Reserved for enlightened amateurs a few years ago, terrariums have become more democratic. However, this is not yet the case with the ecospheres, straight out of the work of NASA scientists.
Until December 24, Clubic opens a sound box for you every day advent calendar 2022 : the opportunity to discover unusual or practical gadgets, gift ideas for oneself or for loved ones.
Like the terrarium, the ecosphere is a confined natural environment that requires virtually no maintenance. This is the only common point between them. Apart from that, the ecosphere is filled with water and hosts microscopic shrimps. Better still, it does not need any particular maintenance.
A self-sufficient system
In theory, nothing could be simpler than an ecosphere. A transparent container is filled with filtered seawater to which is added a handful of gravel and an artificial gorgonian (the natural version is protected). We sprinkle everything with some bacteria and microalgae, then we add the shrimp. The container is then sealed and…that’s it!
In practice, things are much more complex. The ecosphere is the result of research carried out by NASA, and more particularly by Professors Claire Folsome and Joe Hanson. The work of the two scientists on self-sustaining biological environments provides insight into the development of life.
To live, the ecosphere only needs adequate lighting. It should not be too strong to prevent the microalgae from growing too quickly. But it must not be too low either, in order to ensure the survival of the ecosystem. If this single condition is respected, the algae can then produce nutrients and oxygen by recycling the carbon dioxide emitted by the shrimps and the bacteria. The latter take care of the elimination of the waste which they transform into inorganic nutrient substances which the algae need.
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24 hours off
As we are curious at Clubic, we have obtained an ecosphere in order to examine it. We have opted for a spherical model with the most beautiful effect, but it is also possible to choose the oval version, which is aesthetically very successful.
Depending on its size, an ecosphere is sold between 99 and 499 euros. It is shipped by a fast carrier, and it is imperative to remove it from its packaging upon receipt, which of course we have done. Unboxing is a bit nerve-wracking. On leaving the box, the water is cloudy, the gorgonian has moved a lot and the shrimp are inert. You have to let the ecosphere rest for 24 hours for everything to go back to normal.
Finally, the prawns gradually come out of their torpor, caused by the stress of the trip, while the water becomes clear again. Once stabilized, the ecosphere must not be moved in order to guarantee its development.
The magnet supplied with the user guide is not only for decorative purposes. It allows you to move a mini-magnet that is in the gravel. It is used if necessary to reposition the gorgonian vertically, but also to clean the glass walls if too many diatoms (microalgae) appear.
A totally fascinating living object
The ecosphere is an exciting living object that we enjoy observing daily. The shrimp grow a little and seem to live peacefully. Algae grow regularly, but shrimp reproduce only exceptionally.
The average lifespan of an ecosphere is 2 to 3 years. It can reach 5 years if the advice provided in the installation guide is followed to the letter.
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According to EcoSphere France, a few rare copies are still active after 10 years. Finally, it should be noted that in the event of premature death of the shrimp, it is possible to have the container “recharged”, subject to the payment of a flat rate (from 69 to 399 euros, depending on the model).
Find our selection of the Advent calendar!
For the fourth consecutive year, Clubic is happy to offer you its Advent calendar.
We have selected for you products that are often unusual, sometimes amusing, but always original and which seem to us worthy of interest for any geek and his entourage. As in previous years, they have all passed through our hands, without exception. We have used them and loved them. Otherwise, we would not present them to you.
And for more unusual gift ideas, we remind you that the 2019, 2020 and 2021 Advent calendars are still online!
- 1er December: Paper Shoot is a camera as simple as it is attractive. With him, you will (re)discover photography without frills!
- December 2: Using a 360° camera to produce “flat” footage has many advantages. You do not believe in it ? It’s that you haven’t seen the Insta360 X3…
- December 3: do you like wild animals and unicorns? Then, the polygonal creations of Papertrophy will keep you busy during the long winter evenings…
- December 4: Limbo is a spinning top that spins nonstop for hours. Surely this is hiding something…
- December 5: with GB Operator, GameBoy game cartridges can now be used on a computer… which will not help the productivity of some people.
- December 6: two London cyclists with no sense of direction created Velo 2, a clever gadget halfway between GPS and compass.
- December 7: the Eiffel Tower, a rollercoaster and an Atari console in LEGO, would you like it? At Clubic, we loved them.
- December 8: the start-up Ellipse markets the E1, its first electric city bike. And it’s worth it (if you live in town).
The 2022 Christmas shopping guide is finally ready! As every year, the editorial staff of Clubic scoured the best merchant sites on the Web to unearth the finest deals from the high-tech departments.
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