| Symptom | Diagnosis | Solution | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Algae Bloom (Too much light/nutrients) | Move to a shadier spot. The algae will die off and the plants will consume the nutrients. | | Animals gasping at surface | Low Oxygen / Too many animals | Open the lid for an hour to gas exchange. Consider removing an animal or adding more plants. | | Plants rotting/leaves melting | Water too cold or shock | Trim dead leaves. Ensure the jar isn't in a draft. | | Everything dies quickly | Ammonia spike / System crash | You likely added too many animals too fast, or used soil with fertilizers. Start over. |
To function successfully, a bottle biosphere must balance three primary groups of organisms: