Self Sustaining Ecosystems
Creating self sustaining ecosystems has become a fulfiling hobby for me. I grew up with lots of pets including dogs, a snake, turtles, and numerous lizards. However, I understood that my post grad adult lifestlye of apartment dwelling and travel was illsuited for any serious commitments. I remembered reading an old article about a man who was able to keep a ecosystem alive in a bottle for 53 years without watering it. After searching up how to replicate this on youtube, my passion was born. At this point I continue to experiment with my ecosystems, continually improving as I go. Setting these things up can be tedious. Not every experiment works out, but I can say it is nice having a hobby that slows you down, demands patience, and is a form of art when done correctly. Ecosystem building is a fun group activity and great with kids. My little brother and sister had a blast making projects with me when they flew out to visit. I highly recommend this YouTube channel for anyone looking to get started.
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Terrariums
A terrarium is a glass container containing soil and plants. Making a terrarium self sustaining involves sealing said container and adding all the necessary ingredients it needs to survive. This includes a filtering sytem such as charcoal, bugs, and water.
In my experience the hardest parts are getting the water levels right and consitently finding plants that will play nice with each other. That being said, creating a self sustaining terrarium is an attempt at making nature do something it was not intended. Having a terrarium last longer than a year is actually quite the feat when starting out. I personally choose to only open my terrariums 2-3 times a year for maintenance, mainly to give the glass a thorough cleaning.
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Fish Tank
My betta fish Mac Giller appreciates his self sustaining fish tank that can be run on a timed feeder when I am away on travel. Though I like feeding him myself, as it is good practice to talk to one's roomates, his tank can be set a side for weeks at a time with no input on my end.
@thestoneaged feeding time!!! #petlife #fyp #betta #bettafish
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Ecosphere
Life in a jar that is completely enclosed. Can contain snails, worms, parasites, and other microrganisms. These can be easily created and locally sourced. I gather water, dirt, and plants from a local watering hole and wait 24 hrs to see what is inside. Super easy and extremly facinating to look at.
@thestoneaged Ecosphere part 2. The water cleared up overnight revealing all this life. #fyp #diy #hobby #foryou #foryoupage #ecosphere #snail #worm #fish
♬ Clair De Lune - Claude Debussy