The Lake Winnipeg Aquarium
Ecosystem
From Information supplied by
ECOSYSTEMS by DESIGN Inc.
The principle is a flow-through system where the source of food is maintained and produced by controlling the flow of oxygenated water.
The system works by converting fish and higher invertebrates' detritus into plant material, converting the plant material into lower life such as monerans, protists, fungi and lower invertebrates, and then transporting these to the fish to repeat the cycle.
The system must be provided with dechlorinated water and energy whether it be by natural sunlight or artificial energy in the form of light bulbs.
The system consists of three components:
The Aquarium (Lake Winnipeg)
This is the main storage basin and heat sink. It is the main producer of detritus. It is a plant and food provider and also helps maintain the chemical equilibrium. This is where new water is added and thus any imbalances are spread through a large body of water prior to being purified. It provides the room for larger or more advanced members of the food chain to thrive.
The Composter
This is where the water is pumped and the system is kept active and regulated. Decomposing plant material and fish detritus, both of which come from the aquarium, are converted to animal and fish food.
The Marsh (Grand Beach Lagoon)
The Marsh is the key to the whole operation. It is used as:
An Algae Scrub to clean any chemical imbalances, diseases, bacteria or overpopulations.
A Source of Oxygen where the microscopic algae or phytoplankton absorb the carbon dioxide from other components and convert it to oxygen.
A Source of Food where most of the invertebrate population lives and breeds. It is our main supplier of fish food.