WEEK 1: Setting Up

This week in lab we set up our MicroAquariums! Here's how we did it:

First, we received a MicroAquarium, consisting of a tiny tank, stand, and lid.
Next, we labeled them with 3 different colored dots. One for our lab section, table, and seat. Then on those dots we wrote out initials.
After that, we put in the tank a thin layer of sediment followed by water from a designated source. We got the first 1/3 of our water from the lower area of water, middle 1/3 from the middle, and top 1/3 from just under the surface.
Next, we added some small parts of plants and mosses into the MicroAquarium.
Then, we placed it on the stand and placed the lid on it and allowed it all to settle.


My MicroAquarium is labeled with dots Blue, Yellow, Red, and my initials CRG. The water source my sample came from was source 9, or the Pond at Sterchi Hills Greenway Trail.


So far just from looking at it under the microscope, I've seen a number of what appear to be worm-like organisms, and what i believe to be a large amount of diverse protist. This week I will be focusing on identifying some of these and hopefully uploading some pictures.