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8 Million Gallons Georgia Aquarium
- Thread starter ricwilli
- Start date
Edwardw771
NJRC Member
Macna will be there next year. Steve68 has some pics on here somewhere do a search.
That talk was amazing. Don't have the exact figures but the whale shark was in the millions of gallons. As for the death of the first two, they would have been eaten anyway since they were from the fishing quota which the aquarium has helped eliminate. They died from a side effect from a parasite treatment which caused them to stop eating.
I forget which but either the coral or whale shark exhibit used over 700 two thousand pound bags of instant ocean.
For those who think bigger is better, on that scale it gets more difficult again. They are working on controlling nitrate and phosphate even with that gallonage and keeping up calcium with one monster calcium reactor!
I forget which but either the coral or whale shark exhibit used over 700 two thousand pound bags of instant ocean.
For those who think bigger is better, on that scale it gets more difficult again. They are working on controlling nitrate and phosphate even with that gallonage and keeping up calcium with one monster calcium reactor!
It's not really so much the water volume that makes it more difficult (going bigger) for them but the type of animals they are keeping. They need HUGE amounts of plankton in the water for the filter feeders. Not to many other aquariums face this issue. All this plankton in the water column is the main cause IMHO of the nitrate and PO4 problems. It's a catch 22 situation as they need to have that much plankton.
Just think about how our little tanks would do if we were adding a full bottle of DT's every day to our water!
I didn't go to MACNA and/or see any of the presentations. Did they show or mention any of the "phosphate" reactors they are testing/experimenting with?
Carlo
Just think about how our little tanks would do if we were adding a full bottle of DT's every day to our water!
I didn't go to MACNA and/or see any of the presentations. Did they show or mention any of the "phosphate" reactors they are testing/experimenting with?
Carlo
I adore the Georgia Aquarium.... but hate it at the same time! 
It is definitely an awesome experience, with fish that you will not see anywhere else, like a FEW moorish idols in the reef tank! To make it better, when I was there, many of the animals are getting really comfortable with all the visitors and traffic. Some of them, like a certain beluga, are even hams for attention (this beluga swam in vertical circles for the entire half hour Beth and I were at the tank, just staring at the visitors!). Even in the reef tank, fish will get really close to the front pane, even normally skittish tangs were hanging out right in front!
Now, I do think this is one of the most and least kid friendly aquariums that I've been to in my life. On the cons, it's big, crowded, and bustling, with a low number of tanks compared to other aquariums (so, if you have kids that aren't thrilled by sitting and looking at one thing for a while.... or if you've got ADD.... you probably won't be impressed). On the plus side, the aquarium has loads of really unique animals that kids will love (like giant crabs, cuttlefish, jellyfish, and.... or course.... Nemo and Dory). The aquarium has SEVERAL touch tanks (for sharks/rays, anemones/urchins/starfish, horseshoe crabs, more starfish, and shrimp), which always go over well with kids. There's even a sort of playground in the aquarium, including a slide shaped like a whale that Beth and I were sorely tempted to slide down ourselves.
For the adult, there's definitely loads of unique animals there. Most tanks offer a community style of fish keeping, with various fish. The tanks that are species style tanks are pretty much tanks that HAVE to be single species (like the cuttlefish, the belugas, penguins, the two types of otters, the sealions, and the piranha). So, although there aren't hundreds upon hundreds of tanks, the majority of the tanks have tons of stuff to check out in them.
But, like Carlo said, there are some definite bugs to the aquarium that they haven't worked out. Even Beth, who can hardly tell the difference between basic clownfish types spotted aiptasia and cyano! But, hey, I look at it this way... it just proves that the aquarium staff faces the same types of issues as we do at the hobbyist level.
So.... here's my best suggestions for a most enjoyable time.
1.) Buy tickets in advance. The aquarium does entry based off of times (as in, if you get there at 11AM, and you can't buy a ticket until 2PM entry.... you guessed it.... you've got to go kill 3 hours). If you go during the week, you shouldn't have many issues getting in without pre-purchasing, especially since this isn't exactly the height of school-trip season.
2.) They WILL take all lighters and outside food, especially gum. So, if you're the kind of person who nic-fits.... you'd best pick yourself up those nicotine patches. Trust me, after a while, Beth (who's a smoker) was trying to figure out ways to take two twigs in the courtyard by the sealions, rub them together, and make a little ember to light her cigarette off. If you have a prized Zippo that has been passed down through two family members or is a lucky lighter.... leave it at the hotel.
3.) Get a digital camera, back-up capture card, and batteries. There's just SOOO much stuff for picture taking! If you forget batteries, they DO sell batteries.
4.) If you are really into reefkeeping, prepurchase your ticket and purchase a ticket for the Behind-the-Scenes tour. It's expensive, but, if you're really reef or aquatics obsessed, you can see some really neat things that you can't see downstairs in the main exhibits. Alan, a good friend of mine, showed us baby squids being fed, a turtle tank, the overheads of the reef tank and the river system, african cichlid tanks, catalina goby breeding systems, special animals on final QT before addition to tanks, and a couple of special reef tanks upstairs. He even let us go, walk out on the gantry, and watch the whale sharks swim under us! Great fun!
.... and... if you're by yourself and with your own vehicle, you may wish to check out some other cool stuff aside from just the aquarium! Fish Store and More (Buckhead) has some neat set-ups, but I've heard it's gone a little downhill. Cappucino Bay (Marietta) is well known for their frags and coral selection, as well as their statuary. Marine Fish and Reef (Marietta) is also known for their corals and for their bumble grouper, Kong (providing they still have him). It's been a while since I've been to those locations, but they were always a fun trip when I went down there. Just.... leave your credit card at the hotel room! ;D
It is definitely an awesome experience, with fish that you will not see anywhere else, like a FEW moorish idols in the reef tank! To make it better, when I was there, many of the animals are getting really comfortable with all the visitors and traffic. Some of them, like a certain beluga, are even hams for attention (this beluga swam in vertical circles for the entire half hour Beth and I were at the tank, just staring at the visitors!). Even in the reef tank, fish will get really close to the front pane, even normally skittish tangs were hanging out right in front!
Now, I do think this is one of the most and least kid friendly aquariums that I've been to in my life. On the cons, it's big, crowded, and bustling, with a low number of tanks compared to other aquariums (so, if you have kids that aren't thrilled by sitting and looking at one thing for a while.... or if you've got ADD.... you probably won't be impressed). On the plus side, the aquarium has loads of really unique animals that kids will love (like giant crabs, cuttlefish, jellyfish, and.... or course.... Nemo and Dory). The aquarium has SEVERAL touch tanks (for sharks/rays, anemones/urchins/starfish, horseshoe crabs, more starfish, and shrimp), which always go over well with kids. There's even a sort of playground in the aquarium, including a slide shaped like a whale that Beth and I were sorely tempted to slide down ourselves.
For the adult, there's definitely loads of unique animals there. Most tanks offer a community style of fish keeping, with various fish. The tanks that are species style tanks are pretty much tanks that HAVE to be single species (like the cuttlefish, the belugas, penguins, the two types of otters, the sealions, and the piranha). So, although there aren't hundreds upon hundreds of tanks, the majority of the tanks have tons of stuff to check out in them.
But, like Carlo said, there are some definite bugs to the aquarium that they haven't worked out. Even Beth, who can hardly tell the difference between basic clownfish types spotted aiptasia and cyano! But, hey, I look at it this way... it just proves that the aquarium staff faces the same types of issues as we do at the hobbyist level.
So.... here's my best suggestions for a most enjoyable time.
1.) Buy tickets in advance. The aquarium does entry based off of times (as in, if you get there at 11AM, and you can't buy a ticket until 2PM entry.... you guessed it.... you've got to go kill 3 hours). If you go during the week, you shouldn't have many issues getting in without pre-purchasing, especially since this isn't exactly the height of school-trip season.
2.) They WILL take all lighters and outside food, especially gum. So, if you're the kind of person who nic-fits.... you'd best pick yourself up those nicotine patches. Trust me, after a while, Beth (who's a smoker) was trying to figure out ways to take two twigs in the courtyard by the sealions, rub them together, and make a little ember to light her cigarette off. If you have a prized Zippo that has been passed down through two family members or is a lucky lighter.... leave it at the hotel.
3.) Get a digital camera, back-up capture card, and batteries. There's just SOOO much stuff for picture taking! If you forget batteries, they DO sell batteries.
4.) If you are really into reefkeeping, prepurchase your ticket and purchase a ticket for the Behind-the-Scenes tour. It's expensive, but, if you're really reef or aquatics obsessed, you can see some really neat things that you can't see downstairs in the main exhibits. Alan, a good friend of mine, showed us baby squids being fed, a turtle tank, the overheads of the reef tank and the river system, african cichlid tanks, catalina goby breeding systems, special animals on final QT before addition to tanks, and a couple of special reef tanks upstairs. He even let us go, walk out on the gantry, and watch the whale sharks swim under us! Great fun!
.... and... if you're by yourself and with your own vehicle, you may wish to check out some other cool stuff aside from just the aquarium! Fish Store and More (Buckhead) has some neat set-ups, but I've heard it's gone a little downhill. Cappucino Bay (Marietta) is well known for their frags and coral selection, as well as their statuary. Marine Fish and Reef (Marietta) is also known for their corals and for their bumble grouper, Kong (providing they still have him). It's been a while since I've been to those locations, but they were always a fun trip when I went down there. Just.... leave your credit card at the hotel room! ;D
Thanks kathainbowen for the comments and recommendation. We have already purchased the tickets, but have not purchased the behind the scene tour tickets. I also thought that it was to much money. I think I might reconsider as I don't think I will be going ever again. I just might buy a ticket for me alone and my wife can stay playing with the baby ;D. I am looking forward to going but now I am wondering how bad is it going to be going on the weekend (Saturday).
i loved it the tunnel was my favorite part.
there is not muck i can say as enough was said above.
if any one has the chance to go to atlanta u must make a trip there.
if u ever get out to california make sure u go to monterey aquarium
i love the way that it's built right next to the ocean.
here are some pictures.
http://steve68.com/georgia_aquarium.htm
u can buy tickets in advance here
http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/
there is not muck i can say as enough was said above.
if any one has the chance to go to atlanta u must make a trip there.
if u ever get out to california make sure u go to monterey aquarium
i love the way that it's built right next to the ocean.
here are some pictures.
http://steve68.com/georgia_aquarium.htm
u can buy tickets in advance here
http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/
WOW consulting work huh.... You must love you job. Unfortunately my wife would like to take this time for family quality time. She is already kicked off about me spending to much time on the tank at home. I don't don't know how I even pulled this trip off. I will be arriving Friday night and leaving Sunday morning. I would at least like to meet you and thank you for all your help. Who knows, I might even ask for an autograph ;D ;D ;D.....
No problem, definately understand the family situation. This is my 3rd trip this year down there doing work for them. They're running some reactors I designed for them already and we're going to try and tackle some different water quality issues that have been giving them a hard time that they haven't been able to solve (IE Nitrates/Phosphates). I hope to get some free time to swim with the fishies again. I love doing that and it makes the trip worth it.
Been doing private technical editing for a couple of publisher the last year or so too. Yep I like it a lot, so much more fun then the computer work I used to do (but doesn't pay as well).
Carlo
Been doing private technical editing for a couple of publisher the last year or so too. Yep I like it a lot, so much more fun then the computer work I used to do (but doesn't pay as well).
Carlo
Carlo said:
The swimming thing has me incredibly jealous of you.
But, maybe, just maybe, if they're still trying to force saddlebacks and percs to coexist when both colonies obviously don't want to coexist.... maybe you could convince them that it's not such a good idea? Or at least nuke the aiptasia if it's still in the seahorse tank? Please....?
Phyl said:
To quote Meatloaf, "2 out of 3 ain't bad". ;D
Kathainbowen's post:
http://www.njreefers.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=4641.0
Steve68's post:
http://www.njreefers.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=4916.0
kathainbowen said:Carlo said:
The swimming thing has me incredibly jealous of you.
But, maybe, just maybe, if they're still trying to force saddlebacks and percs to coexist when both colonies obviously don't want to coexist.... maybe you could convince them that it's not such a good idea? Or at least nuke the aiptasia if it's still in the seahorse tank? Please....?
Wrong department basically. I could mention it but the people I deal with don't have much say in that type of thing. You would be surprised the internal BS that goes on at some public aquariums behind the scenes. Heck if people think we disagree with solutions here on the local boards, you should see some of the far out solutions people try and push on others at the big places and many of these people are marine biologists and chemists. "they feed too much, they medicate the tanks and kill off the bacteria, they change too much water at a time, they don't do enough water changes, blah, blah, blah"
When you see some of this stuff you wonder how it works at all with so many people involved. Adventure Aquarium in Camden ain't much better. AA is at least lucky they don't have the super challenging environment Atlanta has.The groups I've worked with there are only interested in my equipment and water correction specialties, not much else. It's probably a good thing anyway as they are my two strong points.
Don't mean it to sound like I'm ragging on them but when you get a group of people together the chances are slim everyone will agree on a solution. Just look at corporate America with all the finger pointing. Not much different.
Yea, you should be. Sorry couldn't resist. ;D It's a blast. I don't think SCUBA is available to the public (could be wrong) but snorkeling/swimming is if you schedule it ahead of time and put up the $. You can definately do this at Adventure Aquarium in Camden which is probably easier because you don't have to give up half a day to do it while on vacation.
I'll see if I'm allowed to snap some pics of the equipment rooms and some of the stuff you might not see on the usual public tours. I personally love the labs and all the high tech equipment the Vets have.
Carlo
Carlo said:
.... actually, no I wouldn't be surprised. I've heard some very intriguing stories from Alan, a few of which I'm certain aren't supposed to be public knowledge.
But I'm definitely jealous of the diving! I've always wanted to learn to SCUBA dive... especially now that I've found out that you can dive the Living Seas in the Disney complex for a hefty sum.... I rather think it would be worth it, but that'sjust me.
We'll be playing vidoes from the MACNA 2005 in DC this weekend at the meeting. They did record this year's MACNA, but my understanding was that it was soley for the PMASI members that didn't get a chance to hear them while they were working the events. Not sure if they'll eventually sell them to the general public.