Closed Aquatic Ecosystem, X-Large Sphere

I recently purchased the EcoSphere Closed Aquatic Ecosystem, Small Sphere, and I'm completely captivated by the miniature world it holds within. This little marvel is not just an aquarium; it's a self-sustaining ecosystem that brings nature's beauty right to my desk.Pros:Low Maintenance: The EcoSphere is incredibly easy to care for. With minimal maintenance required, it's perfect for those who want a slice of nature without the hassle of constant upkeep.Fascinating Ecosystem: Watching the tiny shrimp swim, eat, and interact within this self-contained sphere is utterly mesmerizing. The delicate balance of life in such a small space is a testament to the wonders of nature.Beautiful Design: The small sphere is elegantly designed and makes for a unique and eye-catching addition to any space. It's a conversation starter, and everyone who sees it is immediately intrigued.Educational Value: This EcoSphere provides a wonderful opportunity for learning about ecosystems, the water cycle, and the delicate balance of life. It's a great educational tool for both kids and adults.

I purchased a small Ecosphere as a birthday present for my dad. I presumed that the Ecosphere would be a kit, like Sea Monkeys: the box would include an empty glass sphere, some powder to mix with water, a little wooden branch, some dried algae that would come back to life, and a coupon to send off for the shrimp, which would not be included in the box.Wrong.The Ecosphere comes complete, with everything already inside, and sealed tight. You take it out of the box, and it's good to go. The shrimp are inside swimming around, the algae is in there, along with the little branch, some decorative gravel, and some little jewelry-like bits in the gravel.So, if you buy one, plan ahead: You don't want to leave it tucked under the holiday tree for several days (or weeks!). Ideally, you'll want to get the sphere out of the box and into indirect sunlight the day it arrives or fairly soon after then.That's what I'm doing--guiltily enjoying my gift to my dad because the party is still a couple of weeks away, so the sphere is out of the box and in some gentle light.The Ecosphere itself is very, very cool. The 4 shrimp are pretty tiny, maybe as long as my pinky fingernail is wide. But the glass sphere acts like a lens and makes them look much bigger. The shrimp are pretty active a lot of the time, zooming around chasing each other, and are fun to watch. The gravel, sparkly bits, and branch have a simple, organic elegance to them. I could see the Ecosphere being a very classy--if distracting--desk accessory.And since the Ecosphere is completely sealed, there's no real maintenance to it beyond making sure that it's in a spot that gets enough indoor light or indirect sunlight, but not too much, so that the algae grows enough to feed the shrimp but not take over the sphere, and so that the sphere's temperature stays within 60 - 90 degrees F. That's it, just pick the right spot.I might just end up getting one for myself...

The media could not be loaded. The PERFECT gift for my father that is very difficult to find. He's going to love it!PROS:- Such a unique little gift- They may claim that the shrimp only last a couple of years, but from the reviews I have read they can last up to ten.- This was sent when weather was below freezing so I was very worried about the shimp. The package actually came with a warmer, so the shrimp would stay the perfect temperature.- All of the shrimp looked different, so you could tell them apart.- They were all very active which I was not expecting- It was so cool that the algae was sort of just floating around in separate little pieces when I opened it. I left it on my work desk and noticed a little green ball of algae at the bottom of the system the next morning. Overnight, the shrimp gathered all the pieces and somehow formed them into a ball.- Seriously, how cool is this?!?!CONS:- The price is a little steep and I would reaalllllyyy love to get a medium or large system for myself but am not willing to pay that much.- You don't know exactly what your system is going to look like or how many shrimp you are going to get (which was actually pretty fun for me - especially since I got the max number of fish expected.**UPDATE**My dad absolutely loved this gift! He was confused at first upon opening it since he wasn't sure exactly what it was. Once I explained the system to him and he saw the shrimp swimming around his face lit up!He called today to let me know just how much he enjoyed having it at his computer desk and reported that all four of his shrimp were doing well and were all very active.This gift was by far worth the money and I plan on purchasing from this company again for myself and others in the future.