Echoes - Stromatolite Reef - Hypersaline
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Here's another vertical garden + microbiology concept I've been trying to resolve. Bioreceptive concrete is formulated with a surface texture and chemistry intended to encourage biocrust organism colonization. I've made these panels with various blends incorporating Portland cement, vermiculite, crushed LECA, perlite and sphagnum peat. The dimensions of the panel in the attached pictures matches the insert for the clay panel enclosure shown in previous posts.
Concrete requires patience. This panel will sit in a plastic trash bag sealed up with some moisture for one whole month so it can continue its slow curing process. Then I will submerge it in clean rainwater for another full month to reduce/stabilize pH.
I've made a few of these and usually they pop right out of the mold, but this one was more difficult to extract.
I've wondered about a concrete surface like this in a marine aquarium for observation of encrusting organisms. There is some description of this in the design & bioremediation literature. Maybe a narrow tank like a standard 55G would work well for such a setup. The panel could be positioned in the middle of the tank width, about 6" from the front glass panel, and that would then leave the hidden space behind for water pumps, heaters, probes and a protein skimmer.
Concrete requires patience. This panel will sit in a plastic trash bag sealed up with some moisture for one whole month so it can continue its slow curing process. Then I will submerge it in clean rainwater for another full month to reduce/stabilize pH.
I've made a few of these and usually they pop right out of the mold, but this one was more difficult to extract.
I've wondered about a concrete surface like this in a marine aquarium for observation of encrusting organisms. There is some description of this in the design & bioremediation literature. Maybe a narrow tank like a standard 55G would work well for such a setup. The panel could be positioned in the middle of the tank width, about 6" from the front glass panel, and that would then leave the hidden space behind for water pumps, heaters, probes and a protein skimmer.
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rhizotron
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This is an older pic, but the Mars setup is still doing well. The Cyanobacteria has covered most of the gravel areas and there is also some growth on the lower rock surfaces...
I'll get some updated photos one of these days.
I need to work on this display some more because my plan is to automate air circulation with a microcontroller + humidity sensor and display with a little LCD screen. The sensor is already in the setup, but it's not hooked up to anything...
My plan for organizing this is to use the same kind of hardware/housing I designed for the little 6G shallow tank. These boxes can hold hobby electronics breadboards & perfboard along with wiring connections and slide right into a t-track aluminum extrusion mounted to the wall. I can also design and make various bracket holders for other components....
The larger box with front plant removed....
So, this solution with some additional functionality is my plan for the Mars terrarium. I just need to figure out how components will go together and then cut out new parts for the housings and brackets.
I'll get some updated photos one of these days.
I need to work on this display some more because my plan is to automate air circulation with a microcontroller + humidity sensor and display with a little LCD screen. The sensor is already in the setup, but it's not hooked up to anything...
My plan for organizing this is to use the same kind of hardware/housing I designed for the little 6G shallow tank. These boxes can hold hobby electronics breadboards & perfboard along with wiring connections and slide right into a t-track aluminum extrusion mounted to the wall. I can also design and make various bracket holders for other components....
The larger box with front plant removed....
So, this solution with some additional functionality is my plan for the Mars terrarium. I just need to figure out how components will go together and then cut out new parts for the housings and brackets.
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Back to work on the Mars project. I've procrastinated this forever, but finally got most of the electronic components together for the sensor/monitor/controller setup.
Now I just need to figure out code to make this run. This part always makes my brain hurt.
Now I just need to figure out code to make this run. This part always makes my brain hurt.
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rhizotron
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Well I haven't been back here in a while. I have some updates, though.
I got the electronics for the Mars terrarium configured and assembled with the t-track brackets...
The little LCD at the top displays temp, humidity, time and vent fan status.
That plate on the front of the breadboard enclosure mostly hides this bird's nest of jumper connections...
Here's some more pics of the whole setup, run through Instagram filters...
I got the electronics for the Mars terrarium configured and assembled with the t-track brackets...
The little LCD at the top displays temp, humidity, time and vent fan status.
That plate on the front of the breadboard enclosure mostly hides this bird's nest of jumper connections...
Here's some more pics of the whole setup, run through Instagram filters...
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Here's some more detail to show growth better.
I think it is the Anabeana that has spread the most across the tank with some even developing on the rock surfaces. But it's still thickest where I first introduced it over on the left side...
Based on its location, I believe this to be the Oscillatoria. It hasn't spread much, but looks OK...
The Tolypothrix, over on the far right, resembles a very fine moss and is my favorite. This is among the Cyanobacteria that can grow calcium sheaths, so that is probably part of the structure visible here...
I think it is the Anabeana that has spread the most across the tank with some even developing on the rock surfaces. But it's still thickest where I first introduced it over on the left side...
Based on its location, I believe this to be the Oscillatoria. It hasn't spread much, but looks OK...
The Tolypothrix, over on the far right, resembles a very fine moss and is my favorite. This is among the Cyanobacteria that can grow calcium sheaths, so that is probably part of the structure visible here...
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rhizotron
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Update for new Mudbrick at Day 45.
This is a larger (37cm X 66m) panel. I have not finished building the wall-mount case and this has just been growing under lights in a plastic bin with high humidity.
Set up day in December showing general locations for introduction of six different liquid cultures. These included both Cyanobacteria and Green Algae.
Chlorococcum and Coleochaete do not seem to have responded at all, but there is good growth from the other four.
Gloeocapsa can destroy your roof!
During the summer here I see a foamy, snotty, light green floating Green Alga around the edges of ponds that is probably Mougeotia.
Protococcus might be an especially nice vertical garden selection. If you are out in the woods in a moist area and see an alga on a tree trunk that resembles a very fine, dense moss, this might be it. I'm interested to see what this one does does when I remove the panel from the humid bin and put it in regular ambient humidity.
Here also an update for the one in the yellow case at Day 227.
This is a larger (37cm X 66m) panel. I have not finished building the wall-mount case and this has just been growing under lights in a plastic bin with high humidity.
Set up day in December showing general locations for introduction of six different liquid cultures. These included both Cyanobacteria and Green Algae.
Chlorococcum and Coleochaete do not seem to have responded at all, but there is good growth from the other four.
Gloeocapsa can destroy your roof!
During the summer here I see a foamy, snotty, light green floating Green Alga around the edges of ponds that is probably Mougeotia.
Protococcus might be an especially nice vertical garden selection. If you are out in the woods in a moist area and see an alga on a tree trunk that resembles a very fine, dense moss, this might be it. I'm interested to see what this one does does when I remove the panel from the humid bin and put it in regular ambient humidity.
Here also an update for the one in the yellow case at Day 227.
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rhizotron
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Thanks so much!
Following. Amazing.
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rhizotron
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Thanks very much.
I should do a new update for the stromatolites setup. Actually right now it's looking pretty skuzzy because I turned the wavemaker off after observing some Brine Shrimp hatching out of the material collected from Great Salt Lake a year and a half ago. I don't really need Brine Shrimp for anything, but I figured I'd give them some room to swim around after they came all this way.
Gumbies R Us
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These have been amazing to follow!!!
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rhizotron
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Thanks very much!
I should put together an update for the stromatolites tank too. It's had some changes.
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rhizotron
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Took me literally forever but I finished editing this quick video for the Mars setup...
Please watch if you have five minutes.
There was a lot of DIY for that project and I plan to also make a second and maybe a third about that.
Please watch if you have five minutes.
There was a lot of DIY for that project and I plan to also make a second and maybe a third about that.
Gumbies R Us
Certified Noob
Great video!!
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rhizotron
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Thanks for watching!
I plan to produce & publish these videos on a semi-regular schedule. I would be interested to hear if there are any specific kinds of content that viewers might like to see.
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rhizotron
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Pondering ideas for an aquarium to model astrobiology/exoplanet concepts and found a couple of articles on the search for life elsewhere in our solar system. Really interesting! I recommend these as good reads and the pdf's are available free online.
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One of these days I should post an update for the stromatolites setup. It's still doing OK, but it had something of a reset because I found inconsistent accretion of calcium carbonate. I had allowed sand to blow up onto the top stone surfaces because I figured I would see faster growth that way, but what occurred instead was that the sand basically masked those areas. After siphoning and brushing the sand out of the way, I am now seeing more consistent CaCO3 development there. It doesn't really model nature very well, but another trick I've learned is to turn off the powerhead and pour the 5ml capfuls of 2-part so that it settles right on top of the faux stromatolites.
I'm pondering an electronics display to hang on the wall behind the setup. This will just be decorative and not controlling anything in the tank, but will include a clock display for keeping time. This quick Illustrator sketch is inspired by vintage illuminated aircraft instrument displays. The LED ring, microcontroller, clock display and RTC will be housed in a recessed space and behind tinted acrylic, while the Hershey font illuminated text is flush with the panel face.
I can make that illuminated text by engraving a piece of white acrylic, masking the engrave, then spray painting with black rattle can.
I got a couple of these bright white backlight LEDs that should work pretty nice. These are easy to hook up. You can just power directly from an Arduino pin with a resistor like any regular small LED.
I need to work on that design above some more, Instead of putting all parts together, I might instead opt for the style of enclosures I have used for other projects, but with the drab green and other elements to reinforce the military aircraft idea.
I'm pondering an electronics display to hang on the wall behind the setup. This will just be decorative and not controlling anything in the tank, but will include a clock display for keeping time. This quick Illustrator sketch is inspired by vintage illuminated aircraft instrument displays. The LED ring, microcontroller, clock display and RTC will be housed in a recessed space and behind tinted acrylic, while the Hershey font illuminated text is flush with the panel face.
I can make that illuminated text by engraving a piece of white acrylic, masking the engrave, then spray painting with black rattle can.
I got a couple of these bright white backlight LEDs that should work pretty nice. These are easy to hook up. You can just power directly from an Arduino pin with a resistor like any regular small LED.
I need to work on that design above some more, Instead of putting all parts together, I might instead opt for the style of enclosures I have used for other projects, but with the drab green and other elements to reinforce the military aircraft idea.
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