Week 5 Day 4

Lots happened today and it was all good news! First, we went out into the field and deployed our sensor cluster and data sink in the artificial stream complex at the water research facility and... IT WORKED! Beautifully in fact. The data we were getting from our sensor cluster was very similar to the data coming in through the YSI Sonde, which is exactly what we were hoping for. We also compared it to data from a PASCo Spark. We will not have the data table for the sonde until Monday, but here is the data for the Spark and our Sensor cluster. One area of wide variability was the dissolved oxygen readings but our sensor cluster results ended up being pretty close to the sonde results once the sonde warmed up.

Initial test results using Spark probes:

	pH	DO	Temperature (C)	Conductivity (uS/m)
Day 1	8.81	7	26.33	700

Initial data from sensor cluster

id          time                          nodenum    ph           D.O  temp

19969 7/12/2012 11:50:41 AM 12 09.23 09.80 25.94

19968 7/12/2012 11:50:25 AM 12 09.23 09.77 25.94

19967 7/12/2012 11:50:14 AM 12 09.23 09.78 25.94

19966 7/12/2012 11:50:03 AM 12 09.23 09.77 25.94

19965 7/12/2012 11:49:52 AM 12 09.23 09.76 25.94

19964 7/12/2012 11:49:42 AM 12 09.23 09.77 25.94

19963 7/12/2012 11:49:34 AM 12 09.23 09.81 25.94

19962 7/12/2012 11:49:26 AM 12 09.23 09.75 25.94

19961 7/12/2012 11:49:16 AM 12 09.23 09.82 25.94

19960 7/12/2012 11:49:10 AM 12 09.23 09.80 25.94

19959 7/12/2012 11:49:08 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.94

19958 7/12/2012 10:54:41 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.94

19957 7/12/2012 10:54:32 AM 12 09.23 09.76 25.69

19956 7/12/2012 10:54:23 AM 12 09.23 09.79 25.94

19955 7/12/2012 10:54:14 AM 12 09.23 09.80 25.69

19954 7/12/2012 10:54:01 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.94

19953 7/12/2012 10:54:01 AM 12 09.23 09.77 25.69

19952 7/12/2012 10:53:50 AM 12 09.23 09.78 25.94

19951 7/12/2012 10:53:35 AM 12 09.23 09.74 25.94

19950 7/12/2012 10:53:35 AM 12 09.23 09.74 25.94

19949 7/12/2012 10:53:16 AM 12 09.23 09.78 25.94

19948 7/12/2012 10:53:16 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.69

19947 7/12/2012 10:53:00 AM 12 09.23 09.76 25.94

19946 7/12/2012 10:53:00 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.94

19945 7/12/2012 10:52:54 AM 12 09.23 09.76 25.69

19944 7/12/2012 10:52:48 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.94

19943 7/12/2012 10:52:33 AM 12 09.23 09.72 25.94

19942 7/12/2012 10:52:13 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.94

19941 7/12/2012 10:52:13 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.94

19940 7/12/2012 10:51:57 AM 12 09.23 09.75 25.94

19939 7/12/2012 10:51:41 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.94

19938 7/12/2012 10:51:25 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.94

19937 7/12/2012 10:51:09 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.94

19936 7/12/2012 10:50:54 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.94

19935 7/12/2012 10:50:42 AM 12 09.23 09.75 25.94

19934 7/12/2012 10:50:34 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.94

19933 7/12/2012 10:50:18 AM 12 09.23 09.76 25.94

19932 7/12/2012 10:50:01 AM 12 09.24 09.75 25.44

19931 7/12/2012 10:49:45 AM 12 09.23 09.76 25.69

19930 7/12/2012 10:49:29 AM 12 09.23 09.74 25.94

19929 7/12/2012 10:49:13 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.94

19928 7/12/2012 10:48:57 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.94

19927 7/12/2012 10:48:41 AM 12 09.23 09.75 25.69

19926 7/12/2012 10:48:25 AM 12 09.23 09.78 25.94

19925 7/12/2012 10:48:09 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.69

19924 7/12/2012 10:47:56 AM 12 09.23 09.74 25.94

19923 7/12/2012 10:47:43 AM 12 09.23 09.75 25.94

19922 7/12/2012 10:47:30 AM 12 09.23 09.75 25.94

19921 7/12/2012 10:47:18 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.94

19920 7/12/2012 10:47:07 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.69

19919 7/12/2012 10:46:56 AM 12 09.23 09.68 25.94

19918 7/12/2012 10:46:47 AM 12 09.23 09.78 25.94

19917 7/12/2012 10:46:38 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.94

19916 7/12/2012 10:46:28 AM 12 09.23 09.74 25.94

19915 7/12/2012 10:46:20 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.94

19914 7/12/2012 10:46:15 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.94

19913 7/12/2012 10:46:07 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.69

19912 7/12/2012 10:46:02 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.69

19911 7/12/2012 10:45:57 AM 12 09.23 09.72 25.69

19910 7/12/2012 10:45:55 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.69

19909 7/12/2012 10:45:43 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.94

19908 7/12/2012 10:45:24 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.94

19907 7/12/2012 10:45:24 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.69

19906 7/12/2012 10:45:08 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.94

19905 7/12/2012 10:44:52 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.94

19904 7/12/2012 10:44:37 AM 12 09.23 09.00 25.69

19903 7/12/2012 10:44:22 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19902 7/12/2012 10:44:06 AM 12 09.23 09.64 25.94

19901 7/12/2012 10:43:51 AM 12 09.23 09.68 25.94

19900 7/12/2012 10:43:40 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.69

19899 7/12/2012 10:43:28 AM 12 09.23 09.68 25.69

19898 7/12/2012 10:43:17 AM 12 09.23 09.68 25.69

19897 7/12/2012 10:43:08 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.69

19896 7/12/2012 10:43:04 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.69

19895 7/12/2012 10:42:50 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19894 7/12/2012 10:42:31 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.69

19893 7/12/2012 10:42:31 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19892 7/12/2012 10:42:18 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.94

19891 7/12/2012 10:42:05 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19890 7/12/2012 10:41:55 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.94

19889 7/12/2012 10:41:45 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.94

19888 7/12/2012 10:41:36 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.69

19887 7/12/2012 10:41:26 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.69

19886 7/12/2012 10:41:15 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.94

19885 7/12/2012 10:41:07 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.69

19884 7/12/2012 10:41:07 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.69

19883 7/12/2012 10:40:48 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.69

19882 7/12/2012 10:40:48 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.69

19881 7/12/2012 10:40:33 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.94

19880 7/12/2012 10:40:19 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.69

19879 7/12/2012 10:40:06 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.69

19878 7/12/2012 10:39:52 AM 12 09.23 09.64 25.69

19877 7/12/2012 10:39:41 AM 12 09.23 09.60 25.69

19876 7/12/2012 10:39:21 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.94

19875 7/12/2012 10:39:21 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.69

19874 7/12/2012 10:39:05 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.94

19873 7/12/2012 10:38:58 AM 12 09.23 09.70 25.69

19872 7/12/2012 10:38:58 AM 12 09.23 09.73 25.94

19871 7/12/2012 10:38:41 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.69

19870 7/12/2012 10:38:41 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.94

19869 7/12/2012 10:38:23 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.94

19868 7/12/2012 10:38:23 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.69

19867 7/12/2012 10:38:11 AM 12 09.23 09.63 25.94

19866 7/12/2012 10:38:00 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19865 7/12/2012 10:37:49 AM 12 09.23 09.41 26.18

19864 7/12/2012 10:37:31 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.94

19863 7/12/2012 10:37:31 AM 12 09.23 09.64 25.94

19862 7/12/2012 10:37:20 AM 12 09.23 09.68 25.69

19861 7/12/2012 10:37:12 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19860 7/12/2012 10:37:07 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19859 7/12/2012 10:37:01 AM 12 09.23 09.62 25.69

19858 7/12/2012 10:36:51 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.69

19857 7/12/2012 10:36:44 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.94

19856 7/12/2012 10:36:38 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.69

19855 7/12/2012 10:36:31 AM 12 09.23 09.61 25.69

19854 7/12/2012 10:36:22 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19853 7/12/2012 10:36:17 AM 12 09.23 09.63 25.69

19852 7/12/2012 10:36:09 AM 12 09.23 09.64 25.94

19851 7/12/2012 10:36:00 AM 12 09.23 09.65 25.69

19850 7/12/2012 10:35:51 AM 12 09.23 09.63 25.69

19849 7/12/2012 10:35:42 AM 12 09.23 09.62 25.69

19848 7/12/2012 10:35:26 AM 12 09.23 09.61 25.69

19847 7/12/2012 10:35:12 AM 12 09.23 09.63 25.94

19846 7/12/2012 10:34:54 AM 12 09.23 09.61 25.69

19845 7/12/2012 10:34:54 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19844 7/12/2012 10:34:38 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.69

19843 7/12/2012 10:34:20 AM 12 09.23 09.00 25.94

19842 7/12/2012 10:34:02 AM 12 09.23 09.63 25.94

19841 7/12/2012 10:33:39 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19840 7/12/2012 10:33:39 AM 12 09.23 09.71 25.94

19839 7/12/2012 10:33:23 AM 12 09.23 09.63 25.69

19838 7/12/2012 10:33:07 AM 12 09.23 09.64 25.69

19837 7/12/2012 10:32:51 AM 12 09.23 09.68 25.69

19836 7/12/2012 10:32:36 AM 12 09.23 09.63 25.69

19835 7/12/2012 10:32:20 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.69

19834 7/12/2012 10:32:04 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19833 7/12/2012 10:31:48 AM 12 09.23 09.64 25.69

19832 7/12/2012 10:31:33 AM 12 09.23 09.63 25.69

19831 7/12/2012 10:31:17 AM 12 09.23 09.62 25.69

19830 7/12/2012 10:31:01 AM 12 09.23 09.00 25.69

19829 7/12/2012 10:30:46 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.69

19828 7/12/2012 10:30:25 AM 12 09.23 09.60 25.69

19827 7/12/2012 10:30:25 AM 12 09.23 09.62 25.69

19826 7/12/2012 10:30:10 AM 12 09.23 09.69 25.69

19825 7/12/2012 10:29:55 AM 12 09.23 09.64 25.69

19824 7/12/2012 10:29:38 AM 12 09.23 09.60 25.69

19823 7/12/2012 10:29:38 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19822 7/12/2012 10:29:26 AM 12 09.23 09.63 25.94

19821 7/12/2012 10:29:10 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.69

19820 7/12/2012 10:29:10 AM 12 09.23 09.61 25.69

19819 7/12/2012 10:28:48 AM 12 09.23 09.65 25.69

19818 7/12/2012 10:28:48 AM 12 09.23 09.62 25.69

19817 7/12/2012 10:28:30 AM 12 09.23 09.66 25.69

19816 7/12/2012 10:28:30 AM 12 09.23 09.62 25.69

19815 7/12/2012 10:28:19 AM 12 09.23 09.65 25.69

19814 7/12/2012 10:28:10 AM 12 09.23 09.67 25.69

19813 7/12/2012 10:28:06 AM 12 09.23 09.62 25.69

Here are some pics of us out in the field installing this bad boy and then talking about how the data was shaping up and possible uses for it. Joe and I may or may not have also been pestering Dr. Hoeinghaus about letting us bring our AP Bio and Ap Environmental Science students up to the facility...

Sharon also caught some of this awesomeness on video...

So, the good news is that it works and our spot check seems to be producing reasonable data. We have a bit of an issue deploying the system for a long period of time. Currently it has to be plugged in to a laptop in order to log the data. That is unlikely to change any time soon because the wireless tower that will eventually provide internet to the site is still a month away from being built. We are actively looking for an alternative and I am thinking the simplest way to do that would be to add a data logger shield and SD card to the Arduino. We are ordering one today and will see if we can make that work for the time being. 

In addition to our time in the field we also had a seminar this afternoon over air quality with Dr. Kuruvilla John. His presentation was focused on ozone but also covered a good bit of general pollution, how particulate material moves and some interesting things that happen with air quality. 

Finally... Here is our data from the table top model for today.

Thursday- July 12th

9:30am

	pH	DO	Temperature	# of Fish
Tank 1				1
Tank 2				2
Tank 3				1
Tank 4				12

We had disassembled Spark unit to take to water research field station so there is no morning data.

3:00pm

	pH	DO	Temperature	# of Fish
Tank 1	8.17	8	20.14	1
Tank 2	8.15	7.5	20.13	2
Tank 3	8.13	7	20.14	1
Tank 4	8.16	7.9	20.11	12

Nothing different with results. I figure we will continue to get similar data for the rest of our research experience. In our classrooms we would have students change or add a variable and make predictions based on baseline data. They can then determine which factors would be affected by changes based on temperature, pH, or dissolved oxygen. Depending on which variable they want to study they can research the environmental tolerances. In most cases students will want to study a biotic factor so they can choose to observe and record a species behavior.

Week 4 Day 4

This morning we had a  very interesting seminar from a gentleman named David who works for the City of Denton doing water quality. He is also a meteorologist for the Navy through the reserves. I will see if I can get his power point to share here.

After that Joe, Lori and I spent most of the day working with Jennifer to improve our soldering skills. We started out making a very simple circuit with an LED and a resistor.

 After that we moved on and mapped out a noise maker circuit and put that together. Lori opted to make hers on a bread board and it turned out very well.

I went with the soldering option. Took a little longer but I am proud of the results. I just wish it was louder...

Lori and Joe have spearheaded accumulating some data from the sensors in the artificial stream. Here is what we have collected:

On Tuesday we managed to get our prototype stream system going with 15 minnows in tank 1 and 20 in tank 4. Zac added an equal distribution of plants to each of the tanks. Our gravel throughout spout created riffles large enough to increase oxygen levels. Fish migrated from tanks 4 to tank 3 and 2 but migration was limited in tank 1. We observed that tanks 2, 3, and 4 riffles have a higher volume of water allowing fish to travel upstream. In order to increase fish mobility between each of the tanks we created small channels in gravel.

Tuesday’s results- 2:30pm:
After setting up our stream we turned on the tank pump and bubbler and took probe readings after 1 hr. (allowing fish to acclimate to environment).
***note, Dr. Hoeinghaus brought his fancy YSI 600 to help us compare Spark to something professional grade. We measured our stream system and both pH and Temperature were spot on but DO measured higher- 10.

	pH	DO (mg/L)	Temperature (C)
Tank 1	8.27	8.4	25.4
Tank 2	8.21	8.3	25.43
Tank 3	8.15	8.2	25.48
Tank 4	8.23	8	23.32

Fish Behavior:
When we initially added fish to tanks we observed very little to no movement. After about 5-10 min fish began to move around. After 30 min we saw fish in groups of 3-4 move very slowly through riffles in tanks 4 to 3. Four would move halfway across, 3 would retreat, and only one would make it all the way through. Sharron predicted that the bigger minnows were pregnant females and interestingly enough we observed that they would stay closer to the floor of the tanks.

As we suspected, tank number 1, which has the bubbler hose, has the highest DO concentration decreasing in tanks 2, 3, then 4. pH was all over the place- no consistency. Tank 4, which has the pump motor seemed to have the lowest temperature. We turned off pump over our 4th of July break (a total of 36 hrs.) and took the following readings:

Thursday- 9:30am

	pH	DO (mg/L)	Temperature (C)
Tank 1	8	7	20.32
Tank 2	8	7.4	20.31
Tank 3	8	7.6	20.31
Tank 4	8	7.4	20.3

We observed that tank 3 has the highest concentration of plant matter and also higher DO. We suspect these are directly linked. Lori noted that lights were off during this period so photosynthesis would have decreased (although experiments show room lights have little influence on photosynthesis; the greatest contributor to photosynthesis is our sun) but cell respiration would have increased. We also observed tank 4 has the highest number of minnows. This again would yield a lower DO although minnows can gulp up air from the surface when exposed to harsh conditions.
Our next step will be to  measure again once the pump and bubbler have been on for two hours to compare data.

11:30am

	pH	DO (mg/L)	Temperature (C)
Tank 1	7.86	7.8	20.1
Tank 2	7.9	7.2	20.14
Tank 3	7.9	7.7	20.09
Tank 4	7.9	7.3	20.05

As expected after running the pump for 2 hrs. DO levels rose in a couple of the tanks. Tank 1, which has bubbler, rose significantly +.8. Tank 2, -.2. Tank 3, +.1. And Tank 4, -.1. No consistency here. I think what’s happening is that fish are migrating from tank to tank which fluctuates DO levels. Also, Spark probes might not be giving accurate data.

2:30pm

	pH	DO (mg/L)	Temperature (C)
Tank 1	8.07	7.5	20.12
Tank 2	8.03	7.4	20.07
Tank 3	8.03	7.1	20.07
Tank 4	8	7.7	20.08

Another set of data with varying numbers- no consistency. My next thought is volume of water affecting concentration of DO.