Welcome to our Blog. 

In here, our team of researchers, from DLSU-STC, will give you our thoughts and opinions about making a new fertilizer out of Janitor Fish "Pterygoplichthys" and why we chose to use the Janitor Fish as a new alternative fertilizer.

Our Research Question is: "Can fertilizer made from Janitor Fish be used as an additive or substitute to commercial fertilizers for Basil and Oregano plants planted in DLSU-IS for two months?"

Firstly, we would want to introduce ourselves, the researchers. We are:

1.) Cedric Rey Almazar Villarubin from 10C of DLSU-IS
2.) Garth James Molano Briones from 10C of DLSU-IS
3.) Kim Aaron Salvador from 10C of DLSU-IS

Next, we are going to show each of our own personal thoughts and opinions about the project we are working on.

Cedric Villarubin's Personal Thought (@cedricow):

"Janitor Fish are considered as pests here in the Philippines. We, the researchers, have thought about if we could utilize them, the fish, to turn the negative and make them positive. The country's agricultural sector, the farmers could really use a helping hand and we, the researchers, would want to be a part of that assistance. To utilize these fishes in the best way possible (by extracting them and dissecting them) and try to add the, to commercial fertilizers or even try to find out if they could be used to replace the actual commercial fertilizers and be the organic fertilizer we wanted. The farmers are not the only ones who would benefit from the success of this research (if very successful), but also everybody who would like to use the fertilizers for their garden.
I personally think, that if this research comes off as a successful one, then we could definitely be a big help to every one interested out there. Not only do we make ourselves proud, but also everybody who had been there with us from the start 'til the end."

Garth Briones's Personal Thought (@garthbriones):

"The topic that we are working on is about making a fertilizer out of Janitor Fish "Pterygoplichthys." We would want to test if this fertilizer would be more effective than commercial fertilizers which are available in the market. Adding to this, we would also want to measure if it will be more effective if it is used as a substitute for commercial fertilizers or if it would be mixed with the commercial fertilizer. As the researchers, we would want to use Janitor Fish for a number of reasons. Firstly, we believe that the Janitor Fish is the best example to use because the population of Janitor Fish is too damn high that they are now treated as pests here in our country, the Philippines. As a result, if they are used as fertilizer, their population will definitely decrease. Thus, turning a negative thing into a positive. Secondly, their diet is mainly algae (which is why they are called as Janitor Fish). These algae are rich in minerals that would definitely help in nourishing the soil. Hence, this will make the plant growing on the soil grow faster. We chose this research because we would like to help the agricultural sector of our country. This will then boost the agricultural sector and help the economy of our country. Also, we would not need to import plants from other countries. The crops planted in our country are enough to supply the whole nation. This is our plan."

Kim Aaron Salvador's Personal Thought (@choysalvador):

"Our topic talks about turning Janitor Fish into a fertilizer. Why did we choose Janitor Fish? In the Philippines, Janitor Fish are considered as pests. We would like to help the fishermen to decrease the population of Janitor Fish by turning it to fertilizer. We, the researchers decided that we will turn this negative situation into a positive one. We would test the fertilizer on two plants. We chose Basil and Oregano plants because we would like to see the effect of our fertilizer in both short term and long term plants. We would like to find out the positive and negative effects of our fertilizer. We would also want to see if our fertilizer can replace the normal commercial fertilizer sold in the market. Our main goal is to help the agricultural sector of our country by making a fertilizer made of Janitor Fish. All in all, the plan is to help our whole country to be come  more dependent to what they have. If we pull this one up, I know that our study can simply help our economy."

The following image is the poster of our research proposal (in Filipino):

This is our research proposal:

INTRODUCTION

Research Question

Can fertilizer made from janitor fish be used as an additive or substitute to commercial fertilizers for basil and oregano plants planted in DLSU-IS for two months?

Hypotheses

Null: There will be no difference between the effects of these two plants.

Alternative: Both plants planted with organic fertilizers will grow faster and grow more leaves.

Objectives

The objectives of the study are to measure the growth of basil and oregano plants and to determine on which fertilizer (commercial, organic or mixed) is more effective than the rest.

Significance

            Janitor fish are regarded as pests when it has an increased number of population. Due to this, the study aims to lessen the number of janitor fish by utilizing them as additive or substitute to commercial fertilizers.

Limitations

·         Only the janitor fish will be used in the study

·         The test plants would only be Oregano and Basil

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

 Janitor fish (“Pterygoplichthys” ) is used for the research question, “Can janitor fish be used as an additive or substitute for commercial fertilizers for basil and oregano plants planted in DLSU-IS for two months?” because janitor fish are considered as pests here in the Philippines. Hence, it will be used to our advantage by turning negative into positive if these fish will be used to make organic fertilizer.  Basil and Oregano plants are used so people can see the specific difference in growth between two different plants and so the researchers could determine the effectiveness of the organic fertilizer. Also, it is suitable to use two different kinds of plants showing different growth rates-one faster, one slower- so we will be able to identify the short and long term effects of using organic fertilizer and compare it to the short and long term effects of using commercial fertilizers on the plant. Another reason why janitor fish will be used is because it is helpful removing algae and its manure will be significant in the growth of basil and oregano plants.

 METHODOLOGY

·         Materials

Ø  Janitor Fish

Ø  Oregano seeds

Ø  Basil seeds

Ø  Water

Ø  Flower pots

Ø  Ruler

Ø  Rubber Gloves

Ø  Commercial fertilizer

Ø  Soil

Ø  Fertilizing Tools

Ø  Fishing Net

Ø  Dissecting Tools

·         Procedure

·         Data Analysis

The type of central tendency, which will be used, is the midrange and the mean. The mean will be used for the vertical growth and the number of leaves of the plant. The midrange will also be used to compare the vertical growth and number of leaves of the plants among the three different setups.

·         Social Impact Analysis

The researchers will observe and discern if:

1.       Janitor Fish is a good substitute for commercial fertilizers

2.       Janitor Fish is a good additive for commercial fertilizers

3.       Organic fertilizer has a specific effect on basil plants

4.       Organic fertilizer has a specific effect on oregano plants

After these observations, the researchers will be able to conclude and can impact the society in some ways:

1.       Basil and Oregano plants may be more available for the people

2.       Basil and Oregano plants will be more effective in different uses

3.       Organic fertilizer may be used on some other similar plants

4.       The population of janitor fish be decreased (because janitor fish are treated as pests nowadays)

5.       Time of growth in plants may decrease. Therefore, more plants can be produced in a short span of time compared to those plants without fertilizers, thus, aiding in preventing global warming

6.       The research may influence the curious minds of researchers and may use the research as a basis to further advance society

·         Social Impact Analysis (Questions)

1.       What was your reaction about a new, cheaper organic fertilizer?

2.       Did you think that this would be an effective fertilizer?

3.       Did you hesitate in trying this fertilizer?

4.       In the first weeks of using the fertilizer, did you see any positive effects? Negative?

5.       At the end of the experiment (2 months), can you say that this organic fertilizer is an effective one? How can you say so?

6.       Will you be using this fertilizer if ever?

7.       Will you recommend this fertilizer to your acquaintances?

·         Financial Analysis

Item Name	Unit of Measurement	Number of Units Needed	Unit Price (in Pesos)	Amount (in Pesos)
Pots	Piece	24	25	600
Oregano Seeds	Pack	1	50	50
Basil Seeds	Pack	1	50	50
Soil	Sack	0.5	100	50
Fishing Net	Piece	1	150	150
Rubber Gloves	Pair	3	40	120
Ruler	Piece	1	30	30
Fertilizing Tools	Pack	1	450	450
Commercial Fertilizer	Pack	1	100	100
Dissecting Tools	Pack	1	450	450
Water	Litres	50	0	0
			GRAND TOTAL:	2,050

Items that could be sold as outputs of the research:

-          Organic Fertilizer made from Janitor Fish

-          Tarpaulins advertising about how organic fertilizer can help farmers financially while having the same quality fertilizer

·         Work plan (Overview)

Activity	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Week 9	Week 10	Week 11
Preparation	*
Experiment		*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Analysing of Data								*	*	*
Synthesis of Data										*	*
Finishing Touches										*	*

1.  http://ecop.pbworks.com/w/page/18520650/Janitor%20Fish

2. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/herbs/msg0510421928863.html

3. http://www.studymode.com/essays/The-Feasibility-Of-Using-Pterygoplichthys-Disjunctivus-1057602.html

(Overall References):

4.http://region3.dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=202:the-potential-of-emulsified-organic-janitor-fish-fertilizer-hypostomus-plecostomus-on-the-growth-of-eggplant-solanum-melongena&catid=15:chemistry&Itemid=45

5.http://ecop.pbworks.com/w/page/18520650/Janitor%20Fish