Customized Marine Research Solutions

I've had the unique opportunity to work with researchers and laboratories of a wide variety of disciplines. From deep-sea sampling to sequencing coral genes, I've teamed with ecologists, geneticists, physiologists, oceanographers, and others; creating or customizing laboratory equipment, experimental aquaria, and/or field instrumentation across a diversity of marine research projects.

My background as a sailor, and extensive knowledge of marine hardware, rigging, fastening systems, and other physical components of sailing vessels often provides useful when designing and customizing marine research solutions. Likewise, my working knowledge of 12-volt DC systems, photovoltaic systems, LED lighting, circuitry, complex plumbing and other vessel related components proves beneficial when building and/or customizing equipment for marine research experiments.

Overbuild on Purpose

When it comes to field systems, I tend to overbuild things. The ocean is powerful beyond comprehension, and nothing brings a halt to a project like showing up after a bit of bad weather to find your entire nursery or experiments either damaged or gone.

Reef Anchoring Systems

Over the years, I've tested numerous anchoring systems for securing coral arrays and/or equipment to the reef floor for long-periods of time. For each seafloor type, I've refined a functional system well suited for almost any project.

Coral Nursery & Experimental Arrays

I've designed coral nursery and array systems for a number of different projects and applications. On many experimental systems, I often accommodate the attachment of equipment and/or sensors.

Portable Systems

Each year, we set up some type of portable seawater systems and laboratory at the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, Exuma, Bahamas. Seen here inside a collapsible tank we used to perform controlled stress experiments and PAM-fluorometry measurements.

Portable Systems

(image 2) Corals are placed on a micro-controlled xyz-axis table to facilitate repeated fluorometry measurements on the corals at the same location and orientation on their surface.

Experimental Coral Chambers

I’ve designed and constructed experimental coral chambers and small aquaria systems for a diversity of coral research projects. Seen here are water-jacketed coral respirometry chambers with internal stir bars for water flow.

Experimental Coral Chambers

Custom coral incubation chambers designed using micro-polished Perspex rod to facilitate PAM-fluorometry measurement of inverted corals.

Experimental Coral Chambers

(image 2) Custom coral incubation chambers designed using micro-polished Perspex rod to facilitate PAM-fluorometry measurement of inverted corals.

Experimental Coral Chambers

A specially designed coral chamber attached to an Infrared Gas Analyzer (IRGA) to measure precisely the CO2 evolved from a coral sample. Not shown is a 3 meter tower I constructed which jackets the gas tubing so it can be super-cooled with liquid nitrogen before entering the IRGA.

Experimental Coral Systems

I’ve build numerous bench-top coral experiment and incubation systems. This 4-chambered system has variable intensity LED lighting, computer controlled monitoring and logging of pH, temperature, and solenoid control of CO2 addition, independently for each tank.

Experimental Coral Systems

I’ve designed systems for coral spawning research. Seen here is an outdoor OA system with 40 independent holding reservoirs in larger tanks for temperature control. Seawater adjusted to different pH levels is added independently to each reservoir to measure the effect of CO2 on larval settlement and growth.

Experimental Laboratory Systems

I’ve expertise in a number of laboratories of different disciplines and research foci. I enjoy designing equipment to answer difficult research questions. Seen here using a system I developed to measure coral calcification, during one hour, in micromolar concentrations.

Improvised Field Solutions

Unusually high seawater temperatures began stressing our experimental corals in Palau. Lacking access and time to purchase aquaculture equipment, I designed and built a large chiller using a 2-ton household air-conditioning unit.