Yet another ZooDiver build thread (Shark display)
- Thread starter Zoodiver
- Start date
Tell me about it!! The display looks killer. It's one of the best shark/fish displays I've been part of. I can't wait to show you guys. I love getting into work about 5AM, just to pull the black cover off to stare at it before everyone gets to work.
Got the stand/top painted with a fresh coat and another of filler fish for holding pool that will go in tomorrow. They were quarantined off site, so I know they are clean and eating. Lookdowns, wrasses, grunts, jacks etc....
Today I spent a couple hours underwater taking some blemishes off the acrylic window.
Today I spent a couple hours underwater taking some blemishes off the acrylic window.
Out with one batch, in with another...
This afternoon we moved a couple hundred fish out of the holding pool to the display. The only word to describe it is "TEAMING" with life right now. They had to go to make room for the newest additions that flew in across the ocean today (male/female pair).
I wish it was Saturday already so I could post full pics of the exhibit. It's coming together so well.
This afternoon we moved a couple hundred fish out of the holding pool to the display. The only word to describe it is "TEAMING" with life right now. They had to go to make room for the newest additions that flew in across the ocean today (male/female pair).
I wish it was Saturday already so I could post full pics of the exhibit. It's coming together so well.
So in the last 12 hours we've brought in 4 juvie brownbanded bamboo sharks for the 3700 gallon "tunnel tank" (not the shark tank), and acclimated a very nice male Southern Stingray to the shark display (eating squid from my hand within the first hour - I was shocked and happy!). Later tonight one of my guys is going with me to pick up a white spotted bamboo shark for the shark display as well.
As of right now this is the most species diverse elasmobranch (shark/ray) collection on public display in South Florida. Best part is that unlike zoos/aquariums in the area, we are 100% free and open 7 days a week to come and see. For me, that's more "winning" than Charlie Sheen could ever hope for.
More pics will be posted tonight....if I ever get out of here.
As of right now this is the most species diverse elasmobranch (shark/ray) collection on public display in South Florida. Best part is that unlike zoos/aquariums in the area, we are 100% free and open 7 days a week to come and see. For me, that's more "winning" than Charlie Sheen could ever hope for.
More pics will be posted tonight....if I ever get out of here.
Time to show off. Yesterday, we openned the display to the public. People started lining up at 5:15AM!!! By the time 8M rolled around, there were close to 500 people standing outside the front door.
But, we can't just jump to that. There are months of 'catch up' pics during the build I can now share.... so here we go.
Let's start with pulling the dock piling/reef sections out of the trunk and getting them into the display.
Setting the dock over the center filter plumbing.
But, we can't just jump to that. There are months of 'catch up' pics during the build I can now share.... so here we go.
Let's start with pulling the dock piling/reef sections out of the trunk and getting them into the display.
Setting the dock over the center filter plumbing.
Took a few fill/drain sessions to get everything perfect. It's part of big projects like this.
Once it was all set, we did a fill with SW and got the life support (filtration) up and running. Also started dialing in the LEDs to figure out what daytime/nighttime colors I wanted to go with.
FRONT:
BACK:
And because I had the 3300 gallon holding pool tied into the same system, moving the animals means no acclimation and no need to worry about the biological keeping up... so after a day, we moved the sharks/eels/fish back.
Once it was all set, we did a fill with SW and got the life support (filtration) up and running. Also started dialing in the LEDs to figure out what daytime/nighttime colors I wanted to go with.
FRONT:
BACK:
And because I had the 3300 gallon holding pool tied into the same system, moving the animals means no acclimation and no need to worry about the biological keeping up... so after a day, we moved the sharks/eels/fish back.
