Project A Super Reveal Alpha Go

So I've got an absolute ton of projects on the go at the moment.

Super secret project X was started over a year ago and is nearing the end of alpha testing.  It's super cool, and for once I'm not going to backtrack with a deprecating comment here.  It is really cool.

Super not so secret project Y was started before Christmas, but the parts I need are currently out of stock almost everywhere, leaving me with the choice of paying twice the RRP or just waiting.  Obviously, as the richest man in this house right now (I live with a woman but am also currently alone) I have chosen to wait.

So with a long term-project in the works and a short-term project on hiatus until the chinese get their act together and start making electronics again, I was short of something to do for ten minutes one day.

Therefore, I went on the internet and bought some stuff.  That stuff was to go inside a jar I received for Christmas.  This jar was originally full of delicious sweets, which have since been eaten.  The jar itself is really cool, kind of corrugated glass which gives an interesting effect when waving your hands around inside it (it's a really big jar, more than a gallon, or in other terms, 2kg's of fizzy dummies) which gave me this idea.

The De Roeck Microbiome Project

So I filled it with water and added some plants and moss.  Now, the first thing you're going to say is that's stupid.  Yes it is.  Deal with it.

The second thing you're going to say is that plants don't perceptibly move, so the cool effect I saw when waving my hand around on the inside has no bearing on this thing.

Now, of course, you're right that plants don't really move when there are no external forces (yes, yes, yes, they grow and whatnot, stop being pedantic) but this is just stage one.  These plants are to create a livable non-mechanical environment for a creature.

Now, you're worrying that I'm going to buy a shark and put it in there.

There's no denying that would be cool, but it would also be kind of cruel.  So as of right now I'm thinking of a couple of snails and/or a couple of tiny shrimp.  There are obviously a few important milestones that need to happen before I can get to this point.  Firstly, the plants need to get substantially larger.  They're going to be the main input of oxygen into the water.  The neck is large, and has a fair surface area, but not enough in such a small volume of water.

Secondly, the plants are going to be the things filtering all the other toxins, which won't be enough to keep anything alive for more than a few days, which means I'll need to change an amount of water every week or so.  How much I'll need to change is up for debate at the moment, but my current estimate is around 20%.

Before all this, however, I'll need to test the water for nitrates, nitrites, nitritium, nitronium, nitroxidium, heavy metals and all the other good stuff.  With such a small volume of water, quick and exacting problem identification is crucial.

The plants are growing incredibly slowly right now, which leads me to suspect that it'll be well into Summer before they're big enough to process any of the waste products from an animal.  Even something as small as a snail or a shrimp.

There are also concerns with the winter temperatures in Japan, or more specifically the incredible lack of insulation any building has here.  If it's -5degC outside, it's somehow -15degC inside.  A small temperature controlled heating element might do the trick.  Will have to investigate if it comes down to that.

Anyway, keep an eye out for the reveal of the next project.  Start saving up, you'll be wanting to spend the big money when it turns up!