Phytoremediation of pesticides- degration of pesticides

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 8:43 am

Hi!
On the last post I think you thought that my control was tap water.
I just want to clarify that my control is just fertiliser+epsom salt+distilled water, not tap water. My experimental is the same solution but with lemon juice.I mean to compare my science fair experimental plants with the radishes I grew for fun at home but with tap water. I think it is too acidic too, maybe I should make the pH 5 instead of 4.5 when I change the water because the plants are dying. Some of them are doing well and some not too well.

It's kind of disturbing that the contol plants are starting to wilt too. The stems are turning -how shall I say it- like dry and with splotches of driness. Where some parts of the stem are stiff but some are like compressed in. I think that there isn't enough moisture or something. The green stems look purple-have splotches of purple.

Ok so I will make the epsom salt and fertiliser solution half as strong and then measure the pH. Then I will put 0.5mL of lemon juice and that should make the pH 5.

How would I be able to graph this information? Do I graph the change in pH? But than there may not be significant changes or any change at all. Should I graph the growth too? There isn't too much to graph though. So the results I got before should be discarded? Because I used pH of 4.5 for experimental and control is 6. So if I make the solution half as strong, then it would be different.

I don't know what to do but I guess I'll try that, because my plants are starting to become weaker. It's true it is quite acidic.

Thanks alot,
- Joanne

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 8:51 am

Starfruit wrote:Hi!
On the last post I think you thought that my control was tap water.
I just want to clarify that my control is just fertiliser+epsom salt+distilled water, not tap water. My experimental is the same solution but with lemon juice.I mean to compare my science fair experimental plants with the radishes I grew for fun at home but with tap water. I think it is too acidic too, maybe I should make the pH 5 instead of 4.5 when I change the water because the plants are dying. Some of them are doing well and some not too well.

No, I understand that your controls also have fertilizer... I thought you said you also grew some in just tap water and they were lookig really good.

It's kind of disturbing that the contol plants are starting to wilt too. The stems are turning -how shall I say it- like dry and with splotches of driness. Where some parts of the stem are stiff but some are like compressed in. I think that there isn't enough moisture or something. The green stems look purple-have splotches of purple.

That does not sound good!

Ok so I will make the epsom salt and fertiliser solution half as strong and then measure the pH. Then I will put 0.5mL of lemon juice and that should make the pH 5.

Check the pH of the old solutions (that you are changing out).

How would I be able to graph this information? Do I graph the change in pH? But than there may not be significant changes or any change at all. Should I graph the growth too? There isn't too much to graph though. So the results I got before should be discarded? Because I used pH of 4.5 for experimental and control is 6. So if I make the solution half as strong, then it would be different.

Yeah, this is a problem. but so is having all dead plants! Just record all the pHs and we wil try to figure out how to graph this later...

Louise

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 10:36 am

Hi!

Well not all the plants are head, just some. Just in case, I just started some more plants (germinated them) so that I might have back-up.
So do you think if i change the water, i should make it a pH of 5 instead of 4.5? Because the plants can't tolerate it. Maybe I should've waited till the roots grew more or more matured. Oh, I understand, I think that I misunderstood what you were trying to say about the the fertiliser.

The pH of all the control were 6 and the experimental were 4.5. The lenghts were on average 2 cm or 1.5 cm. They haven't grown much since the roots haven't been all that good. Maybe I should mist the roots and stem to replenish moisture.

Thanks,
- Joanne

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 10:54 am

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

Well not all the plants are head, just some. Just in case, I just started some more plants (germinated them) so that I might have back-up.
So do you think if i change the water, i should make it a pH of 5 instead of 4.5? Because the plants can't tolerate it. Maybe I should've waited till the roots grew more or more matured. Oh, I understand, I think that I misunderstood what you were trying to say about the the fertiliser.

The pH of all the control were 6 and the experimental were 4.5. The lenghts were on average 2 cm or 1.5 cm. They haven't grown much since the roots haven't been all that good. Maybe I should mist the roots and stem to replenish moisture.

Thanks,
- Joanne

Since both groups are looking sick, I think the main problem is the fertilizer concentration is too high, and not the acid level in the experimental group. It is your choice if you want to decrease the acidity with the new batch

Maybe you can put the roots in water more? You could add marbles to the bottom of the cups and then the water level will go up. Misting might help too. Just do the same thing to all plants (obviously)

Louise

deleted-71447 · Post by **deleted-71447** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:29 am

"Maybe I should mist the roots and stem to replenish moisture. "
Misting might help, though I would suggeset an approach like Louise's of raising the water level with marbles. I have grown some plants that are very sensitive to low humidity, and it can be difficult to keep humidity consistently high by manually spraying. It is usually more effective to place the plants in an covered fish tank or some other container that will serve as a mini green house to keep humidity high.

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:23 pm

Hi!

I talked to my science teacher today and she said that the distilled water will slowly kill the plants. She showed me a diagram about osmosis and said that my plants will be bloated. High concentration to low concentration of salt. I told her about adding the epsom and fertiliser. She said that I might be missing some salt content. I asked her about changing to tap water and she said it might be better. I did't need to have graphs and I can just have a table showing that the pH didn't change.

I did put marbles in the cups. I put 3 in each cup. it raised the water level by a bit. That probably helps too. I tried misting but yes it didn't work because it just dried up. How about I put plastic wrap on the cardboard that holds the plants up?Under the plants above the water. So on the bottom part of the cardboard. i can't describe it well. Sorry It will just have holes for the plants to go though. I can't get a fish tank now.

I think I'm going to do the tap water. I don't think that it would matter. I'm just doing acidity not remediating the metals. Before I do this, do you have any suggestions

?

I also made the fertiliser concentrations half as strong. But now I'm just going to change it to tap water. It would be alright if I don't add some fertiliser to the tap water right? Because the tap water has some minerals.

Thanks,
Joanne

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:34 pm

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

I talked to my science teacher today and she said that the distilled water will slowly kill the plants. She showed me a diagram about osmosis and said that my plants will be bloated. High concentration to low concentration of salt. I told her about adding the epsom and fertiliser. She said that I might be missing some salt content. I asked her about changing to tap water and she said it might be better. I did't need to have graphs and I can just have a table showing that the pH didn't change.

I don't think this is the problem at all- you have a ton of salts in the solution, much more than tap water I would guess. All the metals in the fertilizer are salts.

I think I'm going to do the tap water. I don't think that it would matter. I'm just doing acidity not remediating the metals. Before I do this, do you have any suggestions ?

I also made the fertiliser concentrations half as strong. But now I'm just going to change it to tap water. It would be alright if I don't add some fertiliser to the tap water right? Because the tap water has some minerals.

Yes, I think you could use straight tap water.

Louise

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:50 pm

Hi!

I read this message yesterday adn I added straight tap water. my tap water's pH is actually pretty good ->7. I added 0.5 mL and is now pH of 6.
The plants aren't very good ( i.e dehydrated/dead/wilted from the previous distilled water thing.) Good news is that I'm done the previous experiment- my hypothesis didn't work. But I'm doing another one with the tap water. The seeds I germinated 3 or 4 days agod have grown into 1 cm seedlings so i'm going to put that in a separate group. So basically i'm doing the same experiment but just with new plants. But I'm not throwing away my previous 32 plants (with some dead).

I'm sorry if I changed plans so fast

. I hope this works. This is just my backup plan. If the little sprouts don't work. Then I still have my previous experiment. Does that sound ok.
Once again thanks so much for helping me though this project.

- Joanne

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 7:31 am

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

I read this message yesterday adn I added straight tap water. my tap water's pH is actually pretty good ->7. I added 0.5 mL and is now pH of 6.
The plants aren't very good ( i.e dehydrated/dead/wilted from the previous distilled water thing.) Good news is that I'm done the previous experiment- my hypothesis didn't work. But I'm doing another one with the tap water. The seeds I germinated 3 or 4 days agod have grown into 1 cm seedlings so i'm going to put that in a separate group. So basically i'm doing the same experiment but just with new plants. But I'm not throwing away my previous 32 plants (with some dead).

I wouldn't say your hypothesis didn't work. You did an experiment. The acid plants were smaller than the control plants (right?), thus you showed that these plants did not remediate acid _under these conditions_. This may disprove your hypothesis, but it is a valid result.

Once again, I think osmosis and distilled water was not the problem.

I'm sorry if I changed plans so fast . I hope this works. This is just my backup plan. If the little sprouts don't work. Then I still have my previous experiment. Does that sound ok.
Once again thanks so much for helping me though this project.

I think this is great that you have a backup. You can probably talk about both sets of data in your report (distilled water + fertiliser vs. tap water)

Louise

deleted-71447 · Post by **deleted-71447** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 4:09 pm

Hi,
Do you know the source of your tap water? Do you have a private well, or community water supply? If it is a community water supply, there are probably some chemistry data available that might be worth adding to your report.

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:38 pm

Hi!

Thanks so much! Now I can use both data and compare tap water vs. distilled water+fertiliser+ epsom salts. It's very interesting. The added nutrients should replace the nutrients in tap water. Though my plants died. Ok. Final guess. Is it the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water? Because there are a lot of bubbles in the plants with the tap water and the bubbles are sticking close to the roots. Oh by the way the plants are great with the tap water including with the lemon juice. I think it is a community water supply. I think I can find it at our municipal website. How come the chemistry data might be useful? I just wanted to know. Don't know what you are trying to say.

For the title of my board, should I make it- Phytoremediation of citric and ascorbic acid? Because that is what is in my lemon juice right? Or I'll think of something more creative.

http://www.toronto.ca/water/faq.htm
From website:
Toronto water hardness is usually between 120 to 125 parts per million (the average for 2005 was 121 milligram/litre or 8.6 grains/imperial gallon).
Or that ->
Why do we use chlorine and fluoride in our water?

They give a water Education Line. I could try calling that.

Should I still add some magnesium? Because on the website you gave me about ' the murder plot that failed'. They said the radishes do better with added magnesium.

- Thanks again! I'm almost done the good copy of my brocheur and board write up. Just waiting for the final results of the second part of my experiment.

- Joanne

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:34 pm

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

Thanks so much! Now I can use both data and compare tap water vs. distilled water+fertiliser+ epsom salts. It's very interesting. The added nutrients should replace the nutrients in tap water. Though my plants died. Ok. Final guess. Is it the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water?

Maybe. If you use water from the tap and it could have more oxygen in it when it was fresh. If it stood in a jar/container, then it probably had the same amount as the distilled water.

Because there are a lot of bubbles in the plants with the tap water and the bubbles are sticking close to the roots. Oh by the way the plants are great with the tap water including with the lemon juice.

Cool

I think it is a community water supply. I think I can find it at our municipal website. How come the chemistry data might be useful? I just wanted to know. Don't know what you are trying to say.

Well, you know exactly what the fertilizer mixture contained. If you can find out exactly what the tap water contained then you could make some comparisions. You really want to find out the amounts of the metals in the fertilizer (iron, mg, etc).

Should I still add some magnesium? Because on the website you gave me about ' the murder plot that failed'. They said the radishes do better with added magnesium.

I wouldn't. If the plants are fine, why mess with them. That website said that there was enough magnesium in the tap water that the radishes were okay.

Louise

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:00 pm

Hi!

This is great, my plants phytoremediated the lemon juice! The pH turned from 5 to ph of 6. I am stuck on conclusion, how do I compare the tap water with the distilled water?There is almost nothing you can compare besindes that the pH of the distilled water+epsom salt+ fertiliser stayed the same. How am I able to graph anything on the plants with the distilled water?Do I need to graph the heights of the plants even though I'm mainly focused on thechange of pH? Maybe I can show the change in pH with the height. Or should I just graph the change in pH over time?

Can you help me figure out the mineral content and what to include? Because it lists a bunch of minerals including zinc, copper to silica
It is on page 12

Also, for the hypothesis do I need to change -> It was hypothesized that radish plants are able to phytoremediate the acid found in lemon juice (citric and ascorbic acid). to -> It was hypothesised that radish plants are able to phytoremediate
Hi!

This is great, my plants phytoremediated the lemon juice! The pH turned from 5 to ph of 6. I am stuck on conclusion, how do I compare the tap water with the distilled water?There is almost nothing you can compare besindes that the pH of the distilled water+epsom salt+ fertiliser stayed the same. How am I able to graph anything on the plants with the distilled water?Do I need to graph the heights of the plants even though I'm mainly focused on thechange of pH? Maybe I can show the change in pH with the height. Or should I just graph the change in pH over time?

Can you help me figure out the mineral content and what to include? Because it lists a bunch of minerals including zinc, copper to silica
It is on page 12
http://www.toronto.ca/water/quality_rep ... _10-12.pdf

Also, for the hypothesis do I need to change -> It was hypothesized that radish plants are able to phytoremediate the acid found in lemon juice (citric and ascorbic acid). to -> It was hypothesised that radish plants are able to phytoremediate the acid found in lemon juice (citric and ascorbic acid) better in tap water rather than in distilled water.

Thanks so much for being there to help me,
- Joanne

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 8:25 pm

Hi!

Surry about that last post. I accidentally pasted something twice. I just want to ask you if I need to include the procedure for both the tap water and the distilled water+fertilier+epsom salts. And the second is my tiltile sounds ok.
1. Phytoremediation of citric acid and ascorbic acid
-> ( or should I just write on of it -citric acid or ascorbic)
i think maybe citric.
2. Phytoremediation of lemon juice
3. phytoremediation of contaminants
4. phytoremediation
5. Can radish plants phytoremediate lemon juice?/ Can radish plants phytoremediate citric and ascorbic acid.
6. phytoremediating with radish seeds.
7. Phytoremediation: radish seeds and lemon juice
8. cleaning the earth, one plant at a time
9. plants cleaning up our contaminants

Something along the lines of that. I can't think of a good one.
as you can see, I'm not very creatvie. My science teacher said that it should be short and catches attention.

Thanks,
- Joanne

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 8:59 am

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

This is great, my plants phytoremediated the lemon juice! The pH turned from 5 to ph of 6. I am stuck on conclusion, how do I compare the tap water with the distilled water?There is almost nothing you can compare besindes that the pH of the distilled water+epsom salt+ fertiliser stayed the same. How am I able to graph anything on the plants with the distilled water?Do I need to graph the heights of the plants even though I'm mainly focused on thechange of pH? Maybe I can show the change in pH with the height. Or should I just graph the change in pH over time?

I would graph all of these things and see which graphs are most interesting.

Can you help me figure out the mineral content and what to include? Because it lists a bunch of minerals including zinc, copper to silica
It is on page 12

You want to use the same minerals you had in the distilled water+ fertilizer. You said before, "Nitrogen (0.15 %), Chelated Iron ( 0.26%), Chelated Manganese ( 0.05%), Chelated Zinc (0.003%) etc..." plus the magnesium. You need to look carefully and see what those percents are (weight/weight , weight/volume). You want to see if these values are for the metal itself or for the combined weight of the chelate and metal ion.

You want to convert to mg/L, since the water quality table uses those units. So, for the epsom salt, you used 513mg/L. Epsom salt has other stuff besides magnesium in it...it is MgSO4Â·7H2O. Chemists use a measure called a mole and all the tables of values are in this unit. We want to know how much one mole of epsom salt weighs and how much of that weight is from Mg. Epsom salt weighs 246.5 g/mole. Mg weighs 24.3 g/mole. So the fraction of the weight that comes from Mg is 24.3/246.5 or about 10%. So your solution has about 50 mg/mL and the tap water has 8.8 mg.

The acid mine drainage problem has two components. 1) acid 2) metals. I think what you found that out experimentally, especially part 2. FOr whatever reason, it seems that your fertilizer mixture didn't work and killed all plants, with or without acid. So, you can use this data to illustrate how hard the real world problem is: you have to think about two different things! And really you have to think about the acid and ther atio of all 15 minerals. The tap water has much lower levels of all the metals, and is apparently sufficient to support growth of the plants, at least over a few weeks.

If you were to extend this project next year, I would test many different dilutions of fertilizer against tap water. You could find exactly water mineral level is too much for plants.

Also, for the hypothesis do I need to change -> It was hypothesized that radish plants are able to phytoremediate the acid found in lemon juice (citric and ascorbic acid). to -> It was hypothesised that radish plants are able to phytoremediate

I would not change your hypothesis. The first hypothesis is general enough that it covers both experiments well. Besides, in a science fair it is fine to disprove your hypothesis, so I think generally you are not supposed to change it.

Louise

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 10:28 am

Hi!

The growth rate of radish plants isn't as interesting so I decided to do the graph on the change of pH. It is a line graph to show change over time and has a table attatched to it. For the distilled water experiment. I am just going to do the same thing. So you can compare. But all you will see is that the pH is constant (6).

Thanks for figuring that out for me. I couldn't have figured it out myself. It sounds so complex.

Thanks so much for helping me!
- Joanne

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:06 am

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

The growth rate of radish plants isn't as interesting so I decided to do the graph on the change of pH. It is a line graph to show change over time and has a table attatched to it. For the distilled water experiment. I am just going to do the same thing. So you can compare. But all you will see is that the pH is constant (6).

Thanks for figuring that out for me. I couldn't have figured it out myself. It sounds so complex.

Thanks so much for helping me!
- Joanne

This sounds good. If you need help with figuring out the amounts of metals in the fertilizer, just let me know. It seems complex, but once you have chemistry, it is easy. I know you haven't covered these topics yet, so I don't mind doing the calculations.

Louise

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:34 am

Hi!

Yes please. It would be appreciated if you could help me figure out the mineral content in the fertilier. The total amount of fertilier in the bottle was 30 mL (1 fl oz.) The dilution rate is 5 mL for 37.8L. In each cup there is 230 mL of water. I also have to include the 0.39 g of epsom salt. I'm not sure if it is the weight of the minerals or the amount in the bottle. Thoufh it says: Total nitrogen 0.15% etc... . It also says 'Guaranteed analysis. If that helps at all.

thanks so much,
- Joanne

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:48 am

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

Yes please. It would be appreciated if you could help me figure out the mineral content in the fertilier. The total amount of fertilier in the bottle was 30 mL (1 fl oz.) The dilution rate is 5 mL for 37.8L. In each cup there is 230 mL of water. I also have to include the 0.39 g of epsom salt. I'm not sure if it is the weight of the minerals or the amount in the bottle. Thoufh it says: Total nitrogen 0.15% etc... . It also says 'Guaranteed analysis. If that helps at all.

thanks so much,
- Joanne

Is there any way you could scan the label and email it to science buddies to mail to me? Otherwise, can you see if you can find a website for the brand that might have the label/contents info?

Louise

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:02 pm

Hi!

I finished my science fair yesterday but I emailed you the label information. I could use that information for my class presentation which is next week. If you can do that, that would be great. If you don't have time, then you don't have to. If it isn't too much trouble for you. I scanned te whole label. I peeled it off the bottle.

The teachers said that my science fair project was very good and interesting.Thanks so much louise and all the other people that helped me! I understood this topic more deeply and I truly enjoyed this experiment and experience. I actually first saw this topic at the ontario science centre website.

Thanks again.
- Joanne

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:33 pm

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

I finished my science fair yesterday but I emailed you the label information. I could use that information for my class presentation which is next week. If you can do that, that would be great. If you don't have time, then you don't have to. If it isn't too much trouble for you. I scanned te whole label. I peeled it off the bottle.

The teachers said that my science fair project was very good and interesting.Thanks so much louise and all the other people that helped me! I understood this topic more deeply and I truly enjoyed this experiment and experience. I actually first saw this topic at the ontario science centre website.

Thanks again.
- Joanne

Glad you had fun. I got the label. It is very strange... I will try to figure out the metals for you. One thing I notices is that it is a 0.15-0-0 fertiliser, which means it lacks potassium and phosphorus, which are vital to plant growth. (the number should be Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium). So now I wonder if these plants died because they did not get these two elements. Before, I thought they were getting too much metals, but maybe it was too little of these two nutrients.

Louise

deleted-71447 · Post by **deleted-71447** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:55 pm

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

I finished my science fair yesterday but I emailed you the label information. I could use that information for my class presentation which is next week. If you can do that, that would be great. If you don't have time, then you don't have to. If it isn't too much trouble for you. I scanned te whole label. I peeled it off the bottle.

The teachers said that my science fair project was very good and interesting.Thanks so much louise and all the other people that helped me! I understood this topic more deeply and I truly enjoyed this experiment and experience. I actually first saw this topic at the ontario science centre website.

Thanks again.
- Joanne

Congrats! I'm glad your teacher approved of your project, and I'm sure your class presentation will go just as well.

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:22 pm

Hi!

well yes I thought it was odd too that it was 0.15-0-0. I wonder why they would use that solution for the aquatic fertiliser. Do the aquatic plants not need potassium and phosphorus? That Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium was confusing for me. I couldn't figure out what it was. I thoght that was just a bunch of numbers. Yeah maybe they lacked the twp nutrients. When I checked a hydroponics book, I noticed that the signs the plants showed, indicate to a lack of potassium and phosphorus. THe purple spots on the stem.

Thanks anyway for you help!

- Joanne

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:27 pm

Oh and thanks so much. I did have alot fun

. I hope so that I'll do well in the class presentation. The teacher is looking for understanding.

Thanks for the encouragement.
- Joanne

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:19 am

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

well yes I thought it was odd too that it was 0.15-0-0. I wonder why they would use that solution for the aquatic fertiliser. Do the aquatic plants not need potassium and phosphorus? That Nitrogen-Phosphorous-Potassium was confusing for me. I couldn't figure out what it was. I thoght that was just a bunch of numbers. Yeah maybe they lacked the twp nutrients. When I checked a hydroponics book, I noticed that the signs the plants showed, indicate to a lack of potassium and phosphorus. THe purple spots on the stem.

Thanks anyway for you help!
- Joanne

I don't know anything about aquatic plants. It is cool that the purple spots seem to be related to the known mineral defficieny. I think it is great that you found an explanation for these signs!

Louise

deleted-71588 · Post by **deleted-71588** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:58 am

Try here http://faq.thekrib.com/plant-qa.html#nutrients for a good reference on acquarium plant issues and click on neutrients and fertilizer to get to the relavent section.

I'm just guessing here, but the "aquatic fertilizer" you purchased was probably formulated for fish tanks where the phosphorus and potassium have to be carefully balanced for the fish and plants. Fish food typically provides the incremental P and K needed but the fish may not excrete enough nitrogen for the aquatic plants.

You've run into a similar neutrient imbalance problem that many lawn fertilizers like 29-3-4 can cause. The huge amount of nitrogen will cause the grass to grow like crazy but it won't necessarily be heathy. 29-3-4 usually makes for a poor garden. 10-10-10 usually makes for a better garden, but the only way to know is soil analysis.

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:37 pm

Hi!

Thanks alot. That's very funny because the lady that sold me that said they used it for the bamboo. It was a gardening and aquarium shop. But the problem was that my plants aren't aquatinc and I'm not letting any fish swim with the plants.

Yes that might be it. Poor nutrition balance. That's cool that fish have the nutrients. The webpage was interesting.

At least i have an explanation adn better yet, I did two experiments. I just need to explain why the first didn't work out. A.K.A with the distilled water.

Louise · Post by **Louise** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 10:37 am

Starfruit wrote:Hi!

Thanks alot. That's very funny because the lady that sold me that said they used it for the bamboo. It was a gardening and aquarium shop. But the problem was that my plants aren't aquatinc and I'm not letting any fish swim with the plants.

Yes that might be it. Poor nutrition balance. That's cool that fish have the nutrients. The webpage was interesting.

At least i have an explanation adn better yet, I did two experiments. I just need to explain why the first didn't work out. A.K.A with the distilled water.

Sorry for the delay. I was being very stupid and couldn't figure out the label. It is actually really easy. All the numbers are in mass percents. Then they tell you that when diuted properly (to 38.7 L) the concentration of iron is 0.3 mg/L. Look at the mass percent of iron-0.26%. This rounds to 0.3. So, you can convert all the mass percents to mg/L directly.

That is: nitrogen is 0.15 g/mL, Mo is 0.0007 mg/L, etc. Then, from my other post, the addition of epsom salt leads to Mg 50 mg/L for that. Now you can compare with the water quality table.

Again, I think the critical factor is the lack of phosporous, as you diagnosed with you plant book. Still, it is probably interesting to say something about how much more nutrients are added by fertiliser versus tap water.

Good luck with the class presentation.

If you wanted to, I think you could expand on this project for next year's science fair, using what you've learned about hydroponics.

Louise

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 1:04 pm

Hi!

Thank you so much for helping me on my project. Science fair is not that hard afterall when you break it down. Thanks to everyone who helped me understand this topic better. And thanks to Louise for figuring out the label for me. Yes, it was interesting the amount of neutrients added by the fertiliser.

This was a wonderful experience considering this was my first time growing plants hydroponically. What was funny was that the guy who worked at home hardware didn't know what I was talking about. I realized that last year I though you spelled hydroponics like -> hydrophonics.

I can't thank all of you who helped me enough. Thanks, and I hope I do well in the presentation too. Our science teacher will tell us our marks after the presentation.

Thanks so much everyone,
- Joanne

Starfruit · Post by **Starfruit** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 2:53 pm

Hello!

I haven't replyed in so long and it seems weird now. But I just wanted to report back on what I got. my science teacher was really impressed and gave me 25+ out of 25. That was after my presentations. I can't believe I managed to pull this project off with the help of all the magnificent experts at science buddies. So thanks again to all the people that helped me. I enjoyed this project alot and had so much fun. I can't thank all of you enough. You don't need to reply. I just wanted to tell you that and report back after all your help.They should make more of these forums, they are so helpful for students. Too bad I didn't discover it last year.

After one science fair is done, there are always many more to help. You guys work so hard and are always so fast to reply (sometimes in an hour).
I have one last question: Do you get any post during the summer? Since there is no school or competitions (I think).

Thanks for all the help!
- Joanne