The station’s mesocosm tank has a 100,000-litre capacity and is designed to allow the establishment of a marine ecosystem and facilitate the study of inter- species interaction, bridging the gap between lab and field experimentation.
Like the rest of the aquarium, the mesocosm operates on a flow- through basis but does have recirculation filtration and temperature control. The tank is four meters deep with an open top to allow for the natural photo period. There are three 10 cm thick acrylic viewing windows to allow the observation and study of the inhabitants. A gantry system around the open top also allows access and viewing.