Interpreting Water Quality Data

Unfortunately, the line graph I created on the computer cannot be uploaded due to some technical difficulties that I do not understand (this is aquatic science, not computer science, after all). I have decided to list my data in different colors, because that's always a blast.

Ammonia (ppm): 

• 4/9: 0
• 4/12: 0
• 4/15: 0
• 4/18: 0.13
• 4/21: 0
• 4/24:0
• 4/27: 0
• 4/30: 0
• 5/3: 0
• 5/6: 0.13
• 5/9: 0.13
• 5/12: 0.13
• 5/15: 0.13
• 5/18: 0
• 5/21: 0
• 5/24: 0

Nitrate (ppm):

• 4/9: 0
• 4/12: 0
• 4/15: 10
• 4/18: 20
• 4/21: 0
• 4/24: 0
• 4/27: 0
• 4/30: 0
• 5/3: 10
• 5/6: 10
• 5/9: 10
• 5/12: 10
• 5/15: 20
• 5/18: 0
• 5/21: 10
• 5/24: 0

As shown by the data above, my ammonia and nitrate levels remained relatively low throughout the duration of the project. This is due to the fact that I paid close attention to my water quality and regularly changed Benson's water. Nitrate levels were generally higher than ammonia levels because nitrate is not nearly as toxic as ammonia. Plus, ammonia is converted by nitrosomonas bacteria into nitrites, which are then converted by nitrobacter into nitrates. This means that nitrates are more abundant than ammonia in healthy water where the bacteria are doing their jobs.