Reef Science fair project ideas

[|Tom the Bomb|]

So I have a (mandatory) science fair coming up at my school and I was thinking I'd do something interesting that I like, (which well is this).

The main requirement was that the independent/dependent factors/variables in the experiment have to be numerical (quantifiable), that kinda just rendered my previous ideas null.
I did ave some new ideas like (NO3/PO4 and coral growth [test both low and high nutrients]) (Ca/CO3 and coral growth [like increase to high levels like 490 and 12 or something]) (photo period and coral growth) (pH and coral growth [lower pH]) ?

(also will these be risky in terms of the actual coral's health)


Just wondering if the community here has some ideas they're willing to share

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Have you checked the rules? Our local schools forbid the use of any live animals, including invertebrates. At my work, before we can experiment with animals, we have to first be approved by our institutional animal care and use committee.

Jay

 

[Just John]

So I have a (mandatory) science fair coming up at my school and I was thinking I'd do something interesting that I like, (which well is this).

The main requirement was that the independent/dependent factors/variables in the experiment have to be numerical (quantifiable), that kinda just rendered my previous ideas null.
I did ave some new ideas like (NO3/PO4 and coral growth [test both low and high nutrients]) (Ca/CO3 and coral growth [like increase to high levels like 490 and 12 or something]) (photo period and coral growth) (pH and coral growth [lower pH]) ?

(also will these be risky in terms of the actual coral's health)


Just wondering if the community here has some ideas they're willing to share

Sounds fun! Almost anything with coral growth will need a lot of time and 2 tanks with the same corals, unless you can provide different environments for each one in the same tank (like feed one, but not the other.) Unfortunately, for most projects about coral you can't do a proper experiment without a least several of the same coral.

 

[James_O]

How long do you have to prepare and do this?

If it is a while, then you might be able to do a coral growth progression.

 

[|Tom the Bomb|]

Have you checked the rules? Our local schools forbid the use of any live animals, including invertebrates. At my work, before we can experiment with animals, we have to first be approved by our institutional animal care and use committee.

Jay

Yep, they allow it, I asked.

How long do you have to prepare and do this?

If it is a while, then you might be able to do a coral growth progression.

I think I have until December or January

Sounds fun! Almost anything with coral growth will need a lot of time and 2 tanks with the same corals, unless you can provide different environments for each one in the same tank (like feed one, but not the other.) Unfortunately, for most projects about coral you can't do a proper experiment without a least several of the same coral.

Yea true, I do have spare tanks and equipment lying around so

 

[Chrisv.]

What's your budget?

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Do coral growth under different light! Small tanks with a couple easy zoas/soft corals, one with full blue light, one with full whites?

 

[Chrisv.]

I wonder if you could partner with @AquaBiomics to do something cool. Maybe they would be able to hook you up to make the experiment more affordable.

 

[|Tom the Bomb|]

Do coral growth under different light! Small tanks with a couple easy zoas/soft corals, one with full blue light, one with full whites?

That’s a nice idea, although how would it be quantifiable, the spectrum in nm? Lol

 

[|Tom the Bomb|]

What's your budget?

I don’t necessarily want to make this too complex and expensive to execute, I can probably spend some extra money buying some equipment that I may need, you get the idea

 

[kittenbritches]

What level of school are we talking about?

 

[Chrisv.]

That’s a nice idea, although how would it be quantifiable, the spectrum in nm? Lol

You can do it with zoanthids and count polyps, or any coral and just use change in mass.

 

[|Tom the Bomb|]

You can do it with zoanthids and count polyps, or any coral and just use change in mass.

Yea I know but what about the spectrum

 

[|Tom the Bomb|]

What level of school are we talking about?

9

 

[Chrisv.]

You can do it with zoanthids and count polyps, or any coral and just use change in mass.

Could also use lights that have independent channel control and report percent rather than wave length. Could borrow a par meter from your local club (or do the BRS rental thing) and test if par n blue = par n white.

 

[|Tom the Bomb|]

Could also use lights that have independent channel control and report percent rather than wave length. Could borrow a par meter from your local club (or do the BRS rental thing) and test if par n blue = par n white.

I currently have radions and a Seneye which could work

 

[Chrisv.]

Doesn't the seneye report spectrum?

 

[|Tom the Bomb|]

Doesn't the seneye report spectrum?

Does it? I have yet to try that

 

[Chrisv.]

Does it? I have yet to try that

I don't have one but I saw a YouTube video where a guy was getting spectral plots. Not sure.

 

[Chrisv.]

Lots of room to make this quantitative.