7th Observation

November 12th, 2015

This is the 7th, and last observation of our terrarium. Our terrarium has been sitting in the windowsill of the SZB for 7 weeks now and has undergone much change.

Our Ecosystem:

• Water Level: The water level lowered about 1/10th of an inch.  The clarity is still yellowed, possibly more than before, and particles are floating in the water.
• Elodea: The elodea is still uprooted. No obvious change in size. The plant looks like it is being munched on by the snails because the ends of some of the leaves are jagged. 
• Snails: 4 baby snails attached to the side of the container. No adult snails visible.
• Daphnia: None visible. All possibly dead.
• String: The string has more particles attached to it and looks like more could possibly be in the water than before, so it is slipping out of the soil slowly.
• Soil: It looks more moist. The top is definitely a darker shade. Amount of mold has increased and is visible on the side of the container.
• Garden bean golden-wax improved: The plant still looks green but there is not much growth. The bean has withered almost completely and looks like it is about to fall off the stem. One of the leaves is completely yellow. Another leaf has broken off and is resting on the surface of the soil; it is very curled and dry looking.
• Johnny Jump Ups and Zinnia: The original is still green and healthy but the second one is completely dead and curled in on itself.
• Other changes: Condensation present in both tiers of the terrarium. There is more condensation in the top tier. 

Here you can see the level of our water. It is only a small amount below the original height. Our Elodea is floating but very green. The leaves on the left are nibbled on, or seem to be.  Condensation is visible in the bottom tier.

One baby snail is visible slightly below the rocks, attached to the side of the terrarium. The strings are visible and obviously yellowed and frayed.

Our bean is completely black, and we assume, from our observations, that it would be squishy to touch. It looks moist and molded. You can see that it is pressed up against the side of the terrarium and that condensation has gathered around it.  The amount of condensation in our top tier is also high. Our soil is visible and looks dark and moist.

Our whole terrarium is visible here. You can see the large amount of condensation and the whole height of the golden bean.

6th Observation

November 5th, 2015

After 6 weeks of sitting in a windowsill, our terrarium seems to have reached a standstill. It has continued to sit by the window, but temperatures have dropped due to the seasonal change and may have effected the growth.

Our Ecosystem:

• Water Level: remains the same. More dirt particles are floating.
• Elodea: The elodea is still floating and a healthy green.
• Snails: Two baby snails are in the rocks and 3 baby snails are attached to the string. One adult snail is visible on top of the rocks.
• Daphnia: no visible sign of daphnia.
• String: Appears more yellowed than before. baby snails seem to be attached to the string. No other change.
• Soil: The soil looks about the same level of dryness. More mold is present.
• Garden-bean Golden Wax Improved: Sprout looks unhealthy. The bean itself is blackish and soft looking.
• Johnny Jump Ups and Zinnia: There is a second sprout visible. The first sprout does not seem to have undergone change.
• Other changes: Amount of condensation has increased.

Here you can see the garden bean. It is black and seems to be moldy.

Here our old and new sprout of either the Zinnia or the Johnny Jump Ups. You can also see how moist the soil looks.

Here we can see more mold  in the soil. It is clumping together. This spot if the most prominent spot of mold in the soil but there are smaller clumps throughout the soil in other spots.

Our string is visibly yellowed and fraying. It is also curled up against the rocks, so we suspect that it has slipped out of the soil a small amount. In the back, our Elodea is also visible. It is healthy and green. The baby snails are visible on the string. They seem to be attached to the string.

Our garden bean is visible here. the leaf is visibly yellowed on at least half of it but the other leaves seem to be healthy and green. The condensation is also high in the top tier.