Microscopy Pictures

There is an abundance of life in our columns. After sampling some of the water near the surface containing some green color we examined under a microscope.

Our Columns are Working!

We are seeing green bubbles in our columns, which is a good sign and means that they are working! Anaerobic bacteria has been forming since the columns were constructed consuming cellulose as their energy source. This causes them to create CO2 that other bacteria use.  Colors begin to form in the column resulting from the different bacteria; our first color is green which shows the sulfur photosynthetic anaerobic bacteria.



We were also able to measure a current in the two columns that are wired, but the multimeter was a little broken so we were unable to get an exact reading.

A fine biofilm is developing on all of the columns at the interface between water and air. They are probably aerobic microorganisms that thrive with with high oxygen concentration. Next week we will seal off the columns without wires and see what happens. 

Creating the Columns

Creating the Columns

Our first steps in creating the columns were to make electrodes that we placed in two of our columns to see if the reactions will create any current.  We used carbon felt as our electrode and platinum wire as the electron carrier.  Insulation heat shrink tubing wire cable wraps were then place over the wires to prevent energy from escaping the system.  Silicon was put around the wire and tubing so water cannot infiltrate and touch the wire.  Next, a two part carbon black resin and one part carbon black hardener were mixed together and painted onto any exposed wire in the electrodes.  Once those sat and dried over night we finally began to put the columns together.

Our first column was made in a 2000mL tube.  It consisted of 600mL of enriched compost dirt with an egg yoke (for the sulfur content), 30mL of pond water, and 160mL of soil sediment from the pond.  We added an electrode into the column, close to one side, and then added about 500mL more of not enriched compost dirt.  Another electrode was added with another 200mL of compost on top, then another electrode, and about 500mL of pond water to the top.

The second column did not contain any electrodes and was also in a 2000mL tube. However, asparagus was used for the sulfur content and amino acids instead of an egg yoke.  This mixture contains a layer with 600mL of compost dirt, 60mL of pond water, 160mL of pond sediment, and 100mL of asparagus.  An 800mL layer of compost dirt was added on top, and finished off with 500mL of pond water.

The third column was made in a 1000mL tube and also contains electrodes.  The first layer is a mixture of 300mL of compost dirt, 60mL of pond water, 80mL of pond sediment, 50mL of asparagus, and one egg yoke.  An electrode was added and then about 200mL of compst dirt, followed by another electrode and 200mL more of compost dirt. After the last electrode was put into the column 250mL of pond water was added to the top.

The last column did not contain any electrodes and was also made in a 1000mL tube.  The first layer consisted of 300mL of compost dirt, 60mL of pond water, 80mL of pond sediment, and one egg yoke.  This was followed by 400mL of compost dirt and then 250mL of pond water.

Urban Compost

Getting the Compost

A winogradsky column is a system of pond mud and water combined with a source of cellulose, calcium carbonate, and sulfur. Once incubated, the column will show gradients in oxygen level,as well as  well as a sulfide gradient.The soil we chose is actually composted wastes from an urban farm in Albany, NY.

The compost material is from a cycle that includes aqua-ponic growing tubs, koi, snails, a variety of water rooting micro greens, chickens, and rabbits. Organic waste from the growing space can be fed to the chickens in order to turn waste streams into useful commodity. 

 This is a shot of the urban farm where we acquired our compost. This view shows the greenhouse on the right with the chickens and rabbits to the left. The greenhouse is a structure with an opaque south facing roof that allows light into the space. Even on the cold day of our visit the inside temperature was well above 80 degrees 
Fahrenheit.

One mischievious chicken has escaped the pen and is into the feed bin. You can see in the background the rest of the birds as well as the wired off area where organic waste is supplied to the chickens. The main purpose of chickens on this land is to produce eggs and that means there will be a reliable source of calcium carbonate.