| One of the newer pavilions in Future World, The Living Seas features one of
the world's largest saltwater aquariums (200 feet in diameter, 27-feet deep). Ocean fish,
sharks, anemone, coral and mammals are on display here in an ocean ecosystem. Scientists
and divers study the aquatic flora and fauna, take samples and conduct experiments in
front of guests.
The three-part attraction in The Living Seas features a movie on man's relationship with
the ocean, a simulated descent (in the "Hydrolator") into the depths of the
"ocean study center" (Sea Base Alpha) and a 3-minute slow-moving cart ride (in
"Seacabs") through underwater viewing tunnels.
For those of you interested in trivia here are some notes
about the facility. The 5.7 million gallons of water is re-circulated at a rate of 35,000
gallons per minute, thus allowing the entire tank to be re-circulated in only 2 hours and
46 minutes. The tanks viewing windows are made from single cast acrylic and have a
transparency ratio of some 64.5% and as water has a transparency ratio of 64.7% it means
there is very little distortion of any kind in the viewing of the life in the environment.
The main tank is 203 feet in diameter, with walls 48 foot high and 3 foot thick. The
scientists at the facility have also had to develop special foods to simulate the taste,
chemistry and nutritional value of food naturally found in a coral reef. This resulted in
for example the food for parrot fish being a combination of dry dog food, chickens; laying
pellets, a complete amino-acid solution and a vitamin-B complex, all stuck together with
dental plaster.
DINING:
The Coral Reef (lunch and dinner): Full-service restaurant featuring fresh seafood
and a beautiful underwater view of the aquarium.
|
