Planning for an Aquatic Research Facility?

We provide help in defining equipment specifications and space requirements for efficient state-of-the-art aquatic and marine laboratories

AQUABIOTECH experts can:

1. Meet individual researchers or research teams to help define the type of aquatic equipment that would best meet their requirements. We look at the investigator’s vision and goals and their general research protocols.
2. Constraints are also reviewed, whether in water economy, space, or operating costs. Options, if necessary, are presented. The equipment is defined based on state-of-the-art technology and the Canadian Council for Animal Care (CCAC) guidelines.
3. Characterize the general operating specifications of each aquatic system. We cover rearing tank number and volume, holding capacity (g fish/L), maximum feed level (g food/d), level of water recycling (% v/v water exchange/d), temperature range, and the specific environmental controls required for conducting the experiments (dissolved oxygen, pH, ammonia, CO₂, water velocity, salinity, photoperiod, simulations, biocontainment, etc.).  These specifications can be used as such to go to Tenders. In parallel, we draft each aquatic system and come up with an estimate of its surface area with its water, air, and electrical requirements.
4. Produce a preliminary layout plan of the wet lab, positioning the equipment in each room with space allocation for system’s operation & maintenance, and general location of the service stations for electrical, water outlets, air, etc.
5. Prepare, if requested, a preliminary cost estimate for the aquatic systems.
6. Define wet lab services that could be required such as water, drains, compressed air, electricity, lights, pure oxygen, water chilling capacity (central chilling systems), water filtration & recycling skids, networking, biofilter inoculation stations, equipment duplication for security measures and/or effluent collection for detoxification when applicable. Translate into a workable scheme.
7. Produce a complete report and remain available to project architects and engineers.

• -Eases in the development of consensus within the project team
• -Increases the chances of maximizing the return on investment in developing a versatile and flexible laboratory as you benefit from our 30 years experience in the design and making of wet lab equipment.
• -Endorses measures and equipment that protect fish health, meet CCAC guidelines, and promote experimental success
• -Saves appreciable time for your architectural and engineering consultants
• -Facilitates the tendering process
• -Reduces equipment installation time
• -Considerably reduces the risk of error during all phases of the project.

Aquabiotech also makes well-integrated, state-of-the-art wet lab equipment.  For those who choose to purchase our equipment, you’ll certainly benefit from the optional detailed drawing service we offer.  As illustrated in the figure to the right, the exact position of air, water, oxygen, glycol, electricity, and intranet outlets will be indicated with elevations to scale for each lab room where our equipment is to be located.

The connection detail, with the position of our control panels, is also provided several weeks before equipment delivery.  Your team has then ample time to set these outlets at their optimal location before the arrival of the equipment.

Created in 1989 by two senior biologists (University of Guelph, On., Université Laval, Qc), AQUABIOTECH has assisted with the design and construction of a dozen research facilities across Canada.  We’ve built several hundred aquaculture systems for a wide variety of species and applications, with marine/freshwater laboratories being our main clients.  Our crew encompasses expertise in microelectronics & controls, mechanical engineering, gas management (oxygen, CO₂, nitrogen), nitrification, aquaculture, fish biology, wet lab design and the fabrication of environmentally-controlled systems for wet lab application.  When requested, our equipment can meet every requirement of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC), as detailed in “Guidelines on the care and use of fish in research, teaching and testing”.  Call us!  We’re there for you!