Some Basic Plant Questions

cuticom

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So basically, once school starts again, in Science we'll be asked to choose our subject for our PIP (Personal Interest Project) Basic rules, has to have something to do with science can involve any subject in the universe blah blah blah LOL.

Anyways, I remembered reading that algae takes some ammonia from the water. I can't for the life of me remember where I read it, but I distinctly remember reading it.

So first things first DO plants consume any amount of ammonia? Or is it just the nitrates they consume?

As I thought something fun to do would be to try a variety of commonly sold plants for fish tanks under a variety of conditions, E.g. which would be the fastest growing, which benefits the most from which substrate etc. Also thought for the more scientific part that shows I'm meant to be a student getting ready for her school certificate LOL, which plant consumes the most ammonia. Though that all falls through, if plants dont actually use ammonia LOL.

It's kinda early to work it all out by I also have four major History assignments, two textiles Folios, three major artworks, a PIP for every core subject as well as the school certificate next year, oh and all the other assignements teachers decide to throw at us. It's better to be safe then sorry, I don't do well when I procrastinate on things.

Thanks
Emma
 
Yes plants consume ammonia. But in levels I think you may find hard to measure.

You may need to use RO water. If you have reverse osmosis water, great. Otherwise a controlled environment (in other words the water) may be difficult / expensive to achieve...

How about a tank cycling experiment???? :hey:

Andy
 
Yes plants consume ammonia. But in levels I think you may find hard to measure.

You may need to use RO water. If you have reverse osmosis water, great. Otherwise a controlled environment (in other words the water) may be difficult / expensive to achieve...

How about a tank cycling experiment???? :hey:

Andy

I think the tank cycling project would be brilliant, imagine how easy it would be! all of the infomation you will ever need to explain exactly what is happening is either on this site or linked to on this site.
Look at all the different aspects you have in a cycling tank aswell. colonisation of bacteria nitrogen cycle and what not, also a good excuse to buy yourself a nano tank :p or two if you compare a planted aquariums cycle to a non-planted.
Greg
 
I admire your ingenuity, but I think you might find this to difficult to control and they are a few to many varying factors. If you dont fancy the cycling thing, you could however quite easily measure the growth rates of different plants in different substrate, as you could keep them all in the same tank, as the water would be the same for all the plants the only difference would be the substrate. That would be scientific and a bit less demanding than also looking into different water conditions, which would be difficult to measure as most fish test kits are notoriously unreliable.

Let us know how you get on though, would be interesting to follow this one :)

Sam
 
Tank cycling wouldnt work to well, I have three tanks rite now, I think my parents would kill me if I got another one.

Also as I'm sitting my school certificate this year, the experiment is sposed to be complaicated, we'll ahve four months to complete it, just measuring the growth of plants is what we wouldve done back in year 7.

I shouldve mentioned I go to a competive private school, you ahve to sit an entrance exam etc, I'm in manily extension classes
 
Tank cycling wouldnt work to well, I have three tanks rite now, I think my parents would kill me if I got another one.

Also as I'm sitting my school certificate this year, the experiment is sposed to be complaicated, we'll ahve four months to complete it, just measuring the growth of plants is what we wouldve done back in year 7.

I shouldve mentioned I go to a competive private school, you ahve to sit an entrance exam etc, I'm in manily extension classes

Well its not just the experiment there is a whole load of reasons plants grow differently in different situations, and some seriously extremely complex theroys behind plant and there science. Could always just cycle a couple of buckets. Or what about something to do with Marimo moss balls why'd they rise and sink? combine this with different ferts ect..... there really is a millon experiments with some complex science for the write up.....ew i hate write ups :p
Greg
 
Looking at the cycling thing, it would be cool to do it as a salt water tank, as then that does go into chemistry extensively. Just I have a funny feeling you cant do salt water in a tank under 20L which is about as big as i'd be allowed to go. Also I've never seen salt wtaer plants, just corals, that kinda dosnt help much LOL.

Are their salt water plants? I know theres kelp, but thats all I can think of
 

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