For 16 years, small shells have tumbled in the water of the centerpiece coral reef tank at the St. Lucie County Aquarium. Exhibit manager Bill Hoffman could hear the shells hitting the acrylic and would often joke that one day, those shells would chew through the wall.
It’s no joke. And he’s not laughing.
But despite the controlled chaos that quickly followed the discovery of the leak, a big, maybe-once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has presented itself. For the next few weeks, the coral reef ecosystem tank will remain dismantled. Visitors to the aquarium will be able to watch the progress as it gets put back together. They’ll also be able to see up close the giant stones used as the basis for the corals that call the tank home.
The 2,500-gallon tank has been condensed to about 500 gallons, Hoffman said, explaining that the corals were relocated to a second-floor tank, away from the public, while the staff works to keep the corals happy. The lighting on the second floor is different from what the corals were accustomed to in their larger tank, according to Hoffman, which has led some corals to get the equivalent of “sunburn.”
While staff monitors the corals, sea urchins and anemones, the large fish that once were in the coral reef tank have been rehomed.
Several, including a parrotfish and a queen angel, went to the Florida Oceanographic Society. The parrotfish wasn’t the species Hoffman had been told it was – instead of staying small, it was one of two species from the Atlantic that gets 3 feet long.
As for the queen angel, Hoffman said it had become his friend, recognizing him whenever he approached the tank. And as hard as it would have been to say goodbye to the fish, it had gotten older and larger and had started feeding on the soft corals, and Hoffman finally cut the tie.
Hoffman was able to get a company to come out and patch the hole in the tank. However, budgetary restrictions have left the volunteers to fend for themselves when it comes time to rebuilding the tank.
“I don’t have a budget for this type of problem,” Hoffman said. Though the aquarium is associated with the Smithsonian, there is no federal funding or assistance for the small, local facility.
Currently, the tank is drained and just the plumbing and structure remain. It’s given Hoffman the opportunity to rethink the design and layout of the 16-year-old tank.
The center structure – the skeleton, if you will – was “very problematic,” Hoffman said. It left little room for the corals between the structure and the front wall of the tank. Hard to clean. Hard to place stones on it and still look natural.
So Hoffman is using this setback as a chance to push the skeleton back away from the wall by a good 1 ½ feet. Doing so will make is easier to clean the tank and arrange the various pieces. Volunteers, too, will be inside the dry tank, sanding out the scratches and hazing on the tank walls. They’ll also polish the outside of the walls; the tank will look brand new once done.
On Tuesday, the St. Lucie County Fire Department came out to the aquarium to fill up the tank with fire-fighting water. Hoffman explained they need to conduct a stress test on the tank before rebuilding the coral reef. “So far, so good,” Hoffman told St. Lucie Voice via email Tuesday morning. “No leaks!”
Hoffman said Tuesday they were going to leave the water in the tank through Wednesday and empty it on Thursday. If the tank passes the test, they’ll be able to secure the internal reef structure and plumbing starting Friday, and finish polishing the inside of the aquarium’s windows. Rebuilding the tank is expected to start next week.
Hoffman had hoped to get the reef exhibit open by end of February but it’s looking like March instead. That gives residents a little more time to head out to the aquarium and get a glimpse of what it takes to build a reef.
St. Lucie County Aquarium hours are Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for children and seniors (age 55+). Children ages 3 and under are free. Aquarium memberships are available starting at $15. The Smithsonian Exhibit is located in the St. Lucie County Aquarium at 420 Seaway Drive on South Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce.
The Smithsonian Marine Station has teamed with St. Lucie County and other community partners to create this unique educational facility. For more information, visit www.sms.si.edu.