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Aquatic Facility

In the aquatic facility, we conduct studies to determine the effects of contaminants and environmental stressors on freshwater fish and other aquatic organisms. We also breed and maintain cultures of two species of fish – Japanese medaka and Florida Flagfish, and we also occasionally house rainbow trout and larger bodied fish. At full capacity, this facility can hold  nearly 20 metric tonnes of water, and based upon the number and size of our various tanks, we can keep nearly 4500 fish in this flow-through facility. 

The Aquatic Facility is equipped with:

  • 12 1,500-L insulated fiberglass tanks
  • 100 70- to 100-L glass tanks
  • 64 10-L glass tanks
  • 2 environmental control rooms
  • 3 centralized dosing stations supply up to 96 individual glass aquaria for chemical or drug delivery
  • All tank positions can be filled with UV sterilized 12 °C – 25 °C flow-through fresh water and fresh air
  • Three rooms with individually controlled automated broad-spectrum lighting, which mimics photoperiod and daylight with a dusk and dawn shoulder period
  • All controls are automated and all lab equipment, controls, and lighting are supplied with automated emergency power diesel generators
  • The lighting system is additionally supported by a centralized uninterruptable power supply (UPS)
  • Pumps, water treatment, and air supply equipment is twinned and automatically monitored and controlled for status, hours run, and failure with remote notification and control capabilities.