Methods
We tested
the lake’s clarity on three different days in three different random locations
in the lake each time. We tested the water clarity using the secchi disk.
We decided to do this because the difference in water clarity is a factor in the
health of the water. We looked at the secchi disk readings from the LTER
database to compare our results to theirs. We also took samples of the
water to later test chloride levels using the HACH test-kit, another factor in
healthy water. We took samples of the algae using the Schindler
Plankton Trap. Each time we took a sample we dropped it into the lake
exactly one meter. These samples were then mixed with ethanol to preserve
the algae. After three different samples were taken we took our samples
into the lab. We weighed dry filter paper. We did this to later see
if the algae would cause the filter paper to weigh more. We poured the
algae onto filter paper then used a vacuum tube to remove excess water so only
algae remained. We put the filter paper in the oven 60 degrees
Celsius for three days. When the paper was dry we took the filter paper
out to weigh it again to see what the difference was. We also put filter
paper with nothing on it in the oven to see if they had any water weight in
them, which would affect our results. It would affect our results because
if the filter paper weighed different amounts to begin with, the results would
have different meanings because some would weigh
more due to the weight of the paper, while others would weigh more due to the
amounts of algae content on them. We then took our chloride samples and
tested them using a chloride testing kit.