Field Guide

AALSO 2020 Field Guides can be purchased HERE:

A Field Guide to Water Quality Practices, Common System Components, and Practical Mathematics

Authored by The Field Guide Committee

The 2020 AALSO Field Guide has been created by AALSO members for AALSO members. Drafted specifically for the zoo and aquarium industry, it is a critical tool of the AALSO Education Program, which is dedicated to disseminating technical information on the care of aquatic animals. AALSO provides education opportunities at the annual symposium and as onsite training as part of the Education and Training Program. By reaching out to educational institutions, and the national and international zoo and aquarium community, AALSO hopes to further enrich the life support and water quality knowledge base, understanding that different ideas and solutions from different places help improve our industry.

The 2020 AALSO Field Guide is more than a resource for zoo and aquarium professionals. It doubles as a reference manual and study guide assisting in the Water Quality Technician and Life Support Operator examination. This examination is available at the annual AALSO Symposium and Workshops and during the AALSO Education and Training Programs now offered year round as an onsite training program.

The examinations acknowledge general operator and technician proficiency, and routine tasks ranging from basic to advanced duties. It covers such topics as: mechanical, biological and chemical filtration, water quality testing, USDA regulations, cathodic protection, turbidity, safety, pump curves/trouble shooting, pool volume calculations, filter surface area calculations, and pool turnover rate calculations.

It covers such topics as:

  • Safety
  • Laboratory equipment
  • Quality assurance and assessment
  • Water quality theory and testing
  • Laboratory chemistry
  • Specialized chemical additions
  • Pumps and motors
  • Valves, filtration
  • Disinfection and sterilization
  • Cathodic protection
  • Heat exchangers
  • Automation and controls
  • LSS operational standards
  • Applied mathematics for water quality technicians and for LSS operators.

With the AALSO Field Guide you can learn how to calculate and evaluate:

  • Pump curves and troubleshooting
  • Pool volume calculations
  • Filter surface area calculations
  • Pool turnover rate calculations
  • Head pressure calculations
  • Chemical dosing calculations
  • Dilution Calculations
  • Stoichiometry

The Updated 2020 Field Guide has these new content additions:

  • Total Gas Pressure, BOD & COD and UV-254 testing
  • Diaphragm Valves
  • New Exhibit Design including: Exhibit Seeding and Materials for Building new Exhibits
  • ORP Values and Ozone Generators
  • Expansion on Protein Skimmers
  • Expansion on Controls
  • History of Aquatic Exhibitry
  • All new charts and graphics
  • And a two page Periodic Table!

To purchase your copy from Amazon click here.

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