I work in the National Center for Mari culture which operates under the Ministry of National Infrastructure and during the following year (2009) will go under the Ministry of Agriculture and under the national Agriculture Research Organization (ARO) - The volcanic center. The Mari culture National center is located between the city of Eilat and the city of Aqaba, right next to the border.
The project I work on now is a test of aquaculture growth of Groupers, a red sea fish type. The grouper fish is a coral reef predator fish, and can grow up to 12 kg (Red sea species) and up to 100 cm long.
My research handles the growth of the grouper in Recirculating aquaculture Systems (RAS) which provide less "fresh" (red sea) water. The system takes advantage mainly of nitrification process and uses biofilters. The biofilters using macaroni shaped plastics are a base for aerobic bacteria for the nitrification process: they break the ammonia to nitrate since high percentage of ammonia is too acidic and will kill the fish.
Other research I might be part of is growth of the Gilt-head Bream, another red sea fish and the main fish being researched. The research is about the usage of a denitrifying reactor which uses anaerobic bacteria to break the nitrate back to pure nitrogen and by that prevents it from going back to the sea.
I could write so much more, especially after I will learn more when my practical training goes further on. To me this is all really great and I enjoy every second of it :)
Regards to Finland and will send some warmth and sun there too!
Yoav
a 3rd year Environmental Engineering student doing his practical training in Eilat, Israel.
