The new vivarium: Planning for emerging species

Mark Francis is the president and owner of San Diego, Calif.-based Aquaneering Inc. Francis received his B.S. in agricultural engineering with an emphasis in aquaculture from the University of Maine in 1978.

He started Aquaneering in his garage. In 1997 Aquaneering moved to a larger facility, and is now an internationally recognized company with a list of successful installations in six different countries.

Francis will speak about planning flexible spaces for emerging species at the 2007 TurnKey Conference in Boston.

Animal Lab News: What is the most important element when one is planning for an emerging species?

Mark Francis: The most important element is getting out of the "rodent" mindset. We must design the facility around the aquatic animals, not make the aquatic species adapt to the facility. Aquatics require a "clean" - not a "sterile" - environment.

Animal Lab News: What features can be incorporated into large animal or rodent rooms to make them easily converted to an aquatic facility?

Mark Francis: The three most important considerations for selecting a site for aquatics are water, water, water!
- Water In: clean, non-chlorinated water source
- Water Out: Floor Drains
- Water Recirculated: Electrical Power
These three basic things (water supply, drains and electrical outlets) are not in the typical rodent room.

Animal Lab News: Where have you seen this conversion completed most successfully?

Mark Francis: Several successful conversions are:

• The University of Pittsburgh: Took two Kennel Rooms, which were completely tiled and had floor gutters with drains on each side.
• Several "too small" older rodent rooms - because they had some type of floor drain for one or two rooms.
• Basement rooms tend to work very well - successful installations at UCSD, Stanford and Salk.

Animal Lab News: What is the most common mistake made when preparation for such conversions are taking place?

Mark Francis: No floor drain or inoperable floor drains; Lighting across racks - not in aisles BETWEEN racks; Temperature control - should be done with HVAC.

Animal Lab News: When you spoke at TurnKey last year, what was the most common question you heard?

Mark Francis:
How many tanks do I need?
How do I wash the tanks?
Why do I need to use Live Feed?
How do I charge for Per Diem?
Where should I locate this facility?

It is not uncommon after I speak to have one or two people come up to me and exclaim "They are making me take care of fish! Now what do I do?!"

Animal Lab News: What is the most important advance in aquatics in the past five years?

Mark Francis: The most important advances in aquatics in the last five years include:

1. High-end Central Filtration Systems located in a room separate from the animals.
2. Satellite installations being combined into central locations with management by animal care staff, not the P.I.
3. Education: AALAS - has great speakers for Veterinarians at National each year; Turnkey - allows Facilities Managers and Architects to learn about integrating these systems into the vivarium; World Aquaculture Society (WAS) - Annual meeting has specials in training in Zebrafish Husbandry at it's national convention.

Animal Lab News: What can attendees expect from your session this year?

Mark Francis: I want to let them know that although a new species at first might seem difficult, there are lots of resources available to take them through the process of building and operating an Aquatics Lab.

The 2007 TurnKey Conference will be held April 10-11.