Odd question for Disney's aquarium ???

Samgumbert

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 6, 2021
Messages
10
Reaction score
24
Location
Bellevernon
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So my wife and I are watching a documentary about Disney's animals and aquariums so naturally I was intrigued by the aquarium portion and apparently their "tank" is 5.7 MILLION gallons. First off I'm jealous and my second thought is, how do they make that much salt water ?? Is it filtered sea water ? Or do they use Millions of bags of Instant Ocean? I tried looking online and couldn't find anything, so I'm hoping someone on here knows ! Thank you in advance ! And sorry this isn't a direct discussion about my or your aquarium, just really curious !
 
OP
OP
Samgumbert

Samgumbert

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 6, 2021
Messages
10
Reaction score
24
Location
Bellevernon
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Great question

“We buy one-ton bags, or what we call ‘super-sacks,’”

I was honestly joking about buying instant ocean but I wasn't wrong that's crazy. Thank you for the article !!
 

polyppal

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 16, 2018
Messages
3,151
Reaction score
6,214
Location
Denver
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Maybe there’re using the packets from the snack bar?
3C0A9604-C186-4584-87EF-B5FA3A9F6B42.gif
 

Jay Hemdal

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
25,288
Reaction score
25,188
Location
Dundee, MI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So my wife and I are watching a documentary about Disney's animals and aquariums so naturally I was intrigued by the aquarium portion and apparently their "tank" is 5.7 MILLION gallons. First off I'm jealous and my second thought is, how do they make that much salt water ?? Is it filtered sea water ? Or do they use Millions of bags of Instant Ocean? I tried looking online and couldn't find anything, so I'm hoping someone on here knows ! Thank you in advance ! And sorry this isn't a direct discussion about my or your aquarium, just really curious !
I don’t know about Epcot, but Georgia and the Shedd use Instant Ocean super sacks. When I worked for the Shedd back in the 1980’s, we made up salt from its component parts. One employment “test” was if you could add an 80# bag of magnesium chloride to the mixing tank (grin)
Jay
 

Lost in the Sauce

BANGERANG!!!!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2021
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
91,536
Location
Southern California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I don’t know about Epcot, but Georgia and the Shedd use Instant Ocean super sacks. When I worked for the Shedd back in the 1980’s, we made up salt from its component parts. One employment “test” was if you could add an 80# bag of magnesium chloride to the mixing tank (grin)
Jay
How big were the mixing tanks?
 

Jay Hemdal

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
25,288
Reaction score
25,188
Location
Dundee, MI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How big were the mixing tanks?
You know, I can’t remember! We had 500,000 gallon reservoirs in the basement that we added sodium chloride to through a hatch in the floor. But I also remember adding salt to 1200 gallon vats connected to the main system up on the mezzanine level….not sure why we didn’t add it all in the basement. I remember showing an aquarist who weighed all of 90 pounds how to shoulder the bag of salt up the side of the vat to pass her “test”.

Jay
 

flyfisher2

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
1,764
Reaction score
2,829
Location
Central Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So my wife and I are watching a documentary about Disney's animals and aquariums so naturally I was intrigued by the aquarium portion and apparently their "tank" is 5.7 MILLION gallons. First off I'm jealous and my second thought is, how do they make that much salt water ?? Is it filtered sea water ? Or do they use Millions of bags of Instant Ocean? I tried looking online and couldn't find anything, so I'm hoping someone on here knows ! Thank you in advance ! And sorry this isn't a direct discussion about my or your aquarium, just really curious !
IMG_2358.JPG

Behind the scenes at Georgia Aquarium. they get trailers of these Super bags. ThIs is what they use in all their tanks including the Whale Sharks. I'm sure Disney does the same.
I just checked and the Disney aquarium gave up the number one spot in size to the Georgia Aquarium.
 
Last edited:

ninjamyst

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 1, 2014
Messages
2,590
Reaction score
3,936
Location
Orlando
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Wow. I wonder how much money IO makes from commercial aquariums vs hobbyists. I assume they give massive discounts to these aquariums but still... that's a lot of salt
 

Gtinnel

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 20, 2020
Messages
21,075
Reaction score
29,649
Location
Charleston, WV
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm sure. But hey if it's good enough for them... The behind the scenes reef tank tour at Georgia is awesome too. Metal Halides and a huge wave maker.
I’m getting to go to the Georgia Aquarium for the first time, in a few months and I am incredibly excited. I never even thought about a behind the scenes tour. I’m glad you mentioned it so I can book it when I get the tickets.
 

damsels are not mean

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 14, 2021
Messages
1,952
Reaction score
2,151
Location
Chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
IMG_2358.JPG

Behind the scenes at Georgia Aquarium. they get trailers of these Super bags. ThIs is what they use in all their tanks including the Whale Sharks. I'm sure Disney does the same.
I just checked and the Disney aquarium gave up the number one spot in size to the Georgia Aquarium.
They really ought to use tropic marin... Tsk tsk!
 

flyfisher2

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 30, 2012
Messages
1,764
Reaction score
2,829
Location
Central Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I’m getting to go to the Georgia Aquarium for the first time, in a few months and I am incredibly excited. I never even thought about a behind the scenes tour. I’m glad you mentioned it so I can book it when I get the tickets.
The actual behind the scenes tour does not include the area with the salt shown in the pic.
I got to talking with the tour guide and he requested special permission after the tour to take my family further and show us around a bit more. It was very cool when he came back to us and pulled us aside for the private walk. I felt like a VIP for all of about 20 minutes. LOL
 
Last edited:

Bucs20fan

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 21, 2022
Messages
2,179
Reaction score
2,174
Location
Greenville
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The georgia Aquarium is great, I went in February. They have some pretty neat cold water species too. They've got one large tank with Metal Halides on it. Almost looks like a football stadium light suspended above, kinda nuts. It has several species of coral and most of our common reef fish. Definitely very cool to see.
 

Sharkbait19

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 13, 2020
Messages
10,849
Reaction score
13,292
Location
New Jersey
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Watching the Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom?
In one of the episodes, they mention that they have a mixing facility and show it running. Never mentioned which salt was used, but Jay has the inside-aquarium knowledge there.

If you are ever at the aquarium at Disney, you could probably ask cast members, one of them probably would know or could point you to someone who does.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 57 49.6%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 63 54.8%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 26 22.6%
  • None.

    Votes: 28 24.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 7.8%
Back
Top