turtlegirl933
Member
Does anyone know anything about them. All I know is they are little seeled aquariums. Will some one help please?
Self-contianed eco systems
- Thread starter turtlegirl933
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jtrzerocool
Active Member
what are they??
nietzsche
Active Member
How EcoSpheres Work
The EcoSphere is a tiny working model of the Earth. It contains the same essential elements that are found on our planet- air, water, life (algae, microorganisms and shrimp) and land (gravel and gorgonian). Life functions in the EcoSphere just as it does on Earth. The shrimp produce carbon dioxide by “breathing”; the algae use the carbon dioxide and light to produce oxygen. Algae can only produce oxygen when there’s light. When it is dark, the shrimp and bacteria are consuming the oxygen while none is being made. The EcoSphere would die with too many plants and animals, because they would run out of oxygen at night.
The EcoSphere is a tiny working model of the Earth. It contains the same essential elements that are found on our planet- air, water, life (algae, microorganisms and shrimp) and land (gravel and gorgonian). Life functions in the EcoSphere just as it does on Earth. The shrimp produce carbon dioxide by “breathing”; the algae use the carbon dioxide and light to produce oxygen. Algae can only produce oxygen when there’s light. When it is dark, the shrimp and bacteria are consuming the oxygen while none is being made. The EcoSphere would die with too many plants and animals, because they would run out of oxygen at night.
paintballer768
Active Member
That looks pretty cool. Looks like all you'd need to do is monitor the water and salinity, or at least it looks easier. Also might be a decent learning tool for younger kids
codyjp
Member
when i was in middle school one of my teachers had a 1 gallon glass jar of river mud. it was freshwater and gathered in in the river nearby. it had about 1 1/2 inch of mud/sediment and some water. There was a couple sprigs of some sort of water plant and you could see an occasional bug or 2 swimming around. they were some type of itty bitty fresh water shrimp. They had been living in the jar for, yup, 7 years! not much to show your friends but it was a neat idea.
sepulatian
Moderator
It is a tad more complicated to replicate though. You will need your display tank, a DSB, a fuge, and the gift of TIME.
trippkid
Active Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
It is a tad more complicated to replicate though. You will need your display tank, a DSB, a fuge, and the gift of TIME.
It needs to be sealed too, so no evaporation occurs, when it does evaporate the droplets form on the sides and top and go right back in the water.
Matt
It is a tad more complicated to replicate though. You will need your display tank, a DSB, a fuge, and the gift of TIME.
It needs to be sealed too, so no evaporation occurs, when it does evaporate the droplets form on the sides and top and go right back in the water.
Matt
shrimpi
Active Member
I had one just like the one pictured above for a few years it was like 60 bucks from sharper image.
It was awesome.
I got really sick of people picking it up and shaking it like it was a snowglobe though.... and me having a heart attack while screaming "its not a DAMN SNOGLOBE! its a ECOSYSTEM!!!"
They have this really big one that was like 400 bucks that was awesome Id still love to get.
Jess
It was awesome.
I got really sick of people picking it up and shaking it like it was a snowglobe though.... and me having a heart attack while screaming "its not a DAMN SNOGLOBE! its a ECOSYSTEM!!!"
They have this really big one that was like 400 bucks that was awesome Id still love to get.
Jess
trippkid
Active Member
Originally Posted by Shrimpi
I had one just like the one pictured above for a few years it was like 60 bucks from sharper image.
It was awesome.
I got really sick of people picking it up and shaking it like it was a snowglobe though.... and me having a heart attack while screaming "its not a DAMN SNOGLOBE! its a ECOSYSTEM!!!"
Jess
Yeah, I really like mine too, and my kids "used" to like to shake it up, still going strong at 3yrs.
Matt
I had one just like the one pictured above for a few years it was like 60 bucks from sharper image.
It was awesome.
I got really sick of people picking it up and shaking it like it was a snowglobe though.... and me having a heart attack while screaming "its not a DAMN SNOGLOBE! its a ECOSYSTEM!!!"
Jess
Yeah, I really like mine too, and my kids "used" to like to shake it up, still going strong at 3yrs.
Matt
reef diver
Active Member
I had one of those for a time, i basically made it myself with some water bugs from the nearby river, a couple stines, some river mud and a willow sapling.
joebob7
Member
check this site out
it has how to make a saltwater one
sounds cool and i bet you have all the stuff to make it!
http://www.open2.net/diyscience/ecosphere/
it has how to make a saltwater one
sounds cool and i bet you have all the stuff to make it!
http://www.open2.net/diyscience/ecosphere/
joebob7
Member
on the site above they have instructions for a slatwater ecosphere
you need LR and LS
also some little critters
im wondering how it would work but here is what im guessing
1. LR and LS filters
2. pods live in LR
3. fish or invert eats pods or algea
4. waste is filtered and made into more algea to be eaten by pods or fish and inverts?
you need LR and LS
also some little critters
im wondering how it would work but here is what im guessing
1. LR and LS filters
2. pods live in LR
3. fish or invert eats pods or algea
4. waste is filtered and made into more algea to be eaten by pods or fish and inverts?
reef diver
Active Member
Cool site, only thing is that the marine setup was a bit topsy turvy, we all know to put LR in w/ sand, because otherwise you run the risk of another cycle. Me, I would enjoy trying that with a mantis. but we all have to remember many of our systems are like this as well, we use refugiums to grow macro algae, we use LR etc, ive seen filterless systems that are absolutely beautiful.
fish crazy
Member
ya i would so buy one