Mackenzie+R

__Question__: Which form of composting, regular, vermicomposting with fish worms, or vermicomposting with red wrigglers contains the most nitrates, producing the best compost for plants?

__Hypothesis__: If all forms of compost contain nitrates, then the form of vermicomposting with red wrigglers will contain the most.

__Materials__: 1. 21 small containers with lids 2. dark burlap (14 squares 4"x4") 3. 28 fish worms 4. 28 red wrigglers 5. shredded leaves 6. apple peels 7. potato peels 8. pomegranate peels 9. shredded lettuce and carrots 10. rotten grapes 11. coffee grounds 12. diced tomatoes 13. dried pine needles 14. soil 15. dried grass clippings 16. nitrate ion-selective electrode 17. water 18. drill 19. 1/8in drill bit 20. 14 rubber bands 21. sheet pan (to catch excess water)

__Procedure__: 1. Gather the materials all of the green ingredients including the apple, potato, and pomegranate peels, the tomatoes, coffee, grapes and the lettuce and carrots. Mix together these ingredients in a bucket. 2. Next, gather the brown ingredients like the grass clippings and shredded leaves. Mix them together and dampen slightly. 3. Buy 28 red wrigglers from a bait shop and find 28 fish worms from your garden. 4. Prepare your small containers with 4 holes around the bottoms of the sides. 7 of the lids will also need 9 holes in them. You can make these holes with a drill and a 1/8in drill bit. 5. Now start by building 7 of the regular composting bins. The layers in the bins should be as followed, start with a layer of brown ingredients and a layer of soil, then a layer of green ingredients and another layer of soil. Alternate the layers until each container is full, and place one of the lids with holes in on each. Label containers, compost 1-7. 6. Mix together what is left of the brown and green ingredients. 7. Next, build the 7 other containers for the vermicomposting bins with fish worms. Line the containers with the dried pine needles. Add the brown and green mixture until the bin is 2/3 of the way full. Then, cover with a layer of soil. Lastly, add the fish worms. Label containers, fish worms 1-7. 8. To build the vermicomposting bins with red wrigglers, use the remaining 7 containers and repeat step 7, but replace the fish worms with the red wrigglers, and label them red wrigglers 1-7. 9. Now that all 21 composting bins are built place them in a sheet pan to collect the excess water. 10. Cover the vermicomposting bins with the dark burlap squares and rubber band them on. 11. Monitor the bins, making sure they stay moist and remember to turn the compost every few days. 12. Once composting is complete, create a runoff of water through each sample. 13. Test each water sample with the nitrate ion-selective electrode to find the amount of nitrates in each compost sample.

__Logbook__: 9/16/10- I selected my science fair project, after reviewing my 5 possible choices with a peer.

10/5/10- I started researching composting and the uses of worms in composting for my Review of Literature.

10/7/10- I talked to Mrs. Wilson about possible ways I could test my compost to figure out which method worked the best. We discussed using a nitrate ion-selective electrode, if worms did in fact release nitrates in their castings. She also told me that Mr. Lloyd might be able to tell me if worms release nitrates.

10/8/10- I went to talk to Mr. Lloyd about worms. He did not know if worms did release nitrates or not, and told me to research it on the computer. He also gave me another science fair idea involving nitrates, if my original plan did not work out.

10/9/10- I researched worm castings and nitrates. I found that worms do release nitrates in their castings, so my original idea with composting would work.

10/11/10- I wrote my review of the literature.

10/19/10- I worked on making a list of materials I would need, also my procedure.

10/30/10- I started preparing to build my compost bins, completing steps 1-4. I also revised my materials list and procedure.

10/31/10- I built all of my composting bins, completing steps 5-10. I revised my materials list and procedure again also.

12/15/10- My composting bins have been under way for a little more than 6 weeks.

1/3/11- My compost is done, so I took water samples from each of the trials.

1/4/11- I took my water samples in to school, so that I could measure the nitrates found during 3rd period. I filled in the numbers on my table and found the

averages. I then made a graph to present my averages.

1/8/11- I wrote my stuff for my science fair board.

1/9/11- I completed my board.

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