Name of the eco friendly ball where you never have to feed the living fish inside?

Question

I once came across a Glass ball filled with water, some type of plant and little shrimp things.This ball is completely sealed so it cant be opened.this is because you never have to feed the shrimps things and yet they reproduce and the system can go on for many many years, maybe forever.Hope you know what im talking about.

Answer 1

No.

Answer 2

Found this.

Title:Sealed aquarium Document Type and Number:United States Patent 4664065 Link to this page:http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4664065... Abstract:A container, having a sealable closure, has included therein distilled water, one or more aquatic plants, one or more herbivorous fish, an aquatic algae eating animal, inert particulate material and measured amounts of certain elements. The elements are nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, calcium and magnesium. An air space is left at the top of the container and a pinhole provided in the closure. This shelf perpetuating, sealed aquarium requires no air pump or heater, and fish food is not added; however, sufficient light to maintain the aquatic plants in healthy condition is necessary.

Answer 3

i dunno

Answer 4

I saw these at Brookstone, pretty neat!

Here is what they said on the website, and the link is below...

The inside story

EcoSphere is a delicate balance of earth, water, air and life—all parts of a working ecosystem.

Light—the foundation of life. Fluorescent light or indirect sunlight provides everything your ecosystem needs; there’s no feeding or cleaning required.

Seawater—provides the backdrop for this educational, self-contained marine environment.

Red shrimp—chosen for their nonaggressive tendencies towards one another, these tiny crustaceans live in perfect harmony with their mini environment.

Algae—healthy growth sustains and nourishes shrimp by supplying food and oxygen.

Microbes—to feed the algae.

Other materials—Gorgonia sprig, gravel, shells and glass provide ample hiding places and smooth surfaces for microbes to attach themselves to and thrive.

Glimpse into the future

This technology was developed by scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as part of a growing initiative to study our planet’s biosphere. NASA was researching self-contained communities for space explorers to live in during long-term flights. Out of this research came EcoSphere—a world in perfect balance.

Life expectancy

EcoSphere has an average life expectancy of two years; however, in the right conditions some have lived for up to 10 years.

For best results:

Do not shake!

Supply 6-12 hours of light a day

Avoid direct sunlight

Keep temperature at 60-85°F

Answer 5

It is called Ecospheres.

Here is an article and a link where you can buy it:

EcoSpheres are the world’s first totally enclosed ecosystems – complete, self-contained and self-sustaining miniature worlds encased in glass.  Easy to care for, an Ecosphere is an incredible learning tool that can provide powerful insights about life on our own planet… and provide a glimpse of technology that’s shaping the future of space exploration.



But Ecospheres are much more than a scientific breakthrough; they are works of art - living treasures to own or give to someone special.  EcoSpheres are carefully crafted to achieve an aesthetic, meditative beauty that can soothe any environment, including, home, office, or classroom.



EcoSpheres are completely closed, self-sustaining ecosystems.  By completely closed, we mean that it is sealed and isolated from the external environment.  Thus, no food, air, bacteria, or any other “thing” can enter the sphere.  In order for the entire system to survive all of the creatures living inside (shrimp, algae, and various microorganisms) must live in a state of equilibrium and balance.  The shrimp use the algae for both their oxygen supply and food source, the algae needs the shrimp for its carbon dioxide supply, and both the algae and the shrimp need the microorganisms to break down waste products into usable nutrients, and the microorganisms need the shrimp and algae to produce their waste products that are a food source for the microorganisms.  In addition to being beautiful works of art combined with science, EcoSpheres can demonstrate, in a very simple way, the interdependence of animal and plant life with Earth’s most precious resource – water.



The Inside Story

Inside each EcoSphere or biosphere are active micro-organisms, bright red shrimp and algae, each existing in a clear "soup" of filtered sea water. Because the ecosphere is a self-sustaining ecosystem, you never have to feed the life within. Simply provide your EcoSphere with a source of indirect natural or artificial light and enjoy this aesthetic blend of art and science, beauty and balance.  

  

Because the living resources within the EcoSphere utilize their resources without overpopulating or contaminating their environment, the EcoSphere requires no cleaning and only minimal care.

EcoSpheres have an average life expectancy of two years. However, it is not uncommon for shrimp populations to be thriving in systems as old as 7 years. EcoSpheres are available in either pod or spherical shapes, in a range of sizes.



A Glimpse Into the Future

The EcoSphere is the result of technology developed by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA was researching self-contained communities for space explorers to live in during long-term space flights. Out of this research came the EcoSphere - an ecosystem of animal and plant life in perfect balance.

How EcoSpheres Work

The EcoSphere is a display of a working ecological system. While it is beautiful to view, it also demonstrates the delicate balance of a closed ecosystem like the Earth. Contained within the completely sealed glass is a small variety of shrimp, algae, and microorganisms living in a filtered sea water environment.



The EcoSphere contains some of the same essential elements that are found on our planet. The Earth is represented by the gravel at the bottom with water filling two-thirds of the system while air fills the balance of the space. Fire is the light, which streams in each day. Finally, life: the algae, shrimp and microbes that float and swim in the water.



The EcoSphere's biological cycle represents a simple version of Earth's' own ecosystem. Light together with carbon dioxide in the water enable the algae to produce oxygen by photosynthesis. The shrimp breathe the oxygen in the water while nibbling on the algae and bacteria. The bacteria break down the animal waste into nutrients, which the algae utilize. The shrimp and bacteria also give off carbon dioxide, which the algae again use to produce oxygen. And so the cycle renews itself.



What is in the EcoSphere?

Along with the shrimp there are algae and filtered sea water. The EcoSphere also contains gorgonia and gravel as a part of the working ecosystem. Gorgonia, the non-living branch like material, and the gravel are surface area in the ecosystem. The gorgonia and gravel are also a hiding place for microorganisms - a place where they can not be eaten by the shrimp. All other areas in the water are accessible by the animals. By having more surface area for the bacteria to grow on, the eco-system has the ability to break down more of the waste materials.

  

How Long will They Live?

The average life of the small sphere and small pod is 2-3 years. The other units tend to last longer because they have more shrimp. The life expectancy of these shrimp is known to exceed 5 years. We do not know how long your EcoSphere will live due to different light and temperature conditions throughout the country; and we do not know the exact age of the shrimp when we make an EcoSphere. The oldest EcoSpheres are now over 8 years old and are still going strong. Some systems without shrimp are still living even after 18 years. As long as there is one shrimp alive in the EcoSphere, it is a functioning unit.

Answer 6

Ecosphere.  See the link.

Answer 7

Sounds like cannibal heaven.

Answer 8

It's called a Biosphere.

Dunno where you can get one though.