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 * About us
 * Services
   * Consulting
   * Design & Engineering
   * Project management & Logistics
   * Installation & Commissioning
 * Solutions
   * Fish tank rack system
   * Aquatic life support systems
   * Fish tank monitoring
   * Fish colony software
 * Projects
 * Contact

 * Home
 * About us
 * Services
   * Consulting
   * Design & Engineering
   * Project management & Logistics
   * Installation & Commissioning
 * Solutions
   * Fish tank rack system
   * Aquatic life support systems
   * Fish tank monitoring
   * Fish colony software
 * Projects
 * Contact




OIST : 400+ FISH TANK RACK SYSTEM IN OKINAWA, JAPAN

CASE STUDY

QUANTITY 431 tanks

VOLUME 30m3

LOCATION Japan

The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) is a graduate university
in Onna, Japan, established in 2011.

Its 500-acre campus has an interdisciplinary marine science laboratory with
scientists from all around the world. Their research programs cover
neuroscience, physics, chemistry, mathematics, computational science,
environmental science, and biology. OIST marine research facility focuses on
deepening the knowledge of the ocean and its inhabitants, leading to
conservation strategies for marine environments and resources.




OBJECTIVES

OIST required various fish tank rack systems with aquatic life support systems
to support the protocols of three research units:

 * The Marine Climate Change unit
 * The Marine Eco-Evo-Devo unit
 * The Computational Neuroethology unit

The system needed to house a variety of aquatic species, especially clownfish
(Amphiprion ocellaris) and cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis).


THE MARINE CLIMATE CHANGE UNIT

The Marine Climate Change unit conducts research to understand the impact of
environmental changes on ecosystems and develops technologies to mitigate these
impacts. Researchers focus on studying how coral reef fish adapt to climate
change, overfishing and urbanisation. They investigate changes in gene
expression under different environmental conditions thanks to the heat wave
simulator.


THE MARINE ECO-EVO-DEVO UNIT

The Marine Eco-Evo-Devo unit investigates the evolution of metamorphosis from
larva to juvenile in coral reef fish. Their research aims to understand how
hormones control it and to compare global gene expression in different fish
species. They also study the symbiotic relationship between anemonefishes and
sea anemones by characterising sea anemone genomes.


THE COMPUTATIONAL NEUROETHOLOGY UNIT

The Computational Neuroethology unit uses computer simulations to investigate
the neural mechanisms of animal behaviour, focusing on cephalopods like octopus,
cuttlefish, and squid. Researchers study them by recording them on camera and
analysing their behaviours quantitatively using machine learning tools.



To lead research protocol in each unit, fish tank rack systems had to be capable
of remote temperature control and monitoring of all water quality parameters
from a unified platform for both its experimentation tanks and its husbandry and
life prey hatching tanks, each physically apart to prevent potential
contamination. Besides, the fish tank monitoring system should help researchers
streamline communication and improve scientific protocols and results.

Most functional needs are shared between units (e.g., 25 live prey tanks), but
each also had specific requirements:

 * The Eco-Evo-Devo required 100 fish tanks on rack systems with varying sizes
   and temperature inlets, including 10 large circular tanks for keeping
   breeding pairs, 60 breeding tanks, 10 larval rearing tanks, 8 quarantine
   tanks and 12 experimental tanks.

 
 * The Climate Change Unit needed 154 fish tanks, for the heat wave simulator.
   The tanks of the heatwave simulator must be computer-controlled regarding
   temperature. Research workers must be able to adjust each tank independently
   to 4 levels of temperature between 28 to 33°C thanks to 4 in-line heathers. 

 
 * The Neuro Unit required a hybrid breeding and experimentation 152 fish tanks
   with modified lids and piping to allow the installation of cameras above
   them.




CHALLENGES

 * Our main challenge was fitting 431 fish tanks from 60 to 1500 L distributed
   in 93 rack systems in a narrow space of 190 m² with a maximum height of
   2.20m.
 * These fish tanks needed 17 life support systems working in parallel with
   state-of-the-art automation and water filtration to meet experimentation
   requirements.
 * Not only did the rack system and piping designs have to be of the uttermost
   precision, but we had to find solutions for handling and building.
 * Data protection and a secure remote connection were also sensitive
   requirements.
 * Project management involved coordinating with six departments, including
   research, procurement, IT, and operations.





WHAT WE DID

From writing the specifications to the effective commissioning of the project,
this project happened over 14 months as follows:




02  


ON-SITE AUDIT – 3 DAYS

The project’s second phase involved a three-day audit to gather all the critical
technical information. The visit involved taking measurements of the premises to
control the exact dimensions of the space and the position of existing water
inlets and sewage drains. 

Additionally, we evaluated the different access points, such as doors, windows,
corridors, and lifts to gather enough information for the logistics of the
installation (for instance, if we have to use a crane or a truck). 

The audit also included meeting each research unit leader in person to ensure
their specific needs and requirements were correctly understood. Meetings with
support departments, including IT, operations, and procurement, are just as
important to ensure smooth project coordination.





01  


CLIENT INTERVIEW & REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS – 2 WEEKS

Typically, during the first phase of a project, after the purchase order, we go
through a series of interviews with our client. In this case, it took us 2 weeks
via video conferences. We analysed the requirements, needs and objectives to
help clarify the client’s project and develop a solution that meets the client’s
needs. As we drafted our first idea, we thoroughly planned our on-site visit.




03  


PRELIMINARY DESIGN - 2 WEEKS

During the initial design phase, our team focused on creating a preliminary
piping and instruction diagram (PID) outlining the tank system’s functional
aspects and a 2D schematic design based on the measurements taken during the
on-site audit. 

This process typically takes two weeks and involves multiple rounds of
corrections with the clients to ensure that the design aligns with their needs
and requirements. 


04  


PROJECT DESIGN – 1 MONTH

We communicated to all internal and external providers all our technical
requirements with millimetre precision. These requirements include inlet and
outlet design, HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems, wall and floor technical
coating, and LAN connections. 

We then designed a 3D model based on double-verified measurements. Once we got
our client’s signature on these specifications, we could launch the procurement
with our providers and build the system on our side.


05  


PRODUCTION, PRE-ASSEMBLY AND TESTING – 6 MONTHS

The production phase of the project took about 6 months. We first received the
fibreglass pieces for the racks from our provider in France and then pre-built
the components that would be assembled on-site. 

We involved 8 team members specialising in plumbing, electricity, and controls
to work full-time in our 1000m² workshop near Lyon. At the same time, we
programmed its monitoring system based on the client’s specific needs.

Before packing everything, the system is thoroughly tested with water for weight
and pressure resistance, with pipes tested up to 10 bars. A complete functional
and electrical test of the automation system is always carried out to ensure the
system’s correct operations.





07  


INSTALLATION AND COMMISSIONING – 3 MONTHS

We were 6 Luxaqua experts to work on-site with 6 local workers from Okinawa. The
installation and commissioning took 3 months to complete between the assembly,
the plumbing, the electrical work and OIST staff training.

During this phase, the exclusive monitoring system we developed was implemented
to allow live reporting. It was pre-coded to 90% before arrival to ensure
smoother final adjustments. Regular meetings with our clients were organised to
provide seamless communication of the progress and deal with the challenges we
could face.





06  


LOGISTICS, PACKAGING AND SHIPPING – 1 + 1,5 MONTHS

It might sound like a long time, but one month wasn’t too much to prepare for
shipping all the components. We ensured that each piece of the system was
packaged with filmed wrapping and then grouped with others into custom-size
NIMP15 wooden crates. 

In total, we had 100 pieces split into 64 wooden crates to ship from France to
Japan. The largest parcel measured 7.69 x 1.4 x1.4 m and contained long
pre-assembled pipes with valves (to save time later on installation), and the
smallest was 1x1x1m. We used 2.79×2.3×2.56m crates for most items to fit the 40
ft high cube containers we used for the shipping. We filled 12 containers: once
loaded onto the ship at Fos-sur-Mer in the south of France, they were sent to
Naha, Okinawa, in 6 weeks.

Despite our utmost care, three glass tanks broke during transportation, but we
had anticipated this almost inevitable situation by including a dozen spares in
the containers.







OUTCOME

The project led to a multi-million-euro investment that fulfilled the client’s
needs and attracted additional financing.

Recently, The Marine Climate Change unit concluded a collaboration with James
Cook University in Australia.

The heat wave simulator project and the research fish husbandry were visited by
the embassies of Italy and France in Japan, highlighting its significance in the
international scientific community.

Here are some of the media coverage and scientific publications this new
facility received:

 * NHK – Aug 17th 2022 - Onna village workshop to let high school students know
   about science during summer vacation (in Japanese)
 * The Royal Society Publishing – Oct 5th 2022 - Colour patterns influence
   symbiosis and competition in the anemonefish–host anemone symbiosis system
 * Forbes – Oct 17th 2022 - Is Nemo A Meanie? Clownfish Stripes Predict
   Aggressiveness
 * Oxford Academic – Jan 10th 2023 - The chromosome-scale genome assembly of the
   yellowtail clownfish Amphiprion clarkii provides insights into the melanic
   pigmentation of anemonefish
 * Science Direct – Feb 17th 2023 - Clownfish larvae exhibit faster growth,
   higher metabolic rates and altered gene expression under future ocean warming
 * F1000 Research – Feb 21st 2023 - Anemonefishes: A model system for
   evolutionary genomics

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