LSS and WQ Abstracts
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Sketch It Up: An In-house Approach to Life Support System Design and Development
Micah Buster, Meghan Atkinson, Clare Hansen, Ryan Hannum, Oregon Coast Community College Aquarium Science Program Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
As part of the Life Support Operation and Design course in the Aquarium Science Program at Oregon Coast Community College, students were teamed up to deliver a term project with the instructions to design a hypothetical life support system for a provided scenario. The project included design criteria and calculations, specifications on equipment, drawings, a budget, operational SOPs and schedule through installation and start-up. This presentation will be delivered by one of these student teams with a primary focus on how the utilization of online available 3D modeling tools such as Google SketchUp can aid husbandry and exhibits personnel in the design and development of in-house projects for life support systems and exhibits. The use of such tools can help facilities reduce design costs, communicate to stakeholders, ease installations, improve operational efficiencies and benefit staff development. The students will also share their experience in developing their term project in relation to applications and lessons learned on how to possibly approach life support project design for the benefit of in-house projects at aquarium facilities. |
Design, construction, and operation of a modular sulfur denitrification system Hunter Ryan, California Science Center Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Nitrate accumulates in recirculating aquarium systems as a result of filtration processes such as bacteriological denitrification and ozone sterilization. Nitrate control is an important aspect of aquarium water quality control and life support management due to the harmful effects of nitrate on sensitive aquatic organisms. Operators of closed aquatic systems have typically managed nitrate levels via water exchange. However, biological denitrification has become an attractive method of nitrate remediation in aquaria due to the costs of transporting or mixing seawater in large-scale aquarium applications. The Life Support Department at the California Science Center has been investigating the efficacy of a sulfur denitrification system designed to remove nitrate in a 200,000 gallon living kelp forest exhibit. Key design factors include hydraulic retention time, nitrate loading rate, and nitrate removal efficiency. Designers implemented strategies to mitigate potentially harmful water quality effects resulting from incomplete or partial denitrification. |
Act Like You Own the Place Before You Even Do September Love Ruddell, Denver Zoo Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
This was a presentation I gave to AALSO about new construction projects and the importance of having a Life Support Technician involved from the beginning. It weighs the importance of the position and knowledge vs not having someone on site during projects. It reflects and follows a major undertaking we had here at the Zoo for our Elephants and what could have been done differently. It also explains what an LSS technician should be able to provide a facility and the importance of LSS and animal care staff working together and understanding each other. The presentation explains many misunderstood aspects of a new construction project (change requests, RFI's, inspections, types of engineers etc) and as a technician and animal care person how to survive a process like this in the most positive manner. I feel this information allows upper management to understand and reflect on the stress the front line employees feels during this process and allows your front line staff to understand more of what they don't see in a project. |
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Techniques for Manufacturing
Artificial Seawater Bart Shepherd, Steinhart Aquarium, California Academy of Sciences Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
For nearly ninety years, Steinhart Aquarium’s marine exhibits relied upon natural seawater obtained through a Ranney collector system at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. Despite a recent renovation of the beach pumping station, incoming water quality was highly variable. Because of the inconsistent quality of incoming seawater, specifically low salinity and high phosphate, a decision was made in 2010 to switch to synthetic salt water. In order to optimize this change, a team of biologists, life support operators, and animal health personnel conducted a thorough review of available commercial and institutional salt mixes used in public aquaria throughout the United States. The development of this formulation consisted of careful identification of suppliers, thorough water chemistry analysis and biological testing on live organisms including delicate reef-building corals. Formulations vary and can be tailored to fit local source-freshwater chemistry, the location of the facility in relation to commercial suppliers of major ingredients, and other specific institutional factors. |
Life Support Systems and Exhibit Design for Pelagic Gelatinous Species
Ed Seidel and Chad Widmer, Tenji, Inc. and Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Pelagic gelatinous animals like cnidarians, ctenophores, and pteropods present a number of challenges for captive display: they are often difficult to culture or capture in the wild, their bodies are physically delicate, they have unique Life Support System (LSS) needs, and they require specialized enclosures and food. In order to successfully design exhibits for these animals, it is essential to understand the biomechanics of the different phyla of gelatinous organisms. Through the use of fluorescein dye injected into the pathway of swimming jellies, we can elucidate the ideal flow regime and enclosure design for displays through the visualization of these flow patterns. Kreisels (pseudo, true, or stretch) are better suited for ctenophores, pteropods, and “weak swimming” cnidarians, while “active” swimming cnidarians can be maintained in a variety of tanks shapes and flow regimes. The fluorescein dye technique is also helpful for visualization of the flow fields around system injection boxes and allows one to find areas where flow may damage jellies. LSS components are critical to a well-designed system. Foam fractionators have a large impact on the concentration of DOC (dissolved organic carbon), which negatively affects the uptake of dissolved nutrients for some gelatinous species. Other key LSS components, such as de-gas towers, light (both for exhibit lighting and as a component of LSS), heat exchangers, pumps, kreisels and other tank designs, and the use of LSS bypasses are essential to good design. |