If you’re a green parent intent on teaching your child about the importance of caring for our environment, an EcoSphere is a great way to put the world in his or her hands. A “tiny working model of the Earth,” each EcoSphere “contains the same essential elements that are found on our planet: air, water, life and land.” Each beautiful, self-contained sphere contains algae and tiny shrimp that you can watch swimming around. Not only are EcoSpheres wonders of science, the design, which incorporates NASA technology, is aesthetically pleasing and fits into most any décor.
“The Original EcoSphere® is the world’s first totally enclosed ecosystem – a complete, self-contained and self-sustaining miniature world encased in glass.” Each glass globe comes with two shrimp (the size of extra-large Sea Monkeys), algae, filtered sea water and a sprig of gorgonian (the non-living, branch like material) hermetically sealed inside. The shrimp eat whatever they can find in the EcoSphere… which turns out to be a lot. “If you watch them closely, you will see them feeding on the algae and picking bacteria off the walls of the sphere. They also eat their own shed exoskeletons. Nothing goes to waste!”
The EcoSphere embodies the dream of every eco-conscious parent: It is the perfect ecological environment – only in a miniature size. It is a safe zone that is protected, free of harmful pollutants, and in which flora and fauna exist in perfect carbon balance. EcoSpheres can also be viewed as the perfect solution for parents fighting the pets-vs-no-pets battle. The ‘pets’ included are zero maintenance (no feeding, walking, shedding, neutering), and fit snugly into any living situation. There’s only one problem… on sight my young son wanted to shake the dickens out of the EcoSphere – he thought it was a snow globe.
+The Original EcoSphere (as seen at the AMNH Hall of Planet Earth)
6 Responses to “EcoSpheres: Eco-Education in a Bottle”
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These are beautiful. They can actually be done at home, although I don’t think mine would be as aesthetically pleasing, using any glass jar and sealing some water from any natural source (stream, lake ocean of your childhood) and they will sustain indefinitely with some sunlight and go through uncountable changes over the years. Try it!
Trey, our readers are crazy about DIY projects. If you have specific instructions on how to create our own ecospheres from recycled containers and natural resources, please send us the details.
I thought you might like to know that the EcoSphere is not a true ecosystem involving shrimp. The shrimp are slowly dying, possibly as a result of starvation.
The natural lifespan of the Halocaridina rubra shrimp is at least 10 years, and individuals have been known to live more than 20 years:
http://www.spacegrant.hawaii.edu/reports/16_SUM06-SP07/Linhoff_Luke_FA06.pdf
These shrimp usually don’t survive more than 1-5 years in the EcoSphere.
Here are some more graphic details:
http://www.petshrimp.com/hawaiianredshrimp.html
I thought that as ethical, responsible people you would want to know.
Hello Aquaeolian, thanks for keeping us and our readers in mind. Here is a response from Chris Kose over at EcoSpheres: “Our research has indicated that the shrimp contained in the EcoSphere actually live longer lives that if in the wild… We get emails and phone calls everyday from customers that have had their EcoSpheres for 8 or 9 or 10 years even! The longest lived customer-owned EcoSphere is currently 18 years old and still going. Unfortunately, the last comment made on the site as well as the website it refers to are grossly misinformed about the technology used in research, production and care of the EcoSpheres.”
I have had my eco sphere for about 5 years and the walls are becoming covered with algae The 2 shrimp appear to be fine but could this be a problem? Too much sun? Not enough? Thank you.
I have one brine shrimp who has lived nearly 10 years in an eco sphere.