In this episode of INFLOW: Aquatic Animal and Life Support Systems and Habitats, hosts Joe Arlotto and Dr. Jeff Keaffaber welcome special guest Chris Warner of Aquatic Environmental Systems. Chris shares his remarkable story—from growing up across continents to becoming a commercial diver and eventually a pioneer in aquarium life support systems.

Discover how a diving accident unexpectedly launched Chris into the world of public aquariums, leading him to build and manage Australia’s earliest systems using little more than ingenuity and necessity. Chris recounts the gritty early days of running a small aquarium in Sydney Harbor—battling raw sewage inflows, engineering semi-closed systems with sand spears, and building some of the first protein skimmers and foam fractionators in the industry.

This episode dives deep into Chris’s approach to filtration design, ozone use, and the importance of bubble size, plus how his experience helped shape systems at institutions like Sea World Australia, Ocean Park Hong Kong, and Singapore’s S.E.A. Aquarium. It's a fascinating conversation on problem-solving, learning from nature, and the evolution of aquatic systems through practical innovation.

Don't miss this inspiring and technical conversation with one of the field’s most experienced voices.

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Joe Arlotto and Dr. Jeff Keaffaber dive deep into the world of aquatic life support systems (LSS) with special guest David LaBonne, a pioneering microbiologist and former Director of Facilities at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

David shares his remarkable journey from microbiology and immunodiagnostics to redefining how public aquariums approach water chemistry, ozone disinfection, and microbiome management. From early challenges with coliform counts and ozone tower inefficiencies to introducing data-driven filtration protocols and backwash recovery, David has shaped the modern aquatic systems landscape.

💡 In this episode, we cover:

(4:42) - David's LSS Journey

(8:19) - David's View of the Microbiome

(13:48) - Being a Volunteer Diver

(18:17) - A Lab Person's Point of View of LSS

(25:56) - Evolution of Ozone

(38:55) - Problem Solving

INFLOW is the podcast where aquatic engineers, biologists, and life support experts share knowledge, solve problems, and explore the evolving science of water-based habitats.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share if you want more cutting-edge insights from leaders in the aquatic world.

#AquariumLifeSupport #OzoneDisinfection #WaterChemistry #AquaticMicrobiology #ZooAndAquarium #AquacultureEngineering #ColiformCounts #Biofilms #SandFilters #PublicAquariums #INFLOWPodcast

Stay connected at https://inflowlsspodcast.com/

We're excited introduce our new Facility Spotlight series! Hosts Joe Arlotto and Dr. Jeff Keaffaber go in-depth on the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut, with a behind-the-scenes conversation featuring Erik Holmberg, Associate Director of Life Support.

Erik shares his hands-on journey from general maintenance to LSS leadership, detailing his role in system upgrades, daily operations, emergency responses, and long-term infrastructure improvements. From retrofitting 30-year-old systems to pioneering backwash recovery and ozone contact upgrades, Erik walks us through what it really takes to keep complex aquatic habitats running smoothly with a small but mighty team.

We've got helpful insights for operators, facility managers, and designers—from choosing media and managing turnover rates to advocating for capital projects. If you're passionate about aquatic animal health, system reliability, or making the most of limited resources, this is a must-listen.

(2:13) - Erik's LSS Background

(7:39) - Maritime Aquarium Background

(9:57) - Backwash Recovery and Water Reprocessing

(14:10) - Staff and Problem Solving

(22:33) - Making the Case for Upgrades

(29:00) - Filters

(39:57) - AALSO

🔧 Sponsored by Aquatic Equipment and Design, and Ardurra.
🌐 Stay connected at inflowlsspodcast.com.