University of Southampton- Two Multi-Stress Units

University of Southampton- Three Multi-Stress Units

Institution:
Location:	Southampton, UK
Contact:	Dr. Jasmin Godbold
Habitat:	Freshwater & Seawater
Type of rearing unit:	University of Southampton- Three Multi-Stress Units
Unit description:	Parameters Unit Details 1 2 Electricity x x 220 volts 50 HZ 1 Ph Electrical plug x x British Temperature control x x 4-35°C ± 0.3°C Habitat insulated with sliding doors x x TECO 2000 Chilling system x x Independent 500 w heater x x Static, dynamic & cyclic x x See descriptions below Maximum rate of change: x x -3.5 & +3.7°C /hour Precision x x 0.3°C Water make-up x x Max 100% du volume Water pressure regulator 1 Dissolved oxygen x >2mg/L (3-4 mg/L). Static x Air supplied on site x 1 CFM @ 35 PSI per unit Nitrogen supplied on site x 0.8 @ 35 PSI per unit Air flow regulator and flowmeter x x 3 lpm per unit Nitrogen flow regulator &  flowmeter x 0.4 lpm per unit Minimum level x 10 % @ 5°C Maximum level x 90 % @ 25°C Maximum rate of change: x From 10 to 1.0 mg/L in one hour Precision x + 0.1 mg/l Aeration stones inside tanks yes Salinity no pH x Minimum 7.3 Static x Monitoring & control / high pH x Carbonate @ 42g/L Monitoring & control / low pH x HCL 0.5N & CO2 solution CO2 gas injection x Inside the sump Photoperiod (300 Lux @ 100%) x x Manual, Astral & annual Server, RS-485 & interface cable 1 to be returned after 1 month
Mandate:	Conception & Fabrication

University of Southampton- Two Multi-Stress Units

Unique in the industry, the Multi-stressor system is the outcome of several years of R&D and careful design.  It provides the means of keeping aquatic and marine organisms under precise, stable and reproducible environmental conditions.  We hope this member of the AquabioLab family will contribute to propelling your research.

A Multi-stressor rack is composed of up to three independent water recirculating systems, one per shelf. Each system includes a habitat module (zebrafish tanks & plumbing for water inflow/outflow), and a filtration module (biofilter, cartridge filter, heat exchanger, controls) located on an adjacent rack). On each shelf runs a row of LEDs controlled by the Enviro-Monitron.

The Habitat Module is enclosed into opaque insulated cabinet to protect the animals for ambient room lighting and reduce chilling requirements. This unit is made to accommodate hypoxic control, as well as creating normoxic and hyperoxic conditions.  The Multi-stressor components are illustrated in the figures below.

University of Southampton – Two Multi-Stress Units features:

• Control of water temperature;
• Generate hyperoxic conditions;
• Generate hypoxic conditions;
• While under hypoxic conditions:
  • an automatic mix of air, oxygen and nitrogen provides constant degasing action, protecting the animals from buildup of CO₂ gas;
  • your animal are protected against accidental drop of dissolved oxygen below the set point by automatically raising the level of oxygen to 100% saturation when/if this happens;
• The rate of increase and decrease of water temperature can be adjusted;
• Provides automatized control over make-up water flow (incoming new water in each Multi-stressor unit);
• Provides manual control over the water flow to each row of rearing tanks.
• Constant protection against nitrogen super saturation (a constant risk in pressurized systems) by the use of a trickling biofilter operating at ambient pressure with air inflow.
• The biofilter media is pre-activated with live freshwater nitrifying bacteria before delivery.  This significantly reduces biofilter maturation time.

University of Southampton – Two Multi-Stress Units : Flow circulation

The water flows through a Multi-stressor unit is divided into two circuits, the filtration circuit (for the Filtration module) and the circulation circuit (for the habitat module).

Filtration Circuit

From the sump tank, the water is pumped through the 20 microns cartridge filter and the activated carbon filter. From the activated carbon filter, the water flows through the chiller, the bio-filter and returns to the sump where the heater is located.

Circulation Circuit

The water coming from the bio-filter is collected in the sump and is then pumped directly into the rearing tanks.  The effluent from each of the rearing tanks flows along a gutter and back into the sump tank.

A double hydraulic circuit assures a constant flow to the rearing tanks, regardless of filter clogging.