Aquarium systems
The Bateson Centre has four aquarium systems that comprise three individual aquariums and a fully independent quarantine unit.
Alongside these facilities is an associated movement analysis unit.
The first two aquariums built in Sheffield were designed and built by IAT.
First aquarium
The first built in 1997 was originally an all glass design that has undergone significant refurbishment and upgrade and now consists of:
- 120 x 15 litre tanks.
- 621 x 10 litre tanks.
- 124 x 2.8 litre tanks
- 30 x 3.5 litre tanks
- 20 x 8litre tanks
This aquarium also houses a Tecniplast Gene-s racking with 144 holding units.
Second aquarium
The second aquarium was again built by IAT in 2003 originally as an all glass system but now houses glass, Tecniplast and Aquaneering racking.
The capacity of this room is:
- 545 x 10 litre tanks.
- 126 x 3.5 litre tanks
- 63 x 8 litre tanks
- 120 x 1.1 litre tanks
- 144 x 0.8 litre tanks
- 72 x 2.8 litre tanks
- 36 x 6 litre tanks
This aquarium is also the main unit where food production takes place. A large rotifer growth facility and several artemia raising units.
Third aquarium
The third main system that was built in 2009 was by the Italian plastics manufacturer Tecniplast, which had just branched out into aquatics.
This is the largest system, comprising 36 racks with space for juvenile and adult fish in tanks either 3.5 litre (60 spaces on each rack) or eight litre (30 spaces on each rack), which are interchangeable. There are also two additional racks (180 tanks) of 1.1 litre tanks for individual/pair holding and two light controlled racks that can house up to 10 tanks in 12 different light cycles.
The final holding rooms comprise the quarantine facility, which has two individual racking systems. One is a re-circulation unit and the other a flow through unit. Both units are self-contained systems.