Looking at the Green Algae Mixture Under a Microscope

I looked at The Green Algae Mixture under my science teacher's microscope. It looks like this......

What I saw:
I saw little green bead looking things, these where Chlorella they were the one of the only types of algae I saw and the most common I saw.

Chlorella

(Picture Source: http://www.ifood.tv/blog/repair-your-damaged-dna-with-these-foods)

In one of the Chlorella colonies I thought I saw Ulothrix, because the algae seem to have a long stem like feature which looks just like Ulothrix.

Ulothrix

 

 (Picture Source: http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/images/Chlorophyta/Ulothrix/sp_1e.html)

I didn't see the next two type of algae while looking in the Microscope but I do think they probably are somewhere in my Green Algae Mixture anyway.


They are called.....                                                  Volvox

(Picture Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mikrofoto.de-volvox-8.jpg)

                                                                      Scenedesmus

(Picture Source: http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/pdb/images/chlorophyta/scenedesmus/quadricauda/index.html)

Observation for 10/12/13

The new batch of the Green Algae Mixture continues to grow rapidly and is a bright green color  currently. The heat pad is working great for both the Green Algae mixture and the Ankistrodesmus. Both heat pads are maintaining a degree increase of 3 degrees.

Starting a New Culture

On 10/8, I started a new culture of the Green Algae Mixture using the same process as my other two cultures, only this time I am using a heat mat to speed growth.  I used 35 mL of my first culture to start my new culture.

Results of Heat Mat Test

I ran my heat mat test for 2 days and heated up a container of water to test if the heat mat would maintain a temperature that would keep my algae happy. Without the heat mat the PBR was maintaining a temperature of about 21 - 22 °C. The test showed that the heat mat increased the temperature of the PBR by 2 - 5 °C, maintaining a temperature of 24 - 26 °C.

Observation for 10/8/13

The Ankistrodesmus showed some improvement and change sense the last observation.
It turned a bit of a darker green and thicker chunks of algae grew on the sides

                                                                     Ankistrodesmus
          I added the heat mat underneath the Ankistrodesmus to try to help improve the growth rate.




                                         The Green Algae Mixture showed no signs of growth.

Testing My Heat Mat

 Testing My Heat Mat
I purchased my heat mat from Petsmart. I found it in the reptile section. The heat mat is a Great Choice brand and is referred to as a "mini heat mat," which measures 5.5 x 6 inches.
  
I'm testing my heat mat in order to make sure it will not overheat my algae.
I will test this by using a heat pad to heat up a container full of water. Then I will continue to check the container of water each day to make sure it stays in a temperature(25-30°C) range that algae is happiest in.  I started my test on the night of 10/6/2013, and plan to end the test on the night of 10/8/2013. 

New supplies

The Supplies

• A few more bubblers ( to start designing my PBR)
• A four way gang valve (so I don't have to spend money on another air pump)
• Heat mat (to speed up the algae growth so I can start the experiment)
• Kitchen thermometer (to help test the grow mat to make sure it won't overheat my algae)

 

Observation for 10/7/13

  

Both the Ankistrodesmus, and the Green Algae Mixture continued to slowly turn greener.

                       Green Algae Mixture                                     Ankistrodesmus


The Ankistrodesmus continued to improve after we moved it slightly farther from the light.
The Green Algae began to grow thick chunks at the bottom of the container.

10/1/2013 Observation

The green algae mixture is continuing to progress, and is turning greener every day.  The ankistrodesmus is not showing signs of greening.  A lot of the algae particles looked white.  I think this is because the light is bleaching the algae.  After doing some research, I concluded the growth issues was because the ankistrodesmus was too close (within 5 inches) to the grow light.  I moved the ankistrodesmus PBR 18 inches away from the light.