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Beachworld
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Beachworld FAQ
BEACHWORLD - Bio Spheres
Basic Instructions.
IMPORTANT
1- You must give your biosphere natural or artificial light each day to allow the vital
processes to take place. Neon, flourescent lights, ordinary light bulbs or even better,
Bio Spheres - Beachworlds lamps (which can be purchased from either the us selling our products
or through Globus direct) are all okay to use. It is important to ensure the lights do not
make the spheres warm.
There is no scientific formula dictating the exact amount of light per day the Beachworlds
need to remain healthy. If your home is very dark, we suggest five to six hours artificial
light per day. If your home gets plenty of natural daylight then this is probably all the
Beachworld needs. It is important to remember that if the shrimps are very orange/red
and are resting on the coral, walking on the pebbles or swimming around slowly,
whatever you are doing is perfect!
2- NEVER expose your biosphere to direct sunlight. Placing your biosphere on a
window sill is fine providing it does not get direct sunlight.
3- For the first month, check your biosphere daily. Ensure your shrimps have an
orange/red hue and are calm. They should be resting on the pebbles or coral. If your
shrimps are almost transparent and are racing around the sphere, this probably indicates
that they are getting too much or too little light. To rectify this problem, place the
biosphere elsewhere within your home until you find the perfect place.
4- If you have been using artificial light to maintain your Beachworld and are going
away for more than two days, either give it to a friend to care for or use a timer light.
5- During the summer place your Beachworld in a controlled temperature area
between 13° and 27° C. In extreme conditions place your biosphere in a sink with water
to cool it down. You can also call GLOBUS Customer Service for advice on:
0039 0182 559 495.
Do not:
- Place your BW in direct sunlight
- Shake your BW
- Place your BW outside
- Place your BW in a room where the temperature goes above 27° or below 13°.
Light Exposure
Bulb Distance
40 Watt 15 cm.
60 Watt 25 cm.
100 Watt 30 cm.
Neon Distance
Up to 30 Watt 40 cm.
More than 30 Watt 65 cm.
Sunlight Lamp GLOBUS
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Distance between 5 and 10 cm.
ABOUT YOUR BEACHWORLD
Our planet is a closed system in which living organisms thrive: a biosphere
where nothing enters or exists except sunlight. Your BW is a miniature biosphere,
encapsulating the fundamental workings of our own Earth.
Inside your BW, shrimps are sustained in a marine environment. You do not
have to feed the shrimps or change their water. It’s the perfect pet! Nothing enters or
leaves the container, such as food, air, water or waste. The only elements required are
light and heat. The light causes the micro algae to produce the oxygen and food for the
shrimps, which in turn produce carbon dioxide and nutrients for the algae to grow.
The BW gives us the opportunity to bring the beach indoors! The BW was created
by a space station engineer and two of the original Biosphere2 crew members. The two
Biosphere2 researchers lived and worked for two years inside the large sealed ecosystem
in Arizona without leaving the structure. The glass and steel sealed building covers 3,15
acres and contains several different environments including a rain forrest, savanna,
desert, marsh and ocean. Columbia University manages Biosphere2, where scientists
research the global changes that take place.
The creators of the BW have completed a ten day space experiment on the U.S. Shuttle
and twice have done a four month experiment on board the Russian Space Station MIR
with sealed closed ecosystems similar to that of the BW.
WHAT LIVES INSIDE YOUR BEACHWORLD?
The residents of your BW are shrimps that are found only on certain Pacific
Ocean’s islands. These shrimps inhabit the inland pools that are found in lava rock. Deep
red layers of algae line the walls of these pools, along with other types of macro algae.
The shrimps does not eat the algae, but rather maintains it, eating the micro algae and
bacteria that grows on the layers of algae. They are literally the gardeners of their
environment, maintaining the balance within the pools, keeping them clean so that the
large algae can thrive.
In your BW you can see the shrimps grazing and grooming themselves and even
carrying the odd piece of sand! If the shrimps are disturbed they tend to temporarily
loose their bright red colour in an attempt to blend in with their background. Once they
have settled they will return to their original state.
Unlike their natural habitat, there are no predators in the BW, so the life span of the
shrimps can be extremely long - up to10 years. They usually do not produce offspring in
the BW as they like dark, secluded places in which to breed. The BW are too small to
sustain an increasing number of shrimps, therefore we do not provide a breeding place.
The BW is expected to live 3 years, but they have been known to live for as long as 12
years.
There is also algae in your BW, in order to help keep the water clean and provide
oxygen for the shrimps.
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CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Setting up your BeachWorld
STEP 1: Take the BeachWorld immediately out of its box. Be sure that the
BeachWorld is positioned the right side up. Very gently vibrate your Beachworld to free
any shrimps that might be trapped under the sand during transportation.
STEP 2: Inspect your BW after you have taken it out of the box. Your BW might
be a little cloudy for the first day or two. This will clear up.
STEP 3: Place your BW in a location that receives enough light . Never allow
your BW to receive direct sunlight. The room temperature needs to be between 13° and
27°C.
STEP 4: Watch your BW closely during the first month to make sure it is in an
appropriate location. Lighting is the primary consideration as long as the temperature
remains within the ranges quoted in Step 3. The BW thrives in natural or fluorescent
light. If there is too much light, algae will grow prolifically on the glass (however the
shrimps will love it!). Whenever you change the location of your BW, check it every few
days for several weeks to make sure that the location is appropriate.
STEP 5: Fill out your BW’s registration card within 30 days and send it along
with proof of purchase to Globus Scientific at the address below.
On receipt of your registration card Globus will send you a guarantee/ replacement
voucher for use in the unlikely event that your Beachworld dies.
TROUBLE SHOOTING
Algae on the glass. A small amount of algae on the glass is good as indicates that
the BW is getting ample light. However, if it becomes unsightly place the BW in an area
that receives slightly less light. The algae often clears up within a few days to a couple of
weeks. If it is very stubborn and does not recede in its new location after couple of weeks
move it to a slightly darker location yet, or use the attached magnet to clean smoothly the
glass.
Milky water. This is a sign of bacteria in the water. if this occurs put the BW in a
well lit location for several days until the water clears up (but not in the direct sunlight).
Dead shrimps. Over several years the shrimps will die of natural causes. If you
see several dead shrimps within your BW sometime within the first week of your having
the BW this might indicate a problem during transportation. If a shrimp dies and the BW
is crystal clear, there is no algae on the glass or on any of the shells in the sand, then you
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probably need to give the BW a little more light. Never shake the BW as this could harm
the shrimps, and even kill them.
Through the process of photosynthesis, the algae provides the shrimps with the oxygen
they need to live.
Swimming skeletons. Inside the ecosystem you may find small transparent
objects (skeletons) that look like shrimps, but which move rather slowly and irregularly.
These are the discarded skins of the shrimps. The shrimps changing their skin is another
proof of the animals’ good state of health.
GUARANTEE/REPLACEMENT VOUCHER
In the unlikely event that the majority of the shrimps die within one year of the purchase
date, you can return the product to GLOBUS UK for a replacement on condition that it
had not been subjected to modification or misuse and that all the instructions regarding
the care of your Beachworld have been observed. You MUST send the Beachworld
guarantee card to validate your claim.
Your Beachworld will be replaced using the replacement voucher provided the customer
returns the dead Beachworld to Globus International , before return dead products
contact the following number to check method of return : 0039 0182 559495 for UK 0044
(0)1892 660093 .
(owner of Beachworld will enclose a cheque or cash or credit card details for 25 euros for
shipping costs and specialised protective packing).
If the customer does not follow the instructions attached to the Beachworld, this warranty
or part of it shall not apply. For further information about how to return Beachworld, as
well as for any technical questions, please do not hesitate to contact GLOBUS
International at fax +39 0182 559482; or send e-mail to info@beachworld.it
The costs for transport shall be borne by the customer.
This warranty is limited to the replacement of one Beachworld and does not cover any
incidental or consequential damages, personal injury, loss or damages caused by the
customer’s or another person’s use of the Beachworld.
THIS IS A DIDACTIC PRODUCT. NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER SIX
YEARS. TREAT CAREFULLY.
Warranty extension.
All of our Bio-Spheres Beachworld products are guaranteed for one year. If you would like to extend
this to two years please contact us via email.