Title: A comparison of the progression in the Nitrogen cycle between a chilled tank and a room

temperature tank, in order to add trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Author: Logan Freed, Honors Science Research I, Mod 1, December 2, 2018

Abstract:

In this paper we investigated two Oncorhynchus mykiss (trout) tanks through comparing

their progression in the Nitrogen cycle, so we can add the Oncorhynchus mykiss to the tanks.

Before receiving the trout to put in the two tanks, we had to build them. The students taking

science research at SCHS built two tanks large enough to hold a large amount of Oncorhynchus

mykiss. Both of these tanks included a bio filter, sub pump, and aeration before the students

added water into the tanks. To compare the progression of the Nitrogen cycle between the two

tanks, the students added a chiller to one of the tanks. The Nitrogen cycle is a natural occurring

process in which ammonia is converted to Nitrite (NO2) by Nitrogen fixing bacteria (Nitrious

Sommonos), which is then converted to Nitrate (NO3) by nitrogen fixing bacteria (nitrious

spurious). This changes the water quality dramatically. To get the bacteria, the students had to

circulate the water through all of the systems of the tank and continuously add bacteria to the

tanks to induce the growth. To test the water quality, we used Nitrite and Nitrate, ammonia, ph,

gh, and kh tests. Overall, the chilled tank hasn’t obtained a safe amount of NO3 for the fish after

a month of circulating and adding bacteria. The room temperature tank progressed in a much

shorter time than the chilled tank did.

Introduction:

The objective of this investigation was to collect data from two different tanks both using

the nitrogen cycle one being chilled while the other is room temperature to eventually put

Oncorhynchus mykiss into them. This is a system of aquaponics. Aquaponics is a circular system

combining elements of hydroponics and aquaculture where the water from the fish, enriched with

nutrients, is used for plant growth. This could help the problem of a growing population in the

future. The world needs a stable source of food, and this could be it. It could also assist in soil

degradation and water scarcity. Aquaponics is a soil-free natural process that can be found in

lakes, ponds and rivers. Aquaponics provides a natural habitat and fresh organic foods (foods

without chemicals, hormones, or pesticides). This food source is not only healthier it is more

efficient as well. The students at SCHS are working on figuring out the most efficient way to

circulate a tank system, so fish can inhabit the system as quickly as possible. The students do this

by changing the overall temperature of the tank (chill one of the tanks) to see if the nitrogen

cycle progresses differently in the different temperatures.

Materials and Method/ Procedure:

The students will need a water quality test kit to compare these systems. These tests

include nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia tests to check on the progression of the nitrogen cycle (if

ammonia levels decrease, nitrite levels increase then decrease, nitrate levels increase). Other tests

include ph, and and Alkalinity test or a KH test. The students should conduct water quality tests

once every class for both tanks to observe the rate at which both tanks are progressing in the

nitrogen cycle. First the students take five 5ml samples of one of the tanks water. For example,

the students should take the Nitrite test by adding five drops of the Nitrite solution to one of the
five samples, stir, let the sample sit for three minutes, and compare the color of the solution to

the test color comparison chart in the kit. Same goes for the rest of the tests just follow the

directions on the test solutions such as Nitrate- 10 drops of bottle one then 10 drops of bottle

two, stir, sit for three minutes, compare Ammonia-8 drops of bottle one and then 8 drops of

bottle two, stir, sit for three minutes, comparePH-3 drops, stir, sit for three minutes, compare ( if

the color is too dark for the comparison chart then use a high range PH test with a different

sample- 5 drops, stir, sit for three minutes, compare).

Results:

The students found that the room temperature tank system progressed faster in the

nitrogen cycle. The unchilled tank had more fluctuations in the Nitrates and Ammonia which

shows more progress in the nitrogen cycle.in the unnchilled tank the ammonia levels dropped to

.25 ppms11/19/18 in the chilled tank there was virtually no change it fluctuated from .5 ppms of

ammonia on 11/12/18 back to 1 on 11/28/18, and sometimes the ammonia levels exceeded one

and were 1.5ppms on 11/8/18. The unchilled tanks nitrate levels fluctuated from 2 ppms to about

5 ppms the whole testing period. The chilled tank however had little to no change in the nitrates

at all. The only fluctuation was on 11/14/18 when there was .25 nitrate and on 11/21/18 when

there was 5 ppms of nitrate.

(Not tested right

(Trout tank unchilled) away)
added KH(CO3)
DAY Nitrite Nitrate Ammonia pH KH Temp (g) Nite-out II (mL)
1 0 7 0.1 7.4
2 0 7.5 1.55 7.5
3 0 2 2.5 7.5
 4 0 3.5 1.7 6 120 359
5 0 2 2 8 180
8 0 2 2.5 8.2 240
10 0 2 3 6.2 179 20.6 359
11 0 3 3 8.2 256.4 20.9
12 0 3 3 9.2 256.4 20
15 0 2.5 5 9 256.4 17.6 29
16 0.25 3 0.75 9.2 340 17.5
17 0 5 0.35 9.2 340 17.8
19 0 9 0.5 9 340 17.1
22 0 8.5 0.25 9.2 340 18.1
23 0 10 0.25 9 340 19.3
24 0 5 0.25 9 340 19.1
29 0 3 0.25 9 340 19.1
30 0 3 0.25 8.4 340 18.6
(Chilled Tank)
1 0 0 2 7.2 16.7
2 0 0 1 7 71.6 15.7
5 0 0 1 7.6 89.5 12.7
7 0 0 1 6 53.7 13.1 300
8 0 0 1.5 7.6 125.3 12.5
9 0 0 1.5 7.8 161.1 13
12 0 0 0.5 8 143.2 12.2 29
13 0 0 0.5 8.2 143.2 12.2
14 0 0.25 0.5 6.6 143 12.2
19 0 0 1 8 143.2 12.2
20 0 0 1 8 179 12.2 30
21 0 5 1 8.2 125.3 12.2
26 0 0 1 8 143.2 12.2
27 0 0 0.5 8.2 143.2 12.2
28 0 0 1 8.2 143.2 12.2
Calculations
NO2 NO3 NH3
Mean Mean Mean
0.0139 4.5 1.5111

Standard Deviation
0.0589 2.6953 1.4131

Calculation
s
NO2 NO3 NH3
Mean Mean Mean
0 0.35 1

Standard Deviation
0 1.288 0.4226

Unchilled Chilled

Mean 1.511111 1
Stdev 1.413127 0.422577
Variance 1.996928 0.178571
n 18 15
Ttest 0.159878

Calculation:
First find the mean of NO2, NO3, and NH3.To calculate the standard deviation, first subtract

each of the values of the data by the mean of the data points. Then divide that by the amount of

data selected minus one (degrees of freedom). Then take the square root of the whole equation.

Then count the amount of numbers in each ratio column. When finding the variance of the data

sets square the standard deviations. All of these steps should be repeated for both sets of data.

Next you have to perform the student T Test (difference between the 2 means) and that result

you compare to the chart below. Find the degrees of freedom of the 2 samples, which is 31

because you subtract 1 from both sets and then you find the .05 column or the 95% chance

column to compare that number with your result from the T Test. 2.042 is the number that needs

to be compared to 0. 159878, which is the result of the T Test, and doing this allows the

opportunity to accept or decline with the null hypothesis. In this specific case, you would accept

the null hypothesis because any number that is less than 2.042, you accept while any number

greater than 2.042 you decline.

Discussion:

The unchilled tank developed faster in the nitrogen cycle because bacteria grows better in

warmer temperatures. And because the chilled tank is cold, no bacteria could grow there. The

nitrogen cycle develops through nitrogen fixing bacteria and if the water is too cold for the

bacteria to develop then the nitrogen cycle can’t take place. This is why the chilled tank didn’t

make any progress and kept fluctuating. Even though that is the main problem, there could have

been multiple sources of error. First, in measuring anything there is always sources of error; the

test results could have been off because of all the different variables of the various tests. Also the

chiller could have been set too high. To receive better data and improve this lab the students

could have used better calibrated and precise testing equipment.

Conclusion:

The unchilled tank progressed faster in the nitrogen cycle and is ready for trout to inhabit
the system. Safe levels for trout range from-

NO2: Avg 3.7 mg/L^-1

NO3: Avg  3.0 mg/L^-1 

Ammonia: -->

PH: Near neutral

KH: between 50-100 ppm

And the unchilled tank data are under these standards and the chilled tank is not safe for the

trout. The chilled tank did not progress in the nitrogen cycle and is therefore not ready for trout

to inhabit it. The chilled tanks Ammonia from the tap water converted to Nitrite then again to

Nitrates which fish can tolerate at some level, but the unchilled tank did not progress because of

how cold the water was. This experiment should be executed again using a lit room and a dim

room and compare the progression of the nitrogen cycle.

References:

Plaskowitz, Ms. (n.d.). Retrieved from Nitrogen Cycle 2016 [PPT].

Simon Goddek, Boris Delaide, Utra Mankasingh, Kristin Vala Ragnarsdottir, Haissam

Jijakli and Ragnheidur Thorarinsdottir, “Challenges of Sustainable and Commercial

Aquaponics” Bioponica Sustainability 2015, 7(4), 4199-4224;

The Nitrogen cycle. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cas.miamioh.edu/mbi-

ws/biogeochemicalcycles/Nitrogen/nitrogen.htm