The University of Idaho Aquaculture Research Institute has research facilities both on the Moscow campus and in Hagerman, Idaho. All of the wet laboratories have controlled photoperiods with artificial lighting. A laboratory manager oversees the wet labs at each location and provides the continuity necessary in fish care, feeding, and operations for successful studies.

In addition to the main system, there are eight  independent recirculating systems that can accommodate cold water species. We have reared many species of salmonids and  sturgeon, as well as burbot in these systems.  Each system has individual chilling, biofiltration, and UV treatment.  In addition to large tanks for larger fish, there are also systems designed to hold many separate groups of smaller fish.  One system designed for studies involving fish has 120 five liter tanks and the lab has capabilities to incubate eggs in heath tray incubators and McDonald jars.  Fry can also be held in fiberglass trough fed with either single pass or recirculating water.  Temperatures in the systems can be controlled as low as 4° C and as his as 20° C.

The Moscow campus wet lab facilities are available to researchers across UI and WSU campuses.  Memorandum of Agreement, Request for Use and tank fee schedules are available. 

The ARI Poultry Hill wet  lab (1500 ft²)has been designed to rear non-domesticated cold water fishes and currently holds burbot.   The water source for this facility is provided by the campus municipal system.  This water is dechlorinated with activated carbon and exposed to UV light.  A 1000 gallon solids settling trap and three inline sand filters are used to capture solids before the water is recirculated back to the rearing tanks.  There are three six-foot tanks and six five-foot fiberglass circular tanks in the lab that are fed with chilled, recirculating water.  Additionally, there are 12 three-foot plastic circular tanks plumbed to receive single pass water.  These systems can be chilled to 37˚C.