# Eco-Bottle Project



## ismintis (Jun 23, 2013)

I'm currently in high school but I'm taking a college course in environmental science that is project based instead of lectures everyday. One of my projects currently is an Eco-Bottle with three units made out of 2 liter soda bottles. One is a biome sort of compartment, the middle is compost and the bottom unit is an aquarium. 

Starting out on the project I was pumped. Some of my classmates and I drove down to PetCo and bought live plants and pebbles...thinking we would give them the best home possible. My teacher had a 20 gallon tank filled with small goldfish to use for the aquarium, but while my friends and I were out buying good materials, the other students picked all the healthy fish. We were left with the sickly lol. So the next day about every project was filled with one or two dead goldfish for the next three months. 

The sad thing was that none of the fish got a real chance to live. Even if they survived the first night, we aren't allowed to change the water or even give them food. The 'cycle' of the three bottles was supposed to be enough for them to live but everyone on this forum can say that is wrong. 

The kicker is that we have to take pictures every day for progress and changes...so if anyone ever looks through my phone pictures they will find an album filled with pictures of dead fish...;-) And no, we aren't allowed to take the corpse out, since that is part of the 'circle of life' 

I believe many other schools have done this project so I was wondering if anyone has had success or has knowledge about it.

Here is a picture to show you what it looks like for the most part:










This was two weeks ago when the fish was already dead and everyone had major algae blooms, the condensation was also bad so it makes the picture hard to see.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

That's absolutely appalling. I don't know how schools can get away with basically setting up an experiment in which the animal is guaranteed to suffer and expire. 

I've never seen or heard of it done in schools here in Oz. At least not any of the schools I or more brothers attended. 

I'm surprised it's even allowed. Yes we still don't know to what degree fish actually experience pain/suffering, but that doesn't mean this sort of garbage should happen. No fish in the wild would live like that (or not for long anyway). I guess I don't understand the basis of this experiment. There's really no way for you to emulate complex eco-systems with a 2L soda bottle and a goldfish.


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## ismintis (Jun 23, 2013)

Exactly. I tried to ask my teacher what the purpose of it was but there weren't any directions or pictures of what it should like etc. It was just like "Here you go! Go kill some fish!" 

I tried to explain to other students not to put TWO fish in the tiny container. There wasn't enough oxygen in the water for ONE fish, let alone two...but to them it was fun to pick their favorite and then plop four of them into their aquarium. My teacher didn't even say anything, he just smiled and would say its YOUR project or who knows? 

I have been furious and hoping our Marine Bio teacher comes in to rant and tell everyone the correct way of doing things...

I've been wondering if my teacher knew the fish would die, because when I asked him about ways to feed them he didn't really have an answer. Maybe this was the plan all along...?


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

What never fails to surprise me is how some people can be absolutely rabid about animal welfare, but then are almost callous in their treatment of fish. 

I mean if you tried the same experiment with any other animal but a fish I'm sure there would have been an uproar.


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## ismintis (Jun 23, 2013)

Of course there would. I have many friends (more like acquaintances) who say they are animal lovers; when they treat their own animals like objects that can be thrown away. I've taken in many betta fish that they buy and after two or so months they want me to take it or flush it down the toilet. 

I don't understand why people don't see fish as equals to every other creature we have as pets. My fish are just as important to me as my cats.


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## thekinetic (May 22, 2012)

This is sickening! Fish are not objects or disposible anymore than you or I. I treat my fish like good friends, and I actually cry when they pass. 

My question is where's peta on this? Or do they only care for cute furry creatures.


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## Marlow (May 29, 2013)

This is appalling. If only I had been there to sneak in and steal all the fish when the classroom was empty, lol. But of course, had I been in highschool at the time, I would probably be too scared to do such a thing myself, so there is no blame on you lol. In a few short years i'm almost rabid about fish welfare now.. There would be hell to pay for this disgusting experiment >> << 

Reminds me of back in grade 5 when I took in three of my pet goldfish (lived in a five gallon, holy molly the foolish..). They had a twenty gallon tank in class, though, so they would've been better off..IF my classmates hadn't decided to poison them all the next day! First time I ever punched someone in the face, lol. 



thekinetic said:


> This is sickening! Fish are not objects or disposible anymore than you or I. I treat my fish like good friends, and I actually cry when they pass.
> 
> My question is where's peta on this? Or do they only care for cute furry creatures.


Never mind peta, where is the fish lover at this college? I know being a college course there is probably an air of 'people must learn no matter how morbid yadayada', but this is just cruelty! I bet there would be a different reaction if someone shoved a cat in a cage and let it sit in it's own filth until it died :/


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

I'm not in post secondary yet, but if my science teacher right now assigned this I would flat out refuse to do it. I'd politely explain that I wasn't going to kill animals for marks, and see if I could hand in a paper on the nitrogen cycle or something. 

I don't see it as being any different from the frog in a jar with the poisonous cotton ball thing... In fact, it's worse... The fish would not have enough oxygen and burn in the ammonia- and it would take enough time for the fish to suffer a considerable amount. 

Anyways, I have never tried this and never will, but I think to have success it would have to be done in a single bottle system with lots of fast growing aquatic plants (and proper light)- floaters and stems like duckweed, hornwort, water lettuce, etc. The stocking would have to be more appropriate then goldfish, although no fish (maaaaybe some shrimp and snail species) is suitable for a 2l "tank". Bettas and maybe a single guppy or endler could work, but they would need heat.


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## ismintis (Jun 23, 2013)

Marlow said:


> Never mind peta, where is the fish lover at this college? I know being a college course there is probably an air of 'people must learn no matter how morbid yadayada', but this is just cruelty! I bet there would be a different reaction if someone shoved a cat in a cage and let it sit in it's own filth until it died :/


The sad thing is that my school district seems to have no sense in any animal welfare across the board. I talked to some of my upperclassmen and they said not to take a certain Bio class since they dissect pregnant rats and deformed cats. I can understand learning certain things in a major college situation if you are getting a PhD in that subject...but not in high school where most of these kids think it's fun to rip open animals. I can only hope that those animals were already dead from an accident instead of knowingly taking their lives. 

But it is 100% true that all these teachers and 'Gotta get an A' students only care about grades. I only have one B and I'm criticized for failing that class. That teacher actually yelled at my class exclaiming that we are stupid and will never understand math. :| What has my life come to...



MattsBettas said:


> I'm not in post secondary yet, but if my science teacher right now assigned this I would flat out refuse to do it. I'd politely explain that I wasn't going to kill animals for marks, and see if I could hand in a paper on the nitrogen cycle or something.
> 
> I don't see it as being any different from the frog in a jar with the poisonous cotton ball thing... In fact, it's worse... The fish would not have enough oxygen and burn in the ammonia- and it would take enough time for the fish to suffer a considerable amount.
> 
> Anyways, I have never tried this and never will, but I think to have success it would have to be done in a single bottle system with lots of fast growing aquatic plants (and proper light)- floaters and stems like duckweed, hornwort, water lettuce, etc. The stocking would have to be more appropriate then goldfish, although no fish (maaaaybe some shrimp and snail species) is suitable for a 2l "tank". Bettas and maybe a single guppy or endler could work, but they would need heat.


This is the first year my teacher has been at my school and the first time he has ever taught the class I'm currently taking. So pretty much every project is a learning experience for both us students and the teacher. Many of my peers (including myself) are struggling with the fact that he doesn't know what he is doing 80% of the time. If I had known what this project was about I would have considered talking to him about picking different fish or even a different experiment altogether. His ignorance has killed so many innocent fish. 

We don't have any data sheets, worksheets or instructions of any kind. That's what is super difficult about this certain project. He made the restrictions too broad and let many people do the wrong things. I still don't even know what we are looking for in this experiment. 

Considering he is a great person overall (except his lack of knowledge for living creatures...) I think I am going to write him a letter at the end of the year telling him the flaws in this project, and I have a good feeling he will listen and maybe even stop it altogether for future classes.


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## rickey (Jul 7, 2013)

I don't understand the purpose of this apparatus 

Rick


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## Joshaeus (Dec 8, 2013)

Agreed...it's a waste of potentially pretty pond fish.


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