Vol. 10: Tabletop Biosphere

The Tabletop Shrimp Support Module (TSSM) is a fun demonstration of the ecological cycles that keep us alive.

Photos by BC Anna, Martin John Brown, Sam Murphy

+ Downloads & Extras:

Resources

Jane Poynter, former Biosphere 2 econaut: janepoynter.com
Ecological Microcosms by Robert J. Beyers and Howard Thomas Odum (Springer-Verlag, 1993)
Manmade Closed Ecological Systems by I. I. Gitelson, G. M. Lisovsky, and R. D. MacElroy (Taylor & Francis, 2003)
The ABS (Autonomous Biological System): Spaceflight Results from a Bioregenerative Closed Life Support System by Taber K. MacCallum, Grant A. Anderson, Jane E. Poynter, et al. Publication from the Society of Automotive Engineers (2000)

Jane on Bio-Dome and Biosphere 2

When I spoke with Jane Poynter, former Biosphere 2 econaut, now space industry exec and author, there was one hard-nosed question I was dying to ask. After 40 minutes discussing carbon cycling, I finally got down to business: Had she seen the Pauly Shore movie Bio-Dome?

"Oh, yes!" she enthused. "I thought it was hilarious ... there were so many innuendos in there that were so close, in some funny way, to what actually went on."

What actually went on, from her view, is in her memoir The Human Experiment: Two Years and Twenty Minutes Inside Biosphere 2. She suggests that the hardest thing wasn't dwindling oxygen, near-starvation diet, or rampaging ants -- it was the way stress ripped the tight-knit crew into rival camps. One camp focused on the primary mission of living as sealed-in as possible inside Biosphere 2, despite the threats to survival that this presented. The other camp wanted workable, breathable laboratory conditions for conducting science inside the structure, and recognized that the Biosphere 2 mission itself was not a controlled and replicable scientific experiment.

Still, Poynter says she'd do it again, though perhaps without the jumpsuits Pauly Shore cavorted in. (In reality, she lets on, they were worn only for the news cameras.)

+ LINKS

Jane Poynter

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Showing messages 1 through 7 of 7.

Microorganisms
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Hi. I was thinking of doing this experiment, and I've actually gathered all the supplies and everything. I just have a bit a question I guess. How is it that you're supposed to transfer the amphipods and other microorganisms out of the pond water? I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the recipe call for the addition of no pond water but rather ONLY the microorganisms?

I was thinking of using some kind of coffee filter or something just to separate them out, but I don't know if that would really be the right method.

I might be missing something, but any kind of help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Posted by FrankSiv on June 16, 2010 at 11:36:13 Pacific Time

any subtitute for amano shrimp?
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hi, i want to try this.
but in the city i live(Shenzhen.China mainland), i can't buy the amano shrimp.. so is there any other shrimp or fish(??) can be used instead of amano shrimp? thanks a lot:)
Posted by LeoOo on May 31, 2010 at 00:28:46 Pacific Time

A message in a bottle ...
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My biosphere, roughly crafted from Make's article, is now four months old. See my referenced blog for detail and photographs. I build it on a foundation of finely crushed sea shells, a few tablespoons of sand and pebbles scraped from a local pond. A pair of snails and three ghost shrimp were added plus quite a lot more plant life than recommended -- all sourced from the local pet store. The shrimp died off after about a month but the snails multiplied. It's like playing the real life, fresh water version of Sim City. Certainly gives you a lot to think and talk about.
http://slapphappe.wordpress.com/2008/02/04/fresh-water-biospheres/
Posted by slapphappe on June 11, 2008 at 22:05:29 Pacific Time

TSSM Success?
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Has anyone had any long term success with a TSSM? I am a 7th grade science teacher and would love to create some with my classes but I know the students would be bummed if our econaut died too soon. I want to create 6 so our survival rate could be higher but I am wondering what other people have been seeing....

Thanks!
Posted by kaiaua on August 18, 2007 at 09:17:08 Pacific Time

Calcium carbonate?
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I went to a couple of good aquarium supply stores, and while both had huge selections of chemicals, none had anything labeled as calcium carbonate per se (although many don't list their actual ingredients). Is there a particular brand/product the author had in mind? Is there an alternative? Also, searching the web it seems that some online nutrition stores sell pure calcium carbonate powder. Is there any reason why that wouldn't work?
Posted by yambu on August 13, 2007 at 16:39:08 Pacific Time

Here's mine
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I posted some pics and a blog post on the TSSM we built here today:

http://picasaweb.google.com/peterries/ShrimpAndSnailJar

Our little biosphere is only one day old so we'll have to wait to see how it does. I'll write here again when we think the little swimmers are all deceased.

One bit of advice for anyone else trying this, don't do what we did and let the excitement of putting all the ingredients together at once overwhelm you, only to realize you've just buried your little shrimp friends under the rocks.

:)

Posted by nebulous-bee on July 15, 2007 at 10:44:37 Pacific Time

Pretty expensive project
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I gather from the Internets that making your own cichlid salt is a possibility. Since this project only calls for like a teaspoon of the stuff and a whole bottle costs $9, maybe including an alternative recipe would have been a good idea.
Posted by drysdam on May 21, 2007 at 06:41:34 Pacific Time

Showing messages 1 through 7 of 7.

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