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 State of the Tank: (cont.) |
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but trust me; it doesn't have . the space for any of this other stuff either. Just one of the saltwater mixing tanks was 25,000 gallons. The rest of us would call that a pool. The skimmers are taller and wider than any in-law we have and the lighting system over the reeftank alone featured over 20 1000W Halides, several 400Ws, and countless watts of Actinics. And what moves all the water? Engines basically. I mean, to call them pumps would be like calling the monster truck, Bigfoot, a car. Otherwise, with all of its kalk dosers, Calcium reactors, chillers and heaters, it IS very similar to what most of us are familiar with. Except maybe the walk-in food storage locker. That was impressive. But what was the most fascinating of all (to me) is that this entire Aquarium is basically just a normal closed system, meaning they have to rely on artificial salt just like most of us. As to how much they go thorough in any given month, you'll have to have a 5-year make up that number. I couldn't hazard a guess. I'm just bemused at the thought that they do
The day we visited, the place was packed and it's easy to see why. All the exhibits are well laid out, interesting, and most important, up and running. No "Nellie, our Chambered Nautilus is on vacation and plans to be back this Spring" signs. And speaking of Spring, once it warms up, I'm told the place really starts rocking with several outdoor exhibits, boat tours, and all manner of fun for both kids and adults. |
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You can bet my daughter and I will be taking advantage of that this year!
But rather than go into detail about the exhibits and services and Atlantis provides, I'll just leave you a link at the end of this update. If you live anyplace in the area or just passing through, you've GOT to go see it. If you're a reefkeeper, try to save the reeftank for last. Once you settle there, you may be stuck for a while.
We were there all day so we had a chance to visit all of the tanks out front. There are quite a few tanks that represent local flora and fauna; even out to the Gulf Stream where several tropical fish may be found in the summer. There is also a huge shark tank that contains a couple of Moray Eels as big around as a grown mans leg! There are species tanks, a pretty large touch tank, and of course, the big beautiful reeftank. Being the main attraction, getting a good shot of the inhabitants while the place was open was extremely difficult. So I just shot a few 'people' pics. But my favorite part of being 'frontstage' was after the Aquarium was closed to the public. Joe had some tables and chairs set out in front of the big tank and we just chilled and had dinner. After that, it was time to really turn our attention to the reef tank and burn some fil...I mean, megapixels. And to those who've ever wondered how the 'pros' behave when confronted with a new and awesome display such as this, just like you and I would. |
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