Inflow: Aquatic Animal Life Support Systems and Habitats

In this INFLOW Facility Spotlight , hosts Joe Arlotto and Dr. Jeff Keaffaber talk with Keith Hacke , Director of Facilities at the Philadelphia Zoo. From building Long Beach and Georgia Aquarium to managing 170+ years of infrastructure at America's oldest zoo, Keith shares insights on life support system design, sustainability, and the challenges of modernizing historic facilities while supporting...

In this episode of  INFLOW: Aquatic Animal Life Support Systems and Habitats , hosts Joe Arlotto and Dr. Jeff Keaffaber sit down with Austin Calpin, Curator of Life Support and Water Quality at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium. Austin shares his unique journey from high school aquarium science programs to leading one of the newest, most advanced facilities in the U.S. We explore: Austin's career pat...

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 launch...

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 micr...

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, emerg...

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...

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:...

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 P...

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...

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 Des...

In this episode of INFLOW, we explore the importance of pumps in LSS as we welcome Ben Ashe of MDM Pumps. Together we discuss: (3:00) - Ben's LSS Background (9:45) - Saltwater and Corrosive Chemicals (12:50) -  Pump Basics (16:30) - Choosing a Pump for an Application (18:45) - Variable Drive Componments (22:00) - VFD's Issues (25:00) - How VFD Works (28:00) - Pump Curve (31:00) - Head issues (34:0...

In our first episode since AALSO 2025, we welcome Roger Phillips as our guest for this episode. We discuss Roger's time as Director of Applied Research at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and go in-depth on their facility. We cover: (4:10) - Roger's Start in LSS (13:40) - Treating Water Coming In (21:46) - Unique Relationship with Operators (33:55) - Off-site Holding Facility   Stay connected with INFLOW...

As we continue our look at the history of LSS, we now turn to the importance of controls and automation. We are joined by Jim Ring, President of RCK Controls, and we discuss Jim's start at Sea World, discovering standards that still apply today and how we've made our systems smarter over time. We cover:   3:02 - Jim's Start in LSS 11:48 - Pumping Less Water for Better Quality 21:51 - First Time Co...

We continue our look at the history of LSS and in this episode, Joe and Dr. Jeff turn their focus to water quality. They welcome Michael Tucker to the show, who most recently served as Director of Animal Life Support Systems for SeaWorld. Together they cover: (2:36) - Michael's Beginnings in LSS (15:56) - Building a Flexible Team (20:15) - AALSO Certification (24:56) - Designer and Operator Dynami...

We welcome George Tenhagen on our latest episode of INFLOW, as we start with a discussion on his time at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. We then focus on his career change to the vendor-side of LSS, in his role at Asahi/America. We cover:   (3:14) - George's Entry into LSS (8:20) - Busch Gardens Edge of Africa (12:25) - Busch Gardens and SeaWorld (20:47) - Operators and Designers Cooperation (24:19) - Go...

How are life support systems brought to life? We go inside the design drawing process as we speak with Bob Richardson. Bob began his career as a designer at ENARTEC and together we cover: (2:30) - Bob's Back Story (8:20) - How To Get Started With The Design Process (15:00) - Designing With CAD (22:39) - Designers Coordinating With Operators (24:40) - Evolution of Design Stay connected to INFLOW at...

We welcome Dennis Either, Director of Plant Engineering at the Wildlife Conservation Society New York Aquarium and President of AALSO. In this episode, we discuss the differences between maintaining zoos versus aquariums, as well as the pivotal role AALSO plays in the LSS community.  We cover: (3:44) - Dennis's LSS Story (10:25) - Transitioning from Zoos to Aquariums (18:29) - Involvement with Des...

Joe and Dr. Jeff continue their historical look at life support systems as they welcome Joel Johnson, Chief Engineer for TJP Engineering. Joel shares his LSS journey which includes working at ENARTECH and also his involvement with SeaWorld's Wild Arctic exhibit. They cover: (4:53) - Joel's Entry Into LSS (14:24) - Wild Arctic at Sea World (19:41) - Story Behind John Linn's Hiring at ENARTEC (22:49...

Joe and Dr. Jeff welcome Paul Cooley, Aquatics Director at PC Aquatics/Ardurra. Together they cover: (1:42) - Paul's backstory  (3:30) - Living Seas   (18:27) Fractionators and Major LSS Changes   (23:25) - The Rule of Thumb   Stay connected to INFLOW at https://inflowlsspodcast.com/

We continue our look at the history of aquatic animal life support systems with another episode with John Linn, Advisor to SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment. John tells the story of ENARTEC, an early innovator in the LSS space. We cover: (0:22) - Origin of ENARTEC and Key Early Employees  (5:30) - Early LSS Engineering (10:30) - SeaWorld San Antonio  (14:05) - Process Flow Diagrams (16:36) - Nitrif...

In our premier episode, Joe Arlotto and Dr. Jeff Keaffaber take a look at the history of aquatic animal life support systems and welcome guest John Linn, Advisor to SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment. Together they explore how LSS workers got into the industry in the early days and how the industry has evolved. We cover: (0:52) - Dr. Jeff's Background (3:24) - Joe's LSS Background (5:00) - Rapid Evo...