Life Support Technician

Years ago on this blog, I commented that, in my opinion, caring for aquatic life in an aquarium (especially deep sea species) is the closest we have to maintaining extraterrestrial beings in a zoo.  Years later, I'm still convinced that this is the case.  There are so many factors about the water quality that have to be managed -temperature, oxygen levels, clarity, chemical composition, pH, salinity.  Every aquatic species has its window that it will comfortably live in.  For some species that window is very wide.  For others, exceedingly narrow.

Sometimes referred to as water quality technicians, life support technicians are responsible for monitoring the suitability of water and other abiotic systems that support the living collection.  I especially associate them with managing the pumps and filters which keep the tanks from turning into a thick, smelly primordial soup.  At some facilities that work is divided among the aquarists, each responsible for the systems of their assigned habitats.  At others, there may be a designated team responsible for water quality.  I sometimes like to think of them as specialized zookeepers, only their "animals" are mechanical.

Some water quality tests are very easy to perform on the spot, such as temperature (using a thermometer) and pH.  Others require more sophisticated testing, using instruments which many zoos and aquariums may not have available.  At some facilities, there may be in-house labs, while others may send their water samples out to be tested at either a municipal lab or an independent lab.

Water quality is most associated with aquariums, of course, but it is also an important component of zoos.  It is measured and modified for enclosures that contain animals that spend much of their time in the water, such as penguins, crocodilians, and otters - even though these species breathe atmospheric air, their health can easily be negatively impacted by what's in the water.  USDA in particular has specific requirements for the water quality of habitats for marine mammals - dolphins, seals and sea lions, polar bears, manatees, etc.  Perhaps the most sensitive species to poor water quality are many of the amphibians, which spend much of their time in the water and, with their absorbent skin, are more susceptible to contaminants in the water.