Challenge

Aquarium fish need many things to survive, and clean water is one of them.  The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, one of the largest in the world, required clean water for the more than 100,000 animals and fish that live there.  The incoming water had to be treated before it could be used in the fresh and saltwater exhibits.  

Solution

The aquarium chose Siemens Water Technologies to supply specialized high-purity water treatment equipment to remove chlorine, dissolved minerals and organics from the main facility’s incoming water and the make-up water for all the fresh water exhibits.  Siemens became involved in the project during the equipment layout phase, providing temporary water systems that could be used for research and for housing the animals and fish while the main aquarium was being built.  Siemens worked closely with the aquarium’s director of plant engineering, the building’s architect and mechanical contractor on the permanent equipment for the main facility. 

The aquarium subsequently purchased two very large carbon towers from Siemens to treat the city water coming into the building.  The towers were specifically sized to meet the stringent water chemistry requirements of the facility, since that water would be used to supply the tanks inside the building, and would eventually supply the five-million-gallon main saltwater tank.  They also purchased reverse osmosis (RO) systems for treating the water used in some freshwater tanks and for the salt water makeup. The RO systems include water storage capability and several recirculating loops to keep the water at optimum quality.  Several smaller filter housings are located on the platform overlooking the reef exhibit.  These filters help maintain the faithful recreation of a tropical coral reef by preserving the clarity and removing organics. 

A service agreement for the water treatment equipment ensures optimal performance. A technician from the local Siemens branch visits the site quarterly to verify that the RO systems and carbon towers are operating at peak performance, and to make any necessary adjustments. 

Results

The high-purity water treatment equipment has continuously met the water quality requirements, and the aquarium staff is very pleased with the overall performance.  The RO has exceeded expectations in removing phosphate, thus resulting in water clarity and overall health of the animals and fish.  This has saved the aquarium money in maintenance costs, since fewer gallons of new water are required for processing.