Day 1 Observations

I put my microaquarium together by sucking and pouring the soil and water into the created aquarium. I used water source number 1, which came from the Tommy Schumpert Pond located at the Seven Islands Wildlife Refuge. I then added plant A (Fontinalis sp. Moss. Collection from: Natural Spring. at Carters Mill Park, Carter Mill Road, Knox Co. TN. Partial shade exposure) and B (Utricularia gibba L. Flowering plant. A carnivous plant. Original material from south shore of Spain Lake (N 35o55 12.35" W088o20' 47.00), Camp Bella Air Rd. East of Sparta Tn. in White Co. and grown in water tanks outside of greenhouse at Hesler Biology Building. The University of Tennessee. Knox Co. Knoxville TN. ), to the microaquarium. (http://botany1112010.blogspot.com/)After stuffing the plants in, I place the aquarium under the microscope. I saw the plants along with little circles or rotifers swimming around the leaves through the water. The rotifers swam very quickly and abruptly. I also saw something that had many large tentacles. It would also move quickly and abruptly and in order to get a good view of them, you must watch it for a while and occasionally adjust the focus of the microscope. I will soon find out exactly what the organism consisting of the numerous tentacles is.