia reticulata, and Danios who were given the scientific name of Danio rerio will reside and produce the nutrients for the lettuce to live off of. Both of these groups will be in separate 10 gallon tanks, that both have thermometers,air pumps and fresh water.
Hypothesis:
If fish affects plant growth and lettuce plants are grown in an aquaponic and hydroponic ecosystem, then the lettuce plants in the aquaponic mimicked ecosystem will grow wider than the those grown in a hydroponic environment.
DATA TABLE:
Hydroponics and Aquaponics have been used for many years as ways to effectively grow food and recreational plants. Aquaponics “utilizes natural nutrients found in fish poop, which is supplied by an integral part of the system, the aquarium full of fish.” (Scully). In other words, Aquaponics, a popular water-based growing system, is the use of transferring water, that was formerly inhabited by fish, into another container/trough in which plants are grown. It uses the natural nutrients found in fish feces to provide life to plants. In contrast, a hydroponic ecosystem does not inhabit fish. “Hydroponics describes all methods used to grow plants without soil using nutrients supplied in a water solution” (McIntosh). Hydroponics is another type of water-based growing system, except it is without the use of fish.
Condensed Materials/Methods:
In the experiment taking place both hydroponics and aquaponics will be used but the real question is, which one works better. The aquaponics element in this experiment is slightly different, only because the resources needed would be expensive to obtain. So, instead of having fish and plants being in separate containers, they will be in the same tank, hence mimicking an ecosystem. The variable in this experiment is the plant Lactuca sativa, more commonly known as lettuce. “The range of food crops grown hydroponically is diverse. Lettuce and other leafy green salad vegetables are the easiest crops to produce and can be grown to market-ready size in as little as six to eight weeks.”(McIntosh pg 480). The control group in this experiment will be two lettuce plants grown in the traditional hydroponic way. The experimental group of two lettuce plants, on the other hand will be grown in a mimicked ecosystem, where tetras or Paracheirodon innesi, Guppies also known as Poecilia reticulata, and Danios who were given the scientific name of Danio rerio will reside and produce the nutrients for the lettuce to live off of. Both of these groups will be in separate 10 gallon tanks, that both have thermometers,air pumps and fresh water.
Hypothesis:
If fish affects plant growth and lettuce plants are grown in an aquaponic and hydroponic ecosystem, then the lettuce plants in the aquaponic mimicked ecosystem will grow wider than the those grown in a hydroponic environment.
DATA TABLE:
Discussion and Results:
The purpose of this study was to find out which water based system, hydroponics or aquaponics, was more successful. The results of the experiment confirms the hypothesis was supported. Based on the data collected, the plants within the aquaponics tank was more successful because it was significantly greater in length than the plants located in the aquaponics tank. The reason why the aquaponics system was more effective was the involvement of the fish. The guppies, tetras, and danios excrete feces that consists of extra nutrients for the plants. These waste containing nutrients act as fertilizers for the plant, thus stimulating the growth of the plant. On the other hand, the hydroponics tank did not contain anything providing the plants with natural fertilizer. Experiments relating to hydroponics and aquaponics turned out to have similar results. Like the 2002 Kamehameha, Aquaponics vs. Hydroponics Experiment, that showed a greater aquaponics success, as many other experiments had. “Overall growing plants in an aquaponic medium does show success in plant growth, healthier appearance, and a viable alternative to growing food” (Dunn 2012).
CONCLUSION:
After completing the study of hydroponics vs aquaponics, the hypothesis originally presented before the study had taken place, predicting that aquaponics would have more success over hydroponics, was supported by the data collected.The data, which was collected over a ten week period, was collected by measuring the lettuce plant’s height in centimeters once a week then, the heights collected from the three plants would be averaged. The first week there were no results showing due to the fact that the plants were germinating and the lettuce seedlings had not yet made an appearance. From the second week, the data collected seemed to point to the success of hydroponics, due to the fact that hydroponics plant average was 0.5 cm while the aquaponics plant average was 0.3 cm. The lead that the hydroponics plant average produced continued until the fourth week of the study when both plant averages reached 2.2 cm. For the next six weeks the hydroponics average fell behind the aquaponics average and the final height averages collected from this study would be a final 9.1 cm for aquaponics and 8.5 cm for hydroponics. Therefore supporting the hypothesis originally given.
The purpose of this study was to find out which water based system, hydroponics or aquaponics, was more successful. The results of the experiment confirms the hypothesis was supported. Based on the data collected, the plants within the aquaponics tank was more successful because it was significantly greater in length than the plants located in the aquaponics tank. The reason why the aquaponics system was more effective was the involvement of the fish. The guppies, tetras, and danios excrete feces that consists of extra nutrients for the plants. These waste containing nutrients act as fertilizers for the plant, thus stimulating the growth of the plant. On the other hand, the hydroponics tank did not contain anything providing the plants with natural fertilizer. Experiments relating to hydroponics and aquaponics turned out to have similar results. Like the 2002 Kamehameha, Aquaponics vs. Hydroponics Experiment, that showed a greater aquaponics success, as many other experiments had. “Overall growing plants in an aquaponic medium does show success in plant growth, healthier appearance, and a viable alternative to growing food” (Dunn 2012).
CONCLUSION:
After completing the study of hydroponics vs aquaponics, the hypothesis originally presented before the study had taken place, predicting that aquaponics would have more success over hydroponics, was supported by the data collected.The data, which was collected over a ten week period, was collected by measuring the lettuce plant’s height in centimeters once a week then, the heights collected from the three plants would be averaged. The first week there were no results showing due to the fact that the plants were germinating and the lettuce seedlings had not yet made an appearance. From the second week, the data collected seemed to point to the success of hydroponics, due to the fact that hydroponics plant average was 0.5 cm while the aquaponics plant average was 0.3 cm. The lead that the hydroponics plant average produced continued until the fourth week of the study when both plant averages reached 2.2 cm. For the next six weeks the hydroponics average fell behind the aquaponics average and the final height averages collected from this study would be a final 9.1 cm for aquaponics and 8.5 cm for hydroponics. Therefore supporting the hypothesis originally given.
Work cited:
Scully, T. (2014, July). The dirt on soilless growing. Growing, 12(7), 6+. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CA377288818&v=2.1&u=nysl_se_cthss&it=r&p=PPAG&sw=w&asid=10dcb70b6158a5e25c755bc5cd1a18c3
McIntosh, P. (2011). Hydroponics. In B. W. Lerner & K. L. Lerner (Eds.), In Context Series. Food (Vol. 1,
pp. 478-480). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CCX1918600147&v=2.1&u=new30853&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=9cf4b972877459076ceb9b3a0af2a387
Layne, Steven. "Off-the-grid aquaponics." Phuket Gazette (online) [Phuket, Thailand] 24 Aug. 2013: 39.
Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CA344602802&v=2.1&u=nysl_se_cthss&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=89197411903334bbbc12ad8041102d2d
Hydroponics. (2008). In UXL Science. U*X*L. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CCV2646000545&v=2.1&u=new30853&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=20ed7fdea93d51166c67e7134cc6a6bd
Hydroponics. (2012). In Biotechnology: Changing Life Through Science. Detroit: U*X*L. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CYPNXQW578518169&v=2.1&u=new30853&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=21328dce983e0662b0de6ece62377383
Bridgewood, L. (2003). Introduction to hydroponics. In Hydroponics soilless gardening explained (pp.
9-18). Marlborough: The Crowood Press.
McGrath, K.(2001). Hydroponics. Blachford (Ed.) The Gale Encyclopedia of Science (Vol. 3
pp.1922-1923)
Filisky, M. (1989). Carps, Minnows and Suckers. In Peterson First Guide to fishes (pp. 34). Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company
Page, L. (1991). Characins and life bearers. In Freshwater fishes (pp 234, 62,63). Boston: Houghton
Mifflin Company
Greenberg, P.(2010) Aquaculture. In Four fish (pp. 61,62). London: The Penguin Express
Scully, T. (2014, July). The dirt on soilless growing. Growing, 12(7), 6+. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CA377288818&v=2.1&u=nysl_se_cthss&it=r&p=PPAG&sw=w&asid=10dcb70b6158a5e25c755bc5cd1a18c3
McIntosh, P. (2011). Hydroponics. In B. W. Lerner & K. L. Lerner (Eds.), In Context Series. Food (Vol. 1,
pp. 478-480). Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CCX1918600147&v=2.1&u=new30853&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=9cf4b972877459076ceb9b3a0af2a387
Layne, Steven. "Off-the-grid aquaponics." Phuket Gazette (online) [Phuket, Thailand] 24 Aug. 2013: 39.
Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 23 Oct. 2014. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CA344602802&v=2.1&u=nysl_se_cthss&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=89197411903334bbbc12ad8041102d2d
Hydroponics. (2008). In UXL Science. U*X*L. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CCV2646000545&v=2.1&u=new30853&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=20ed7fdea93d51166c67e7134cc6a6bd
Hydroponics. (2012). In Biotechnology: Changing Life Through Science. Detroit: U*X*L. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.doid=GALE%7CYPNXQW578518169&v=2.1&u=new30853&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w&asid=21328dce983e0662b0de6ece62377383
Bridgewood, L. (2003). Introduction to hydroponics. In Hydroponics soilless gardening explained (pp.
9-18). Marlborough: The Crowood Press.
McGrath, K.(2001). Hydroponics. Blachford (Ed.) The Gale Encyclopedia of Science (Vol. 3
pp.1922-1923)
Filisky, M. (1989). Carps, Minnows and Suckers. In Peterson First Guide to fishes (pp. 34). Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company
Page, L. (1991). Characins and life bearers. In Freshwater fishes (pp 234, 62,63). Boston: Houghton
Mifflin Company
Greenberg, P.(2010) Aquaculture. In Four fish (pp. 61,62). London: The Penguin Express