Inflow: Aquatic Animal Life Support Systems and Habitats

Joe and Dr. Jeff
  • 5.0 (4)
  • NATURAL SCIENCES
Inflow: Aquatic Animal Life Support Systems and Habitats

Joe and Dr. Jeff discuss all things related to Zoo and Aquarium Aquatic Animal Life Support Systems. Everything from water treatment equipment and design to operations and construction. We talk to operators, engineers, architects, curators, and anyone and everyone who works on keeping our zoo and aquarium water clean, our animals healthy, our exhibits natural and our systems sustainable.

  1. 5H AGO

    Ep 19 - From Diver to Designer: Chris Warner’s Journey in Aquarium Life Support Innovation

    In this episode of INFLOW: Aquatic Animal and Life Support Systems and Habitats, hosts Joe Arlotto and Dr. Jeff Keaffaber welcome special guest Chris Warner of Aquatic Environmental Systems. Chris shares his remarkable story—from growing up across continents to becoming a commercial diver and eventually a pioneer in aquarium life support systems. Discover how a diving accident unexpectedly launched Chris into the world of public aquariums, leading him to build and manage Australia’s earliest systems using little more than ingenuity and necessity. Chris recounts the gritty early days of running a small aquarium in Sydney Harbor—battling raw sewage inflows, engineering semi-closed systems with sand spears, and building some of the first protein skimmers and foam fractionators in the industry. This episode dives deep into Chris’s approach to filtration design, ozone use, and the importance of bubble size, plus how his experience helped shape systems at institutions like Sea World Australia, Ocean Park Hong Kong, and Singapore’s S.E.A. Aquarium. It's a fascinating conversation on problem-solving, learning from nature, and the evolution of aquatic systems through practical innovation. Don't miss this inspiring and technical conversation with one of the field’s most experienced voices. Stay connected at: https://inflowlsspodcast.com

    44 min

  2. JUL 9

    Ep 18 - Evolution of Aquarium LSS: Chemistry, Microbiology & Ozone Mastery with David LaBonne

    Joe Arlotto and Dr. Jeff Keaffaber dive deep into the world of aquatic life support systems (LSS) with special guest David LaBonne, a pioneering microbiologist and former Director of Facilities at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. David shares his remarkable journey from microbiology and immunodiagnostics to redefining how public aquariums approach water chemistry, ozone disinfection, and microbiome management. From early challenges with coliform counts and ozone tower inefficiencies to introducing data-driven filtration protocols and backwash recovery, David has shaped the modern aquatic systems landscape. 💡 In this episode, we cover: (4:42) - David's LSS Journey (8:19) - David's View of the Microbiome (13:48) - Being a Volunteer Diver (18:17) - A Lab Person's Point of View of LSS (25:56) - Evolution of Ozone (38:55) - Problem Solving INFLOW is the podcast where aquatic engineers, biologists, and life support experts share knowledge, solve problems, and explore the evolving science of water-based habitats. 🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share if you want more cutting-edge insights from leaders in the aquatic world. #AquariumLifeSupport #OzoneDisinfection #WaterChemistry #AquaticMicrobiology #ZooAndAquarium #AquacultureEngineering #ColiformCounts #Biofilms #SandFilters #PublicAquariums #INFLOWPodcast Stay connected at https://inflowlsspodcast.com/

    51 min

  3. JUL 2

    Ep 17 - Facility Spotlight: The Maritime Aquarium

    We're excited introduce our new Facility Spotlight series! Hosts Joe Arlotto and Dr. Jeff Keaffaber go in-depth on the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut, with a behind-the-scenes conversation featuring Erik Holmberg, Associate Director of Life Support. Erik shares his hands-on journey from general maintenance to LSS leadership, detailing his role in system upgrades, daily operations, emergency responses, and long-term infrastructure improvements. From retrofitting 30-year-old systems to pioneering backwash recovery and ozone contact upgrades, Erik walks us through what it really takes to keep complex aquatic habitats running smoothly with a small but mighty team. We've got helpful insights for operators, facility managers, and designers—from choosing media and managing turnover rates to advocating for capital projects. If you're passionate about aquatic animal health, system reliability, or making the most of limited resources, this is a must-listen. (2:13) - Erik's LSS Background (7:39) - Maritime Aquarium Background (9:57) - Backwash Recovery and Water Reprocessing (14:10) - Staff and Problem Solving (22:33) - Making the Case for Upgrades (29:00) - Filters (39:57) - AALSO 🔧 Sponsored by Aquatic Equipment and Design, and Ardurra. 🌐 Stay connected at inflowlsspodcast.com.

    46 min

  4. JUN 24

    Ep 16 - General Contractors: The Realities of Life Support System Construction

    In this episode, hosts Joe and Dr. Jeff sit down with Holly and Beau Dempsey, the dynamic duo behind Longhorn Organics, a specialty LSS construction firm transforming how aquariums and aquatic exhibits are built. 🎙️ We dive deep into what sets LSS construction apart from traditional mechanical contracting, the critical role of contractor-owner communication, and how specialty contractors bridge the gap between general construction and highly technical biological filtration systems. We cover: (3:03) - Holly & Beau Background (10:04) - Working with Owners and Contractors (15:36) - Bid Process (19:06) - RFI Process (27:33) - Educating Throughout Process (31:53) - Operation & Maintenance Manuals (38:11) - Trade Shows   Stay connected with INFLOW at inflowlsspodcast.com   Episode Sponsors: MDM Pumps and TJP Engineering

    47 min

  5. JUN 10

    Ep 15 - What Does the Future of LSS Design Look Like?

    In this episode we take a quick look back on the early days of LSS with Terri Johnson, President and CEO at TJP. Terri shares stories from her early days at ENARTEC and then we focus our discussion on how Terri meets the needs of her clients and the LSS innovations that pique her interests. We discuss: (2:34) - Terri's LSS Origin Story (8:58) - SeaWorld Texas and Removing Ammonia From Systems (13:57) - Background on TJP Engineering (15:25) - Introducing Innovative Ideas (22:28) - Reducing Reliance on Sand Filters and Saving Water & Energy (26:56) - Footprint Needed for LSS vs. Habitat Size (29:58) - Wetlands Systems (38:02) - Cold Water Denitrification   Stay connected with INFLOW at inflowlsspodcast.com

    46 min

  6. MAY 29

    Ep 14 - Aquatic Animal Health

    How can we maintain healthy habitats for our aquatic animals? Veteranarian Dr. Brian Joseph joins us for a in-depth discussion on animal health. Together we cover: (3:42) - Dr. Joseph's Background (8:45) - Collaborating with LSS Operators (10:40) - Salinity For Marine Mammal Health (17:28) - Nitrates and Denitrification (23:40) - System Monitoring (27:33) - Vibration Mitigation (32:20) - Current Projects (36:18) - Advice   Have a question you want answered on the show? Click here to leave us a question or comment: https://inflowlsspodcast.com/contact

    44 min

  7. MAY 23

    Ep 13 - Sustainable LSS Solutions: Reducing Water, Energy, and Chemicals

    Our focus this episode is all on sustainability and what that means in the LSS world. We are joined by Mark Fisher, Vice President of Facilities Planning and Sustainability at the Cincinnati Zoo, who shares how focusing on sustainability transformed American's second oldest zoo. Together we discuss:    (4:40) - Mark Fisher's Background (8:51) - LSS Staff Duties (13:10) - Bringing Sustainability to the Cincinnati Zoo (23:35) - Staff Buy-In (33:11) - Elephant Trek (42:18) - AZFA & AALSO   Have a question you want answered on the show? Click here to leave us a question or comment: https://inflowlsspodcast.com/contact

    49 min

  8. MAY 19

    Ep 12 - An International View of LSS

    In this episode of INFLOW, we look at LSS from an international perspective as we welcome special guest Mike De Maine. Mike shares stories from projects in South Africa, Darbin, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Together we discuss:   (5:03) - Mike's LSS Story (10:14) - Finding International LSS Jobs (11:24) - Transitioning from Academics to LSS Operations (15:46) - De-Nitrification in Dubai (18:54) - SWAD Design (26:14) - Europe/Asia vs. US Operators & Design (34:12) - Glass vs. Sand Media (40:43) - Recap   We want to hear from you! Send in your questions or leave a voice message here: https://inflowlsspodcast.com/contact

    45 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Joe and Dr. Jeff discuss all things related to Zoo and Aquarium Aquatic Animal Life Support Systems. Everything from water treatment equipment and design to operations and construction. We talk to operators, engineers, architects, curators, and anyone and everyone who works on keeping our zoo and aquarium water clean, our animals healthy, our exhibits natural and our systems sustainable.

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