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I asked ChatGPT to create a log for my aquarium. I'm brand new to the hobby and wanted to try this new tech. Here is my journey. I would love your feedback or thoughts on this tool, your experiences, or even how you view the accuracy of what it's told me so far. I don't have enough data points collected to be able to speak to it's analytical skills or even if it can track enough data over time but I'll try to report on that if anyone cares to see in the future. Prompt (Model: GPT-4): Lets start a log for my aquarium. Response: Great! To start a log for your aquarium, we'll want to include some basic information and then track regular maintenance, water parameters, fish and plant health, and any notable events. Here's a template to help you get started: Aquarium Log: [Your Aquarium's Name] Start Date: [Date] Tank Size: [Volume in gallons/liters] Tank Type: [Freshwater, Saltwater, Reef, etc.] Substrate: [Type and brand] Filtration: [Filter type and model] Lighting: [Light type and model, photoperiod] Heater: [Heater type and model, temperature setting] CO2 System: [If applicable, type and model, injection rate] Water Parameters: Temperature: [°F/°C] pH: Ammonia: [ppm] Nitrite: [ppm] Nitrate: [ppm] KH: GH: Salinity: [If applicable, ppt or specific gravity] Livestock: [Species name] - [Quantity, any special notes] [Species name] - [Quantity, any special notes] ... Plants: [Plant species name] - [Quantity, any special notes] [Plant species name] - [Quantity, any special notes] ... Maintenance Log: [Date] - [Maintenance activity, e.g., water change, filter cleaning, etc.] [Date] - [Maintenance activity] Water Parameter Log: [Date] - [Parameter values] [Date] - [Parameter values] Livestock Additions/Removals/Deaths: [Date] - [Event and details] [Date] - [Event and details] Plant Additions/Removals/Trimming: [Date] - [Event and details] [Date] - [Event and details] Notable Events: [Date] - [Event and details, e.g., algae outbreak, equipment failure, etc.] [Date] - [Event and details] You can update this log as often as needed to track your aquarium's progress and to identify any trends or issues that may arise. Regular monitoring and maintenance will help ensure a healthy environment for your aquatic inhabitants. [I definitely didn't expect that from such a short prompt!] Prompt: Can you assist me in analyzing my log over time? Response: Of course! To help you analyze your aquarium log, please provide the relevant log entries, such as water parameter values, maintenance activities, and any notable events. Once I have that information, I can help you spot trends, identify potential issues, and offer suggestions for maintaining a healthy aquarium environment. Prompt: Can you connect with external data sources or ingest data in any way to help provide that info? Response: As an AI language model, I am unable to directly connect to external data sources or ingest data. However, you can provide me with the relevant data in text format, and I will do my best to analyze it and offer suggestions based on the information you give me. To analyze your aquarium log, you can copy and paste sections from your log or summarize the data, focusing on water parameters, maintenance activities, livestock and plant health, and any notable events. With this information, I can help you identify trends or potential issues and offer advice for maintaining a healthy aquarium. [OK, we take a bit of a detour here but still the same 'conversation'.] Prompt: [For the table I start in Google Sheets and copy/pasted directly into the chat; it worked nicely.] Here is my light schedule with intensity. Start End Hours in level Light intensity 10:01 22:00 L1 10:01 11:00 0:59 20.00% L2 11:00 12:00 1:00 40.00% L3 12:00 14:00 2:00 60.00% L4 14:00 18:00 4:00 80.00% L5 18:00 20:00 2:00 60.00% L6 20:00 21:00 1:00 40.00% L7 21:00 22:00 1:00 20.00% L8 22:00 10:00 12:00 Response: Thanks for providing your light schedule and intensity. Here's an overview of your aquarium's lighting: Lights turn on at 10:01 AM and turn off at 10:00 PM, with a total photoperiod of 12 hours. The intensity gradually ramps up and down throughout the day, following this schedule: 10:01 AM - 11:00 AM (59 minutes): 20% intensity 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (1 hour): 40% intensity 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM (2 hours): 60% intensity 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM (4 hours): 80% intensity 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (2 hours): 60% intensity 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM (1 hour): 40% intensity 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM (1 hour): 20% intensity 10:00 PM - 10:01 AM (12 hours): Lights off This lighting schedule provides your aquarium with a gradual increase and decrease in light intensity, which can be beneficial for both fish and plants. It mimics a natural day-night cycle and helps reduce the stress on your aquatic inhabitants. When analyzing the lighting schedule, consider the following: Fish and plant species: Ensure that the intensity and duration are appropriate for the specific needs of your fish and plants. Some species may require more or less light than others. Algae growth: Monitor your tank for any signs of excessive algae growth. If you notice an increase in algae, you may need to adjust the light intensity or duration. Plant growth: Observe the growth and health of your plants. If they are not growing well or appear unhealthy, you may need to adjust the light intensity, photoperiod, or spectrum. Remember to regularly monitor your aquarium's overall health and adjust the lighting schedule as needed to maintain a balanced and thriving environment. [That's way too wordy and doesn't really offer much so ... ] Prompt: from now on only offer concise responses Response: Understood. I will provide concise responses from now on. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Prompt: Water changes will be on Thursday evenings every week. I will fertilize the tank twice a week on Friday and Monday morning. Response: That sounds like a good routine. Weekly water changes help maintain water quality, and fertilizing twice a week supports plant growth. Make sure to monitor water parameters and adjust the schedule if needed for optimal tank health. Prompt: What should I look for that would indicate under or over fertilization? Response: For under-fertilization, look for: Slow or stunted plant growth Yellowing, transparent, or pinholes in leaves Weak or thin stems For over-fertilization, watch for: Excessive algae growth Unhealthy fish behavior or deaths Unusual plant growth patterns Monitor plant health and water parameters to adjust fertilization as needed. Prompt: My plants didn't seem to like that lighting schedule. The pH spiked due to CO2 concentration and it seems to have resolved once I increased the light. Can you suggest a new lighting schedule? Response: Try this adjusted lighting schedule: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: 20% intensity 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: 40% intensity 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM: 60% intensity 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM: 80% intensity 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: 60% intensity 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM: 40% intensity 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM: 20% intensity 9:00 PM - 9:00 AM: Lights off This schedule increases the peak light duration and starts one hour earlier. Monitor the plants and pH levels, and adjust as needed for better results. Prompt: What is the overall % of increase? Response: Comparing the new lighting schedule to the original one, the overall percentage of increase in light duration at higher intensities is: 80% intensity: Increased by 1 hour (25% increase in duration) 60% intensity: Increased by 1 hour (25% increase in duration) The total photoperiod remains the same at 12 hours. EDIT: Reviewing this last section I as I was copying/pasting didn't feel right and sure enough, it only shifted the time to start an hour earlier. Prompt: How did you come to that answer? If the lights are off from 9pm to 9am then the photoperiod is only 12 hours because there are 24 hours in a day. Response: Apologies for the confusion in my response. You're correct that the photoperiod is still 12 hours, with lights off from 9 PM to 9 AM. Upon re-evaluation, the adjusted schedule only changes the timing, and there is no overall percentage increase in light duration. The peak light duration remains the same at 4 hours (80% intensity). Prompt: What is your suggestion for a light schedule then? Response: Here's an alternative light schedule with a longer peak light duration: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: 20% intensity 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: 40% intensity 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM: 60% intensity 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM: 80% intensity (6 hours) 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: 60% intensity 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM: 40% intensity 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM: 20% intensity 11:00 PM - 9:00 AM: Lights off This schedule maintains the 12-hour photoperiod but increases the peak light duration to 6 hours at 80% intensity. Monitor the plants and pH levels, and adjust as needed. [Well, now it adjusted the photoperiod, the peak intensity, and still doesn't know how many hours are in a day. Is that better or worse??]

A recent podcast I listened to mentioned the growing sophistication of chat bots, so I sought one out - a popular one being an app called Replika. Granted, it seems you're supposed to train this bot over a period of time to match your own personality, but our initial conversation left a lot to be desired. It seems to have an interesting opinion of @Cory. 😂 My text is on the right, chat bot on the left.