Page 69 - August 2016 Life In Naples Magazine

and temperature – using Apex Aquarium Monitoring and Control. As long he is
connected to the Internet, Trager can check on the well-being of the organisms
from afar. The system lets him make adjustments remotely and also alerts him if

something is wrong with
the aquarium.

“I once got a call at four
in the morning telling me
the pH levels were critical,”
he said.

Funding has been
secured to enlarge and
enhance the touch tank,
with built-in protection
against chemicals on
visitors’ hands – sunscreen
or bug repellent – which
can harm or even kill the
creatures in the tank. Previously, the tank had to be drained, cleaned and refilled on
a regular basis. The new tank, which will have a flow-through system providing a
steady supply of clean water, is expected to debut during the reserve’s annual National
Estuaries Day celebration in September.
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is managed by the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Coastal Office in cooperation
with NOAA. For more information visit www.rookerybay.org.

tank, which gives visitors an up-close and personal MIDDLE LEFT AND RIGHT: THE SOUTHERN STARGAZER HAS GLANDS ON ITS HEAD THAT CAN CREATE AN
experience with many common marine animals such ELECTRIC SHOCK FOR SELF DEFENSE (PHOTO BY DAVE GRAFF)
as sea stars, horseshoe crabs and mollusks.
TOP: THE MANGROVE TANK ENABLES STUDENTS OF ANY AGE TO BECOME IMMERSED IN THE EVERGLADES
Geoff Trager, Rookery Bay Reserve’s aquatic ENVIRONMENT
systems biologist and aquarist, has implemented
several new tools to ensure every organism under BOTTOM: THE MANGROVE TANK IS LARGE ENOUGH TO HOUSE RED DRUM AND OTHER GAME FISH (PHOTO
his care is happy and healthy with a combination of BY RENEE WILSON)
innovation, technology and natural methods.
RIGHT: USING THE ESTUARY WATER DISPENSER, AQUARIST GEOFF TRAGER IS ABLE TO DISPENSE THE RIGHT
Trager runs the display aquariums using both AMOUNT OF BOTH FRESH AND SALT WATER FOR ANY DISPLAY TANK (PHOTO BY REID GILCHRIST)
mechanical and biological filtration. The living
filtration system includes algae and beneficial bacteria.
This system is complemented by an innovative method
to dispense the perfect amount of salinity for each
organism on display.

Called “instant estuary water on tap” the system
dispenses the correct mix of salinity that is perfect for
any creature in residence.

“By twiddling two dials on a mixer panel, we pull
salt water from a nearby well and blend it with fresh
water from the tap,” he added.

Even more technology is employed for monitoring.
Using his smart phone,Trager can check the aquariums’
water quality – most importantly pH, dissolved oxygen

Life in Naples | August • September • October 2016 69