Zebrafish Filtration Systems | Water Pumps

August 4, 2021

Zebrafish Filtration Systems | Water Pumps

Water Circulation

Water pumps are a critical component of filtration systems as these pumps are responsible for moving water throughout a recirculating aquaculture system. The size and type of system you have on hand will determine pump characteristics such as the power, size, speed, flow, cycles, and the number of pumps you should have. Furthermore, pumps can be horizontal, vertical, or submersible depending on your circumstances.

Since zebrafish systems must run non-stop, continuously, it’s important to have high quality, reliable components in that we must trust them to keep our fish alive and healthy. The design, structure, and functionality of your system components (such as your water pump setup) can have direct and indirect effects on your fish colonies. The importance of knowing the technical aspects of your system (or having on-call professionals that do) could be the difference in the success and efficiency of a well-operational zebrafish facility or room.

Backup Pumps

At Danio Lab, we like to ensure our systems are designed and engineered to last long-term, and they are resilient and functional, in case of potential emergency situations – such as pump failure. That’s why our filtration skids integrate two water pumps for redundancy, in case one of them fails for some reason. This means the water is can still be moved and circulate throughout the system as the backup pump can kick in to serve the same purpose. We do this in order to reduce and minimize the chance of any negative effects a system shutdown can have on the safety of the fish because water quality can degrade relatively quickly, leading to poor fish health/mortalities. In addition, if repairs or maintenance need to occur, having a backup pump in place can lower the stress in those situations, where you don’t have to worry so much about how long the system is down. Now, if you don’t have a backup pump, an alternative option is to at least have extra and spare pump parts/pieces in storage (close by), so that the pump can be fixed more efficiently, without having to order a part (which could take days) or come up with another on the fly solution.

Record Keeping and Monitoring

Logging down your system parameters such as the performance of your pumps is key in maintaining best management practices as your system is actively relying on the constant recirculation of water. Keeping an accurate record of installation, repairs, maintenance, operating hours, etc will allow smoother operations as the effectiveness of the pumps can be maintained accordingly. Water flow and other water quality related parameters in relation to your pumps can be digitally monitoring via a control panel and other mechanisms. Setting up an integrated system control panel for your zebrafish systems can be a worthwhile investment as it makes documenting, tracking, and monitoring your variables that much easier and accurate.

Taking into consideration, that a lack of water flow/circulation can lead to major consequences such as fish mortality, implementing an effective methodology of monitoring your water pumps should be of top importance out of all of your system components. Other essential water pump variables to keep an eye on include – making sure vibrations remain under control, greasing internal pieces such as your bearings as needed, and additional factors that may come into play given the circumstances and setup of your zebrafish room.

Danio Lab’s Commitment to Superior Performance

Our team is skilled and knowledgeable when it comes to installing, repairing, maintaining, and designing system components for zebrafish operations. Whether you are troubleshooting a single issue or rehauling your fish room, drop us a line if you are looking for assistance in refining your husbandry practices. We aim towards providing a customized and specialized approach when designing and installing projects, as well as speaking with our clientele during each step of the process. Every laboratory or facility situation can be a bit different – that’s why we figure out in detail the best plan of action for each of our projects on a personal level, so our clients’ needs and wants are all met.