Kōkiri Lab

Aquaponics Water Quality Investigation

Something is shifting in the AwaKai tank. The fish are quieter than last week and one plant is yellowing. What does the water know?

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Venture In
Wero
Observe
Kite
Infer
Whakaaro
Create
Auaha
Evaluate
Tohu

Evidence you will build

  • Observation log with timestamps
  • Time-series dataset (CSV)
  • Annotated graph with trend interpretation
  • Claim-Evidence-Reasoning card
  • Redesign proposal

Why this matters

Aquaponics links water chemistry to living systems — data communities use to monitor sustainable food and ecosystem health.

What you will investigate and collect

You will track real water-quality readings in a living aquaponics system over several weeks and use what you see to explain a small mystery in the tank. How pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and temperature change together — and which patterns can explain what you see in fish and plants. Readings of pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and water temperature at the same times each week, plus notes on fish behaviour and plant growth.

  • Date and time
  • pH (pH)
  • Dissolved oxygen (mg/L)
  • Conductivity (µS/cm)

What you might make or share

  • Sensor mount3D print

    Position a sensor at the exact depth your evidence says matters

    Your pH data showed readings varied with depth. A mount fixes the position.

  • Plant support clip3D print

    Responds to growth evidence — stems bending or shading

    If plant growth data shows leaning or crowding, a clip targets that problem.

  • Water flow baffleLaser cut

    Improve water circulation based on temperature gradient data

    If your temperature readings varied across the tank, a baffle could even the flow.

What other investigators found

Try this next

Take pH readings before feeding, one hour after, and three hours after to map the full recovery curve.

Try this next

Record both water temperature and dissolved oxygen in the same measurement session to test this relationship.

See inquiry-world community findings →
What you will investigate
You will track real water-quality readings in a living aquaponics system over several weeks and use what you see to explain a small mystery in the tank.
What you will collect
Date and time, pH
What you might make or share
A short data story for kaiako and whānau, a 3D-printed sensor mount that holds your probe steady
Start this study →