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GMU:DIY Biolab “Driver’s License”/Christian Wiegert (view source)
Revision as of 00:22, 11 February 2018
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= Introduction = | == Introduction == | ||
For my introductory course in the Biolab I decided to focus on plants and especially on growing them under artificial circumstances. I split my experimentations in two parts: '''1:Growing plants under very artificial light''' and '''2:Growing plants under very artificial circumstances''' | For my introductory course in the Biolab I decided to focus on plants and especially on growing them under artificial circumstances. I split my experimentations in two parts: '''1:Growing plants under very artificial light''' and '''2:Growing plants under very artificial circumstances''' | ||
= Ideas = | == Ideas == | ||
== 1:Growing plants under very artificial light == | === 1:Growing plants under very artificial light === | ||
Set up several boxes to grow plants under artificial light. Vary color, duration or other aspects of the light and see, if it changes anything in the growing of plants. | Set up several boxes to grow plants under artificial light. Vary color, duration or other aspects of the light and see, if it changes anything in the growing of plants. | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
==2:Growing plants under very artificial circumstances== | ===2:Growing plants under very artificial circumstances=== | ||
Grow plants in different substitues for soil, e.g. agar-agar-murishage-skoog-medium and see how they do. | Grow plants in different substitues for soil, e.g. agar-agar-murishage-skoog-medium and see how they do. | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
= Experiment = | == Experiment == | ||
== 1:Growing plants under very artificial light == | === 1:Growing plants under very artificial light === | ||
=== Day 0 === | ==== Day 0 ==== | ||
I build and set up a box, seperated in 4 sections. Each section containing one 1 Watt LED to support the inhabitants with light. The boxes have fans, so the air inside will be interchanged from time to time. To control the amount and - for the first experiment - the duration of the light and the fans i wrote a little script that is running on an arduino. this script also counts the time (and in case of a powerdrain stores this information on the eeprom). | I build and set up a box, seperated in 4 sections. Each section containing one 1 Watt LED to support the inhabitants with light. The boxes have fans, so the air inside will be interchanged from time to time. To control the amount and - for the first experiment - the duration of the light and the fans i wrote a little script that is running on an arduino. this script also counts the time (and in case of a powerdrain stores this information on the eeprom). | ||
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I set up the box in my shared-working-room, which was probably not the best idea, as people there tend to be heating a lot, which results in very dry air. | I set up the box in my shared-working-room, which was probably not the best idea, as people there tend to be heating a lot, which results in very dry air. | ||
=== Day 2 === | ==== Day 2 ==== | ||
The Plants are already sprouting. No real difference. Neither between colors of light nor between durations | The Plants are already sprouting. No real difference. Neither between colors of light nor between durations | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=== Day 5 === | ==== Day 5 ==== | ||
The plants are growing well. the look a bit leggy, which might be a hint, that the light is not enough. but as i forgot to plant some reference-plants i can't be sure as "gartenkresse" is quite leggy anyway | The plants are growing well. the look a bit leggy, which might be a hint, that the light is not enough. but as i forgot to plant some reference-plants i can't be sure as "gartenkresse" is quite leggy anyway | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=== Day 15 === | ==== Day 15 ==== | ||
The plants are still growing, but they definitely seem weak. i guess it might be due to the fact that they get not enough motion by the fans. probably its also due to the lack of light. | The plants are still growing, but they definitely seem weak. i guess it might be due to the fact that they get not enough motion by the fans. probably its also due to the lack of light. | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=== The End === | ==== The End ==== | ||
Shortly before Christmas I decided to end this experiment, as i knew the university would shut down electricity during the holidays i took the plants out of there boxes and placed them under sunlight. | Shortly before Christmas I decided to end this experiment, as i knew the university would shut down electricity during the holidays i took the plants out of there boxes and placed them under sunlight. | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
==2:Growing plants under very artificial circumstances== | ===2:Growing plants under very artificial circumstances=== | ||
=== Day 0 === | ==== Day 0 ==== | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
File:day0_jelly.jpg | File:day0_jelly.jpg | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=== Day 2 === | ==== Day 2 ==== | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
File:day2_beginning.jpg | File:day2_beginning.jpg | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=== Day 5 === | ==== Day 5 ==== | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=== Day 6 === | ==== Day 6 ==== | ||
The Rise of the mould | The Rise of the mould | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=== Day 14 === | ==== Day 14 ==== | ||
Mold seems to be winning | Mold seems to be winning | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
=== Mold won === | ==== Mold won ==== | ||
Interestingly the pots, that i kept in my room at home grew some very interesting molds and probably some kind of algae. I took some closeup pictures. | Interestingly the pots, that i kept in my room at home grew some very interesting molds and probably some kind of algae. I took some closeup pictures. | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
==3:Growing algae== | ===3:Growing algae=== | ||
As i ended the experiments before, i wanted to start the next kind of experiment. Wich was tot try to grow algae under artificial light. To start off, i searched the internet for some instructions or tips on growing algae. I found a tutorial, that showed the most basic way to grow algea was to just add plants fertilizer to some tap water, put it to a sunny place and then wait. As this was the most simple thing to do, i started right before leaving weimar for christmas holidays. | As i ended the experiments before, i wanted to start the next kind of experiment. Wich was tot try to grow algae under artificial light. To start off, i searched the internet for some instructions or tips on growing algae. I found a tutorial, that showed the most basic way to grow algea was to just add plants fertilizer to some tap water, put it to a sunny place and then wait. As this was the most simple thing to do, i started right before leaving weimar for christmas holidays. | ||
=== Day 0 === | ==== Day 0 ==== | ||
For the beginning i added 5ml of fertilizer to 1L of water and then filled 3 different jars with it. I had one with the lid on top, so this was fully sealed and only algae already inside the water could grow. On the other hand i was sure, that the water inside would not evaporate totally no matter what happened while i was away. I added a second one with an opened lid and a bottle which was somehow the step inbetween the others. | For the beginning i added 5ml of fertilizer to 1L of water and then filled 3 different jars with it. I had one with the lid on top, so this was fully sealed and only algae already inside the water could grow. On the other hand i was sure, that the water inside would not evaporate totally no matter what happened while i was away. I added a second one with an opened lid and a bottle which was somehow the step inbetween the others. | ||
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=== 3 Weeks later === | ==== 3 Weeks later ==== | ||
Sadly i noticed that no visible algea had grown during the last 3 weeks. Either there are none in the tap water/ air or there is simply not enough sunlight during the wintermontsh to make them grow. | Sadly i noticed that no visible algea had grown during the last 3 weeks. Either there are none in the tap water/ air or there is simply not enough sunlight during the wintermontsh to make them grow. | ||
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But interestingly enough there were lots of dead flies in solution. Of course not in the closed jar, but in all the others. I allready noticed this kind of flies beeing around for the past few weeks and i think the might be some kind of flie living in plants pots, so that could be the reason the go to the fertilized water, but i will try to find out more about those flies, during the upcoming days. | But interestingly enough there were lots of dead flies in solution. Of course not in the closed jar, but in all the others. I allready noticed this kind of flies beeing around for the past few weeks and i think the might be some kind of flie living in plants pots, so that could be the reason the go to the fertilized water, but i will try to find out more about those flies, during the upcoming days. | ||
=== 3 Weeks later: Update === | ==== 3 Weeks later: Update ==== | ||
The flies, seem to be some kind of mourning mosquito (Trauermücke). Thats basically a fly, that lives in the soil (inside planting pots) that might be the reason why they mass-killed themselves in a jar filled with water and fertilizer. I found some information at wikipedia[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trauerm%C3%BCcken] | The flies, seem to be some kind of mourning mosquito (Trauermücke). Thats basically a fly, that lives in the soil (inside planting pots) that might be the reason why they mass-killed themselves in a jar filled with water and fertilizer. I found some information at wikipedia[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trauerm%C3%BCcken] | ||
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=== Time To Speed things up === | ==== Time To Speed things up ==== | ||
As algea from Tapwater were growing really slow, I decided to speed things up a little bit. So i got some water that should be well contaminated already from places, that are known for that. And the best place for growing algea is, as we all know: aquariums so i went to two places that everyone knows keep aquariums: | As algea from Tapwater were growing really slow, I decided to speed things up a little bit. So i got some water that should be well contaminated already from places, that are known for that. And the best place for growing algea is, as we all know: aquariums so i went to two places that everyone knows keep aquariums: | ||