World in a Jar.

**kris23** · Dec 13, 2010, 11:41 PM

haha its always good to develop healthy interests at a young age..

setting up a jar like this or simply setting up a small natural aquarium will definitely of aesthetic and educational value...

the amount of info received from pulling apart each ecosystem component is astounding!

Falstaff · Dec 14, 2010, 12:46 AM

I recall in my youth understanding photosynthesis at a very early age.

**kris23** · Dec 14, 2010, 01:34 AM

yea... at the young age, finding out how it works.

then moving a bit further and eventually trying to find out WHY it all works and comes together...

then more and more difficult questions arise... its great aint it?

Falstaff · Dec 14, 2010, 07:30 AM

I wonder if you can determine population density without a microscope.
I see top predators like the dragonfly and want to know how many different lifeforms have to live and be eaten before the dragonfly recieves its meal.
Microscopy-UK full menu of microscopy and microscopes on the web

What are the animal's basic needs? (They are food, water, air, and shelter.)
What organisms would this animal rely on in order to meet these needs?
What might happen if some of these organisms were to disappear?
What organisms rely on this animal for survival?
How does this animal interact with the non-living things in its environment?
What might happen to a freshwater ecosystem if this animal were to become extinct?

**kris23** · Dec 16, 2010, 04:58 AM

its interesting to look at the sort of food-web one would find in an environment...

in a system like this jar, the order of lifeforms is pretty narrow with shrimp on top, then snails, then the various planktonic creatures that live in the sediment and debris, and finally the plants which consume the byproduct of the breakdown of dead matter...

increasing the variety of living components would make the system much more interesting... which is why i ordered a mixture of freshwater phytoplankton to add to the jar...

it should be here tomorrow... or rather it better be here tomorrow... those things cant be tossed around for much longer in the mail...

Falstaff · Dec 16, 2010, 02:49 PM

I wish we had some dialysis fillters, we could find the parasites too. I just love this sort of thing and miss the old microscope projector.

**kris23** · Dec 19, 2010, 04:49 AM

I regret to say that the 2 shrimps died Wednesday night...

The reason was due to oxygen being consumed in the night by the plants that got too large for the system...
and a rather large algae bloom added to the oxygen drain...

I suppose I added a little too much fertilizer and plants...

I was saddened by the fact that I lost the shrimp because I could not foresee this obvious outcome...
I knew right away what had happened only AFTER they had died...

The next day, my plankton culture as well as the parts for the 2nd light source for the jars came in...
I set up the 2nd jar right away as another microcosm.

The first jar, equipped with the new light source.
Its 3 times as bright as the first one and consumes about 24w of power

The second jar, equipped with the older light source. It's the main system for culturing the plankton.

Once I can get the jars running the way i want, ill probably buy more shrimp. I'm looking to keep the plants to a minimum requirement for the oxygenation and just enough free-floating algae to support the plankton.

Definitely trying to avoid the same oxygen drop issue as before... if I can increase the total available oxygen level in the system upon sealing, I can probably avoid the same issue.

Another potential reason the shrimp died is because the dechlorinated water I used to change the water in the jar sat for a day and a half, degassing it (I change the water everytime I unseal the jar for a fresh start). With a lack of both O2 and CO2, there was an overall low level of oxygen to begin with.... leading to what happened...

Now I'm tackling all possible reasons and hoping for the best...

Falstaff · Dec 19, 2010, 06:48 AM

is there a natural filter for the water and biota..say like a small snail or something.

**kris23** · Dec 19, 2010, 07:10 AM

worms... snails... tiny detritus shifting shrimp.... plenty of variety there...

Dec 13, 2010, 11:41 PM	Thread Starter #31
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Re: World in a Jar. haha its always good to develop healthy interests at a young age.. setting up a jar like this or simply setting up a small natural aquarium will definitely of aesthetic and educational value... the amount of info received from pulling apart each ecosystem component is astounding! __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Dec 14, 2010, 12:46 AM	#32
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Re: World in a Jar. I recall in my youth understanding photosynthesis at a very early age. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Dec 14, 2010, 01:34 AM	Thread Starter #33
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Re: World in a Jar. yea... at the young age, finding out how it works. then moving a bit further and eventually trying to find out WHY it all works and comes together... then more and more difficult questions arise... its great aint it? __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Dec 14, 2010, 07:30 AM	#34
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Re: World in a Jar. I wonder if you can determine population density without a microscope. I see top predators like the dragonfly and want to know how many different lifeforms have to live and be eaten before the dragonfly recieves its meal. Microscopy-UK full menu of microscopy and microscopes on the web What are the animal's basic needs? (They are food, water, air, and shelter.) What organisms would this animal rely on in order to meet these needs? What might happen if some of these organisms were to disappear? What organisms rely on this animal for survival? How does this animal interact with the non-living things in its environment? What might happen to a freshwater ecosystem if this animal were to become extinct? __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Dec 16, 2010, 04:58 AM	Thread Starter #35
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Re: World in a Jar. its interesting to look at the sort of food-web one would find in an environment... in a system like this jar, the order of lifeforms is pretty narrow with shrimp on top, then snails, then the various planktonic creatures that live in the sediment and debris, and finally the plants which consume the byproduct of the breakdown of dead matter... increasing the variety of living components would make the system much more interesting... which is why i ordered a mixture of freshwater phytoplankton to add to the jar... it should be here tomorrow... or rather it better be here tomorrow... those things cant be tossed around for much longer in the mail... __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Dec 16, 2010, 02:49 PM	#36
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Re: World in a Jar. I wish we had some dialysis fillters, we could find the parasites too. I just love this sort of thing and miss the old microscope projector. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Dec 19, 2010, 04:49 AM	Thread Starter #37
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Re: World in a Jar. I regret to say that the 2 shrimps died Wednesday night... The reason was due to oxygen being consumed in the night by the plants that got too large for the system... and a rather large algae bloom added to the oxygen drain... I suppose I added a little too much fertilizer and plants... I was saddened by the fact that I lost the shrimp because I could not foresee this obvious outcome... I knew right away what had happened only AFTER they had died... The next day, my plankton culture as well as the parts for the 2nd light source for the jars came in... I set up the 2nd jar right away as another microcosm. The first jar, equipped with the new light source. Its 3 times as bright as the first one and consumes about 24w of power The second jar, equipped with the older light source. It's the main system for culturing the plankton. Once I can get the jars running the way i want, ill probably buy more shrimp. I'm looking to keep the plants to a minimum requirement for the oxygenation and just enough free-floating algae to support the plankton. Definitely trying to avoid the same oxygen drop issue as before... if I can increase the total available oxygen level in the system upon sealing, I can probably avoid the same issue. Another potential reason the shrimp died is because the dechlorinated water I used to change the water in the jar sat for a day and a half, degassing it (I change the water everytime I unseal the jar for a fresh start). With a lack of both O2 and CO2, there was an overall low level of oxygen to begin with.... leading to what happened... Now I'm tackling all possible reasons and hoping for the best... __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Dec 19, 2010, 06:48 AM	#38
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Re: World in a Jar. is there a natural filter for the water and biota..say like a small snail or something. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Dec 19, 2010, 07:10 AM	Thread Starter #39
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Re: World in a Jar. worms... snails... tiny detritus shifting shrimp.... plenty of variety there... __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!