If we use organic materials instead of real water filters, the water will probably not be as clean because organic materials can carry germs that may end up contaminating the water. Real filters are made to remove these germs, even though they cost more and may affect the environment. We predict that the manufactured filter is going to filter more contaminants than the other filters. We think this because the manufacturers put the filters through certain filtration tests.

1. https://enviroliteracy.org/what-naturally-filters-water-the-best/?utm_source=chatgpt.com (Talks about what natural material filters water the best.)
2. https://www.nmfiltermedia.com/benefits-of-natural-media-vs-synthetic?utm_source=chatgpt.com (States how organic/natural filters are better than synthetic filters.)
3. https://www.meconm.com/Paper-Filter-Material-Vs-Cotton-And-Synthetic-Filters-id48017296.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com (Manufactured VS Unmanufactured Filters)

Controlled Variables: Amount of water poured into filter, amount of dirt in water, rate of pouring, container that water falls into, and amount of organic filter. Manipulated Variable: Type of filter. Responding Variable: Remaining dirt in water.

1. Fill out the basic project info and the Ethics due care from
2. Plan how the project was going to work
3. Research
4. Aquire materials
5. Work on the project
   1. Get a tub of contaminated water (Dirt and water)
   2. Get another tub with no water
   3. Cut a plastic water bottle in 2 and make 6 holes in the cap, and put the cap back on
   4. Pour contaminated water into the manufactured filter
   5. Take a picture of the result
   6. Repeat steps 4 and 5, but with moss, coco peat, and cotton pads
6. Complete the remaining CYSF forms
7. Work on the trifold

We observed that the denser the filters are, the better the output. For the final scenario, we put in order from top to bottom: Moss, coconut peat, and cotton pads. When we tested it, the output water was green, but there were no visible pieces of dirt. We think that is so because of the chlorophyll in the moss dissolved in the water, turning it green. When we put the moss by itself, the water came out without color. But that might be because of the pressure that was applied by the coconut peat and cotton pads.

The final result was that cotton pads were clearly the best at filtering dirty water. The final combination was when we put moss, coco peat, and cotton pads. The water came out green, but it contained fewer dirt particles. That could be a last resort if you are short on clean water. Each time we filtered the water, the water was slightly yellow. This was caused by the ammonia in the water from the dirt that we added.

In conclusion, our project went according to plan. Our hypothesis was proven right because the water from the natural filters was dirtier than the water that came from the manufactured filter and cotton pads. The water that was poured into the cotton pads was way cleaner than the water from other materials, including the filter. Regarding the filter, it didn't work as planned. Some dirt got through and stayed in the water. In the final scenario, we used all the natural filters and cotton pads to create a 3-layer filter. This worked really well except for the water turning green. This is from the chlorophyll in the moss. According to our research, the water that was filtered wasn't actually potable due to the ammonia from the dirt that stayed in the water after the filtration process. We don't recommend moss to filter water in a dire situation.

This project offers a cheap alternative to heavy-duty industrial water filters. Not to mention cheaper and more environmentally friendly. It limits the money spent on creating those hunky filters. It also prevents as many greenhouse gases from blocking heat from escaping. In conclusion, using natural/organic filters is much more environmentally friendly and cheaper than basic filters to utilize.

Sources of error to us mean where we went wrong and what could be improved for further use. Places we went wrong:

1. When we didn't have access to sand. This limited what we could use for natural filters.
2. Due to other commitments, we could not perform our experiment before March.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1383586624022974 -- Cocopeat biofilters https://shop.mosslab.com/blogs/frequently-asked-questions-moss-air/does-moss-filter-water-what-it-can-and-can-t-do-for-clean-water?srsltid=AfmBOoqNz84CPYljBCjSfvlRsngr-GK_KydZylg-Gh4tYKthcPEGtFbJ -- Moss filtration

We acknowledge our parents for letting us meet to complete this project. And getting supplies while providing suggestions to make our project as successful as possible. We also acknowledge ourselves for signing up for the Science fair and having the patience and effort to accomplish this project.