Amazing+Algae

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Title:
Amazing Algae

Problem Scenario
If we were to use algae as fertilizer, would it help the plant grow? And could reduce the usage of fertilizer and use algae instead?

Broad Question
What is the effect on plant growth when algae is used as fertilizer?

Specific Question
How does using algae for fertilizer impact the growth rate of plants,

Hypothesis
If I grow 3 plants, one with store bought fertilizer, another with algae as fertilizer and the third one naturally grown, the algae will grow the same as the store bought fertilizer because they both have the nutrition's that a plant needs to grow, and as for the natually grown plant...It will grow a little less because it doesn't have the extra nutrient as of the other plants do.

Graph of Hypothesis
This Graph shows that the regular fertilizer (in green) will end up growing the same as the algae (in pink). It also shows that the naturally grown plant (In yellow) will not grow the same as the plants that are fertilized.

Variables That Need To Be Control
The third plant that is grown with no fertilizer added.

General Plan
I am going to grow 3 plants. Two plants will have two different types of fertilizer added to them, and one will be naturally grown. I will check the plants almost daily and see if water is needed, and will have the plant by sun light. I will add the fertilizer on the day after I plant the seeds and again half way through the process. I will also record new growth every 1-2 weeks

Potential Problems And Solutions
Plant dies off algae doesn't help Plant doesn't grow in time. .

Safety Or Environmental Concerns
Make sure to have safety goggles on Also make sure the plant is on safe table/window sill.

Experimental Design
(add the correct headings from the experimental design page before beginning)

= Comparative Study =

Number Of Comparison Categories:
How many different things you will be comparing: 6

Number Of Observation In Each Sample:
For each comparison, how many things will you be measuring?

When data will be collected:
Looking for an actual date or dates here. This is requiring you to commit to your project.

Where will data be collected?:
Be specific.

Resources and Budget Table

 * Item || Number needed || Where I will get this || Cost ||
 * Algae water ||  || Mr. Biche || $0 ||
 * Plant food ||  || Walmart || $0 (already had it) ||
 * Seed starters ||  || walmart || $3.75 ||
 * water bottles ||  || home || $0 ||

Detailed Procedure
Day 1... Part 1... Take 6 plastic water bottles cut 3/4 off (cut from the top down). Then it's time to make labels. You will have 2 plants for each type fertilizer you use. I am using 3 types of fertilizers. Algae water (water that has been contaminated with algae) Store bought fertilizer (plant food) and natural fertilizer (the sun and water) Take paper and make 2 labels for each fertilizer. tape them on. After that take your seed started pellets and put them into the water bottles. Water them, and plant the seed. Day 2... Time to fertilize! Take your containers of algae water. Measuring how much you have. You will be fertilizing Then take the store bought fertilizer and fertilizer a different plant. Label this one reg. Fertilizer


 * Water every 1-2 days for 1 week*

After this week is up., record any new growth


 * Water every 1-2 days for 4 days*

After these days are up wait a day take the left over algae fertilizer and water the algae labeled plant. Do the same with the store bought fertilizer. record new growth.


 * Water every 1-2 days for 1 week* When week is up record new growth (Repeat for another week)

Data Table
Planted the Plants on 2-26-13 ~ Fertilized them on the 27th

Measured the height on March 4th Fertilized on March 11. Keep growing til the 18th. On the 18th measure for the last time.

|| ||  ||  ||  ||  ||
 * || Weeks: || Algae (#1) || Algae (#2) || Plant food (#1 || Plant food (#2) || Natural (#1) || Natural (#2) ||
 * 2-26 || 1 (fertilized) || 0 cm || 0 cm || 0 cm || 0 cm || 0 cm || 0 cm ||
 * 3-4 || 2 (Measured) || .10 cm || 0 cm || 0 cm || 0 cm || 5 cm || 2 cm ||
 * 3-11 || 3 (fertilized) ||
 * 3-11 || 3 (fertilized) ||
 * 3-18 || 4 (grow/measured) || 0 cm || 0 cm || 0 cm || 0 cm || 0 cm || 0 cm ||

Results
For my results, I had the naturally grown plant grow the most out of the 6 plants, (2 for each type of fertilizer). The tallest it grew out of the 4 weeks was 5cm. For the Plant-Food fertilized plant it didn't grow at all. The Algae feritlized plant grew only a little...the tallest it ever grew was .10 cm.

Conclusion
It looks like my hypothesis turned out to be the opposite of what happened. Some of the plants didn't ever grow. Seems to be the only one that really grew was the naturally grown one. Which makes sense because, really a plant only needs sunlight and water to survive. The Algae and the Plant food fertilized plants must have not gotten enough water or sunlight. Either that or the algae or plant food fertilizer killed the plant. If a plant has too much nutrients it can kill off the cells. So instead of having the fertilized plants grow the naturally grown plant grew. Maybe we shouldn't fertilizer our plants...

Background Research
Plants live off many resource. They live off the suns energy to convert Co2 and H2O into starches and sugars. These sugars are the plants food. If regular fertilizer that has the necessary nutrients and minerals for plants helps the plants grow more, then using dried algae as fertilizer will help because algae has some of the necessary nutrients too. Plants live off of two groups of mineral nutrients, macro nutrients and micro-nutrients Macro-nutrients are the major nutrients to a plant, and the Micro-nutrients The plant takes very small amounts of micro-nutrients. Inside these groups there are many types of nutrients, including; Calcium, magnesium, sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. Algae consists of these nutrients and minerals too, so if you were to use algae as a fertilizer it would help the plant grow, and will help grow the plant better than fertilizer.