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Station biologique de Roscoff: a custom aquarium rack system for research

Marine biology

Seawater

France

Marine biology

Seawater

France

Six months ago, this was a spec sheet. Today, it's 12 custom-designed racks for marine biology research, delivered and installed. And already running.

Station Biologique de Roscoff, a joint CNRS / Sorbonne University research unit, is one of Europe’s oldest marine biology research centres. Its teams study marine model organisms (vertebrates, invertebrates, algae) for fundamental research in evolutionary and environmental biology. As part of the GEN4BIO project, funded by the university and its partners, the Station launched a public tender to acquire new experimental aquaculture structures to replace and modernize its aquatic animal facility.

Objectives

The specification called for the design and delivery of 12 custom aquarium racks, modular and scalable, to support the husbandry, breeding, rearing, and experimentation of marine organisms, with:

  • Three operating modes: open circuit (continuous supply from the thermoregulated water network), recycled circuit (water reuse after treatment), and closed circuit (water circulation with no external input)
  • A modular capacity per rack: 12 tanks of 25 litres, or 6 tanks of 50 litres, or 3 tanks of 100 litres, spread across 3 levels, depending on each protocol’s needs
  • A technical buffer tank representing at least 20% of the total tank volume, with a baffle system to house filter media
  • Networks integrated into the structure (seawater supply with an individual valve per tank, air, and effluent), with removable fittings for easier storage and future upgrades
  • Dimmable LED lighting per level (6500K, minimum 18W/metre), interchangeable in case of failure or specific needs
  • A closable structure, to limit external light disturbance
  • Strict maximum dimensions: 110 x 60 x 240 cm per rack
Custom aquarium system for research

Objectives

The specification called for the design and delivery of 12 custom aquarium racks, modular and scalable, to support the husbandry, breeding, rearing, and experimentation of marine organisms, with:

  • Three operating modes: open circuit ), recycled circuit, and closed circuit
  • A modular capacity per rack: 12 tanks of 25 litres, or 6 tanks of 50 litres, or 3 tanks of 100 litres, depending on each protocol’s needs
  • A technical buffer tank representing at least 20% of the total tank volume
  • Networks integrated into the structure (seawater supply with an individual valve per tank, air, and effluent), with removable fittings for future upgrades
Custom aquarium system for research
  • Dimmable LED lighting per level (6500K, minimum 18W/metre), interchangeable
  • A closable structure, to limit external light disturbance

Our Challenges

  • Real modularity, not just on paper: designing racks able to switch between configurations (tank sizes, circuit mode) without relying on outside intervention or specialist tools.
  • Inert materials for intensive seawater use: ensuring a non-reactive structure, resistant to corrosion and chemical attack, across the full lifespan of the installation.
  • Strict dimensional constraint: fitting the buffer tank, networks, and three levels of aquariums within a maximum footprint of 110 x 60 x 240 cm, without compromising maintenance access.
  • Structural strength: sizing each rack to safely support the full weight of the tanks filled to overflow.
  • Tight delivery schedule: a public tender with a fabrication and installation timeline to meet, for 12 complete structures.

Our Action Plan

  • Design (3 weeks): An initial set of plans is proposed, followed by an on-site visit to check dimensions and access with the user teams, including Gaëtan Schires and Ian Probert. A revised version is adjusted if needed before final sign-off.
  • Fabrication and workshop pre-assembly (10 weeks): Racks and tanks are manufactured in parallel by our suppliers, while our team pre-assembles all PVC networks in our workshop. This approach lets us produce a large number of racks within a short timeframe.
  • Installation and commissioning (2 weeks): On-site in Roscoff, our team assembles the pre-built structures, connects them to the primary networks, fills the tanks, and trains the teams on day-to-day operation.

Why choose Luxaqua?

01

Custom racks and aquariums

Each structure is designed and sized specifically for the project, not adapted from a standard catalogue. Every rack is engineered from scratch to fit precise constraints (in this case, a maximum footprint of 110 x 60 x 240 cm per rack) while accommodating three different tank configurations across three levels: 12 tanks of 25 litres, 6 tanks of 50 litres, or 3 tanks of 100 litres. 

This bespoke approach is what allows us to meet strict university tender specifications precisely, rather than asking the client to compromise their protocol to fit a pre-existing product range.

02

Materials and equipment built for seawater

Inert composite resins, stainless steel fittings, pressure-grade PVC: all selected to withstand intensive seawater use over the long term. The structure itself is made from non-reactive, corrosion-resistant materials, chosen to resist chemical attack and continuous contact with seawater without degrading or leaching. 

It’s also built opaque, to limit external light exposure and protect light-sensitive organisms and photoperiod-controlled protocols. 

These choices aren’t cosmetic: they’re what allows the system to run daily, for years, under demanding marine research conditions, without the maintenance headaches that come with standard freshwater-grade equipment.

03

Flexible, scalable equipment

Racks can switch configuration (tank sizes, circuit mode) as research programme needs evolve. Each unit supports three distinct operating modes (open circuit, recycled circuit, or closed circuit) so the same physical structure can serve very different experimental protocols over its lifetime. 

Users can reconfigure the system themselves, switching between modes in just a few hours (no external contractor, no special tools or equipment needed).

For a research institution, that means not having to purchase new equipment every time a protocol changes: the same racks adapt as the science evolves.

04

No vendor lock-in

Clients remain free to disassemble, reassemble, or modify their installation themselves, and to source tanks or technical equipment from other suppliers if they choose. 

Reconfiguring a rack (swapping tank sizes, switching circuit mode) doesn’t require calling us back, booking an external technician, or waiting on a service visit: it’s designed to be handled entirely in-house by the client’s own team, without specialist tools. The removable union fittings built into every network (water supply, air, effluent) exist specifically for this purpose, making disassembly and reassembly straightforward rather than something that requires cutting or re-plumbing. 

And because the aquariums themselves aren’t tied to a proprietary format, they can be replaced with tanks from another manufacturer at any point, without redesigning the structure around them. In practice, that means the system stays useful as protocols and budgets change, without locking the lab into a single supplier for every future adjustment.

Results

All 12 racks are now installed and fully operational, with a single system able to run in two distinct configurations: 36 tanks of 100 litres in flow-through mode, and 144 tanks of 25 litres in recirculating mode. Switching between configurations takes just a few hours, with no tools and no outside help. Organism tracking runs on LXA Fishlab, for traceability and research protocol compliance.

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