Eco-Column Lab

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Introduction
The purpose of the eco-column system was to create and assess different parameters and conditions of the column for a higher chance of survivability for the fish. The eco-column consisted of three chambers: terrestrial chamber, decomposition chamber, and aquatic chamber. Turbidity and pH were measured which helped us analyze the water quality and condition. pH is used to measure how acidic or basic a substance is and turbidity is used for water clarity2. This experiment was somewhat accurate because we added no additional substance to the eco-column environment except water for the plant. This experiment is one of the best ways to replicate the conditions of the environment which far more complex, diverse, and sustainable than our eco-column. Our group predicted that turbidity and the pH levels will increase. The fish that I had specifically selected can survive in an enclosed environment for days. We predicted that this fish would survive longer than an average fish but will eventually die. Success of the eco-column is not only based on the type of construction and materials but
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Our prediction was also correct because our initial thoughts were that there would be an increase in both the pH levels and the turbidity. The data does show an inconsistent increase in pH levels. The results show that it is possible to create a self-sustaining environment. Even though it lacks complexity, it provides a basic idea of the relationships between each chambers and biotic factors. Something like this has been tried on a larger scale for humans but it has failed to be sustainable1. To create a perfect environment, all the paramenters must be stable. Without stability, sustainability would be much harder to achieve. Also, according to our original hypothesis, if the eco-column is left much longer then the pH levels and the turbidity will