Question to ponder

[nfored]

If large scale aquariums can recycle 100% of their water, why can't we.

We can remove Ammonia no problem, Nitrite no sweat, and even NitrAte with a little doing. So the only problem I see is the hormones people are saying is left in the water. So if the big boys can do it then we must be able to also.

I can't even think about doing 50% weekly changes on the 50K gallons our fellow MFKer has.



Quote from one of the staff from the Georgia Aquarium
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/11/21/new.ga.aquarium/index.html


"Most aquariums located on a coast don't use the water. It's usually too polluted," Swanagan explained. "Most have to use [the product] 'Instant Ocean,' you have to make the water."
Computers monitor the life support system and regulate the water filtration. The water is recycled to minimize waste.
"We respect the water, and use the water. We don't just let it go down the drain. We treat this water like gold. The only water loss is evaporation," said Swanagan.




A Side not I now that some body was happen when they got the call for enough "Instant Ocean" for 6M gallons

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

The reason us little guys do not is because it is not cost effective to build and or buy all the things needed to get rid of nitrates and add back the trace minerals that get used up.-----------------------------------------------------And plus you are comparing a salt tank to fresh i beleive. Most if not all salt owners do not do weekly 50's or 50% WC's at all unless there is a problem. They usually do like 10% WC's a week. You would have to be a millionare to do weekly 50's on a 265g salt tank. Remember you can't just do it with a python like a fresh tank.

 

[Marius]

The reason us little guys do not is because it is not cost effective to build and or buy all the things needed to get rid of nitrates and add back the trace minerals that get used up.-----------------------------------------------------And plus you are comparing a salt tank to fresh i beleive. Most if not all salt owners do not do weekly 50's or 50% WC's at all unless there is a problem. They usually do like 10% WC's a week. You would have to be a millionare to do weekly 50's on a 265g salt tank. Remember you can't just do it with a python like a fresh tank.

My friend's 220 reef tank is topped off weekly to replace the evaporation... but water changes he does once every 5-6 months.

As mentioned above, freshwater setups are different, but one can definitely do something to minimize water waste: don't overcrowd the tank, use plants that feed on nitrates (Anubias, Cryptocorynes... and so on), monitor the feeding schedules and use foods that don't spoil the water quality and so on.

 

[Gator]

There is also no comparison from our filtration systems to theirs. They use more than just Biological and mechanical filtration. For example how many people use computers to monitor and control their filtration systems? There is probably a lot more chemical filtration going on than what we realize to be able to keep recycling the water for as long as they do.

 

[Potts050]

I'm currently working on a planted tank refugium to reduce nitrates and other chemicals in my system so that I can back off on water changes and maintain the water chemistry (gH, kH, pH, [Ca], [Mg], [K], [Fe], etc.) as close to the African Rift Lakes as possible. After three weeks of trials and plumbing changes, I've managed to get 225 gallons of my total capacity filtered by the 'fuge and reduced my water changes and salt consumption by a third. It's promising but has been a lot of expense and work to date. I'll get there.

It was Lao-Tszu I beleive, who said, "the longest journey begins with a single step."

In any case, I'm learning a lot about water chemistry and ecosystems along the way, and knowledge is its own reward....

 

[bichirsruletheworld]

Water changes in public Aquariums are cake. Having fresh and saltwater makeups is key. Then its just turning valves and moving hoses, then presto ....done.

 

[moneygetter1]

This taken from the life support team designers-Syska Hennessy Group

"A new $200 million aquarium that is funded by the Marcus Foundation has recently opened in Atlanta Georgia. The new aquarium is a gift from Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot. Mr. Marcus’s two goals for his dream project were to revitalize downtown Atlanta by bringing as many as 1.7 million visitors to the aquarium and also to create an environment that would break new ground and advance the state of the art in aquarium design.
Our Syska Hennessy Group team was selected for this important project and provided MEP/FP for the 550,000 square foot aquarium which includes reception space for 1200 diners, function room capacity for up to 15,000 people, a 4-D Theatre and more than 8,000,000 gallons of exhibits.
The Syska Hennessy Group Aquatic Life Support Team designed support systems for more than 100,000 aquatic animals from about 500 species collected throughout the world. Because the 6,000,000 gallon Open Ocean Tank contains such a high ratio of fish to water, Syska Engineers have designed three complete filtration systems in order to have a high level of water quality and clarity. The systems have the ability to completely recycle the water every ninety minutes.
For the aquarium exhibits, our client needed a highly technical aquarium designer as well as an engineering firm that could bring quality creative input. We researched the client's business needs that entailed going beyond the traditional aquarium venue to create an entertaining, interactive environment where entertainment of the visitor would be the first and foremost objective. The client required that creativity be pushed to the cutting edge. In order to meet the client's need for creativity and technical expertise, we combined our Cambridge technical staff with the expert entertainment staff in our California office and were able to present a quality team designed to exceed the client's expectations for exhibit design."

This from Siemens USA
http://www.usa.siemens.com/en/home/georgia_aquarium.htm

The money spent on this & other projects of this size is astounding. In our wildest dreams, we could not come close to duplication. Their goal is not simply a 'labor of love'. They expect a return on their investment. Their initial goal of "$1 billion over the next 5 years" (2005), even w/ several miscues, is now predicted to be surpassed. How many of us have a $5 million on-site hospital w/ 3 vets on standby?? "T"

 

[bichirsruletheworld]

This taken from the life support team designers-Syska Hennessy Group

"A new $200 million aquarium that is funded by the Marcus Foundation has recently opened in Atlanta Georgia. The new aquarium is a gift from Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot. Mr. Marcus’s two goals for his dream project were to revitalize downtown Atlanta by bringing as many as 1.7 million visitors to the aquarium and also to create an environment that would break new ground and advance the state of the art in aquarium design.
Our Syska Hennessy Group team was selected for this important project and provided MEP/FP for the 550,000 square foot aquarium which includes reception space for 1200 diners, function room capacity for up to 15,000 people, a 4-D Theatre and more than 8,000,000 gallons of exhibits.
The Syska Hennessy Group Aquatic Life Support Team designed support systems for more than 100,000 aquatic animals from about 500 species collected throughout the world. Because the 6,000,000 gallon Open Ocean Tank contains such a high ratio of fish to water, Syska Engineers have designed three complete filtration systems in order to have a high level of water quality and clarity. The systems have the ability to completely recycle the water every ninety minutes.
For the aquarium exhibits, our client needed a highly technical aquarium designer as well as an engineering firm that could bring quality creative input. We researched the client's business needs that entailed going beyond the traditional aquarium venue to create an entertaining, interactive environment where entertainment of the visitor would be the first and foremost objective. The client required that creativity be pushed to the cutting edge. In order to meet the client's need for creativity and technical expertise, we combined our Cambridge technical staff with the expert entertainment staff in our California office and were able to present a quality team designed to exceed the client's expectations for exhibit design."

This from Siemens USA
http://www.usa.siemens.com/en/home/georgia_aquarium.htm

The money spent on this & other projects of this size is astounding. In our wildest dreams, we could not come close to duplication. Their goal is not simply a 'labor of love'. They expect a return on their investment. Their initial goal of "$1 billion over the next 5 years" (2005), even w/ several miscues, is now predicted to be surpassed. How many of us have a $5 million on-site hospital w/ 3 vets on standby?? "T"

The things you can do in a public aquarium are amazing. I suggest everyone try and get a tour behind the scenes (I'm pretty sure almost all will do so, even if for an extra few bucks) or even maybe volunteer. Usually the stuff on display is only half of what is there, plus the aquarist can give you little tidbits about set-ups or funny stories.

 

[1eyedJyde]

If you are running a tank with a wet/dry sump, you could add a secondary pump hooked up to a R/O system which feeds back into the intake of the return pump. You would need a regulator to control water pressure for the R/O and the expence on filter cartrages would by quite high but it would work.