Care and maintenance

Regarding your question about the fluctuation of light and temperature, tell you that in reality, most of the Ecospheres end up on a desk (like the one I have here next door). The temperature fluctuations that shrimp endure are very high in relation to most marine organisms. The optimal temperature level is between 15 and 30ºC. Temperatures above 35ºC or below 10ºC endanger the ecospheres. Less than 5 degrees of temperature put shrimp in a high degree of danger. In the case of small ecospheres - ISS or ISP models, in addition to temperature, it must be taken into account that a sudden change (for example, from 25 degrees to 10 degrees in a few minutes) can also affect, due to the fact that it is little volume of water. As for light, the usual tendency is to think that it needs a lot of light; however, the Ecospheres can be maintained with very low light levels and the recommendation is that little light is better than a lot. Thus, an excess of light, or direct sunlight or a halogen lamp can heat the water very quickly.

Shrimp reproduction in such small closed ecosystems is quite difficult. This has rarely been the case and the young born have not lasted long, since they are used as food by the rest of the colony. However, we are aware of a few cases in Spain, and whose clients have provided us with some photos that can be viewed by clicking here. If you fall into one of these cases, tell you that you are very lucky and we appreciate if you send us more photos to share with other users.

This is precisely the advantage of the Ecosphere, for example, you can go on vacation for a whole month and still be the same when you return. The important thing is that the location is appropriate, and that includes many possibilities, which you will have observed on our website. As possible (or more common) causes of situations that are adverse to the Ecosphere, we could cite the following:

Direct rays of the sun incident on the Ecosphere (heats the system in a very fast and fatal way.
Direct light from a halogen lamp falling on the Ecosphere (it heats the system very quickly and also fatally).
Ecosphere that is in a suitable area and (for example in winter) the room is ventilated for a couple of hours. Without realizing it, the ecosphere has been able to drop from about 20 degrees to a few degrees, fluctuating more than 15 degrees in a short time, shrimp sometimes can't stand it

It is interesting to see that it is an ecosystem with living beings and as such they are vulnerable. In the event that possible changes or adverse conditions are foreseen, our recommendation is generally to buy medium-sized or large ecospheres, which better withstand external inclemencies (because they have more volume and shocks of cold or heat absorb them much better). As for the balance of the system, the balance is equally achieved in all models and it is not strange that small Ecospheres live for several years. If the conditions are optimal, there shouldn't be a problem...

For the Ecosphere, excessive light is harmful. In addition, the Ecosphere can exist with very low light levels and with very few hours of daylight. There are actually microscopic algae that cannot be seen with the naked eye that are producing oxygen for the shrimp (and also serving as food for them). However, it is common for filamentous (green) algae to appear that can be seen. If you want, you can try putting it in an area with more light, BUT WITHOUT DIRECT SUNLIGHT, etc... (don't forget that excess light and algae are harmful). We hope we have provided you with information that will help you better manage your Ecosphere, although it is very generic advice, since the environment in which the Ecospheres are found is something that we cannot know from a distance (the characteristics of your house) and which largely determines the conditions of the same

The color of the shrimp (a more intense red) in principle should not be worrisome by itself. If the green algae has grown a lot, it means that it has been in an area with plenty of light and rather high temperatures. It is not serious or dangerous but it is not ideal either. We recommend placing it in an area of ​​the house that may be more shady. For the Ecosphere, excessive light is harmful, while the ecosphere can exist with very low light levels and with very few hours a day of light (ie, when in doubt, we recommend less light). An idea that can be suggested is to cover the ecosphere with a dark cloth that limits light during a few hours of the day. We hope we have provided you with information that will help you better manage your ecosphere, although it is very generic advice, since the environment in which the ecospheres are found is something that we cannot know from a distance (the characteristics of your house) and which largely determines the conditions of the same

In principle, it does not have to be harmful if a little green algae grows, but if it has grown a lot, it is because it has been in an area with plenty of light and/or rather high temperatures. It is not serious or dangerous but it is not ideal if it is a lot (if there are a few threads that is optimal). For the Ecosphere, excessive light is detrimental, while the ecosphere can exist with somewhat low light levels and with few hours a day of light (that is, when in doubt, we recommend less light, always under certain limits). Above all, avoid direct light. We hope we have provided you with information that will help you better manage your Ecosphere, although it is very generic advice, since the environment in which the ecospheres are found is something that we cannot know from a distance (the characteristics of your house) and which largely determines the conditions of the same

On the one hand, it depends on the natural pigmentation that each shrimp has in the concrete, but on the other, it depends on external factors.
Actually, the color change of the shrimp is something that we consider normal and that in many cases also responds to circadian rhythms (that is, it depends somewhat on the day and night cycles). They usually show more coloration at night. The details that cause the color changes are not known for sure, although it is true that at an empirical level we can inform you that it is not due to the diet as one might think (specifically to Beta-carotene) but rather a defense or mimicry mechanism depending on the environmental conditions: the more stable the system is (same location, stable hours, etc...) the shrimps tend to have more coloration. However, this rule is not exact, which is why shrimp have different colors within the same ecosystem and under the same conditions. We can also inform you that a redder coloration is not necessarily a sign of better health, but that they are different aspects.

The duration of these ecosystems is several years (2-5) on average. Of course this is something that happens because light and temperature conditions are kept at optimal and stable levels.

In the commercialized standard Ecosphere models, the ideal conditions are not developed to develop the reproduction mechanisms in the Ecospheres, which is why the life expectancy corresponds to the life expectancy of the shrimps that inhabit the Ecosphere (between 2 and 5 years, although there are cases of more than 10 years). Once the shrimp die, the ecosystem is no longer considered stable, because the forms of animal (bacteria) and plant (algae) life are constantly changing, due to changes in the chemical composition of the water. The green algae give way to populations of blue-green algae, later red algae... but these processes are not of great interest because life is not visible to the naked eye.

Regarding the possible external changes that can affect the ecosystem, tell him that, as a general rule, the larger the Ecospheres are, the greater their life expectancy, because they are much less vulnerable to external temperature changes (they better withstand external changes than in the ISS or ISP models, although the latter also last several years.The replacement guarantee period is 12 months.