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Buying 2100
HVS regular platform
HVS Atlantis
platform
Pools
Breaking: In
EU and nearby countries, you can get
very good solid pools from Engineering &
Design Plastics ( EDP ) Cambridge
UK..Tel +44-1223-249-431, Fax -411 803
The HVS pool for USA was a Round Galvanized Tank, depth 2ft, diameter 4, 5, 6ft sourced from from D& D Farm Supply in Texas. Ask Outside Sales, tel. 1-800-292-5232 / 830-379-7340, deliveries to USA and Canada. Apparently they work well. D&D take credit card orders. Breaking 1/1/2008. We no longer take orders for these pools. You can get them more simply and at a better price direct from D&D. Expect that D&D will want to crate them.
How to select a pool-size. Our best information is that in smaller pools the animals find the platform quicker, so this may be of interest to commercial test labs who want trials to run faster. Bigger pools reduce the chance that the animal will find the platform by chance, so they may be more precise as a research tool.
Our best best recent info is that rat pools should be 6ft (1.8m) or even 2m, with a 10cm platform. And that mice can use the same 6ft pool.. However in many labs, space is an issue and rats use a 5ft pool. Mice are often swum in 5ft pools. People are even swimming mice in 4ft pools - this would be your decision. HVS regular platform is good for rats and mice. We can provide add-on tops to your request.
COUNTRIES
The suppliers listed below, mostly
supply to the U.S. mainland and Canada.. Other countries may have similar
suppliers. HVS Image also supply a premium plastic pool in UK, and other
nearby countries if you can afford high shipping costs ! Also Richard
Morris has said that pools can be made of fiberglass/epoxy by small boat
builders.
SAFETY
Most pools are ~2ft deep and 5-6ft diameter, with ~ 1ft of water. We suggest you raise your pool on a sturdy 1ft wood base to reduce back-strain. Disclaimer: this is not sufficient advice - also talk to your establishment health and safety officer. Please talk to your electricians about grounding and other safety issues. Never ever climb on furniture to reach your camera ! Please take advice on the use of ladders, and have someone hold the ladder. Be very aware of the risks of lone working over and around a pool of water.
GALVANIZED
POOLS ARE CHEAP AND CHEERFUL
Galvanized pools are cattle drinking troughs. They are not high-tech but they are sturdy and they work well. You will need to paint the insides in white or black to contrast the rat.
IMPORTANT in our experience about 5% of these pools have a slight leakage thru the seams. This is not grounds for rejection. The advice given to us is, in case of leakage, drain and dry the tank, and seal the suspect area inside with epoxy resin 2-part adhesive. They do not have a drain hole.
D&D RANCH SUPPLIES, Seguin, Texas
Galvanized round cattle drinking tanks, diameter 4-6ft, depth 2 feet. No drain hole. These are what we (HVS) supply in the U.S. and Canada. Be sure to ask for a ROUND (tank) or you might get a square one !
For D&D -call 1-800-292-5232 / 830-379-7340 Ask for Outside Sales. We think the tanks look like this: D&D will want to crate them.
STOCKYARDS
We have not tested these galvanized water troughs as Morris watermaze pools, but they look good.
At 1/2005 Stockyards perceive a problem with out of state shipments getting broken. So if you want their tanks you will need to declare that you will not claim for breakages.
Hutchison
We think this tank at the Dr Jane Flinn Lab (George Mason University) came from Hutchison. Notice that the user paints the inside of all metal tanks white for dark & hooded animals (black for albinos).
AQUATICECO
We have not tested these as Morris watermaze pools, but they look good.
Fish holding tanks. We (HVS) do not supply these tanks (pools). To get more info and to order please contact Aquaticeco
Shipping is extra. Delivery may be 3-4 weeks. Specify "vertical sides, circular flat bottom, inside colored light blue". )
Has been used in the Janus lab in Florida. Check these out :
TR290
Fiberglass Tank Circular Flat Bottom 24" Deep by 60"
Diam. 290 Gallons
FT423 Fiberglass Tank Circular Flat Bottom 24" Deep by
72" Diam. 423 Gallons
LOOMIS
We have not tested these tanks as Morris watermaze pools, but they look good.
Polythene water "trough" from Loomis is 74ins diam, 25ins deep, slightly tapering, so you could call that a 6ft pool, dark green, so probably good for rats.
ACRYLIC POOLS
Acrylic is a classic inert lab-plastic for liquid storage tanks. Hopefully you can find one that will meet your watermaze needs. Just Google acrylic+tank We hope to add more information on this topic.