Marine Solids Filtration System
The combination of three seawater filtration systems (primary, secondary, and solids) will allow the marine aquaculture research program to successfully conduct high salinity aquaculture research in an inland location.  The Marine Solids Filtration System is the final step in the filtration process for the recirculating seawater system.  The first filtration system or "primary filtration system" designed for the culture tanks is positioned close to each group of culture tanks.  The primary filtration for each tank is similar, but much larger, to the filtration system on a saltwater aquarium at your home.  The primary filtration system includes a solids filtration unit, nitrification unit, protein skimmer, and ultra-violet sterilizer.  Water from a group of culture tanks is then filtered by the secondary filtration unit, which is equipped with a denitrification unit, a biofiltration unit, protein skimmer, and ozone unit. 

The solids filtration system is located in the Marine Solids Filtration facility.  This system receives all the sludge that comes from the solids filtration units and other thick water wastes that are unable to be filtered by either the primary or secondary filtration systems.  This system will filter and concentrate these solids.  The solids filtration system is equipped with a sludge settling chamber, heavy biological filtration, protein skimmer, ozone, ultra-violet sterilizer, saltwater drying bed, and a mangrove propagation greenhouse.  The collective result from these filtration systems will make Mote's Aquaculture Park the first high salinity aquaculture research laboratory of its scale in the United States.