AlanM September 13, 2012 Share September 13, 2012 My son and I went to National Aquarium yesterday in the commerce building downtown. Saw a big WAMAS sign next to a big reef tank which we were watching as someone had their head in with goggles and a snorkel vacuuming it out. My son had a good time watching her vacuum and we liked the fish in there. I only just joined WAMAS in order to keep doing research on setting up a tank, and it was fun to see the name there in the aquarium. We saw the shark feeding too, so my son now wants a shark tank instead of a Nemo tank. I don't think I have the kind of cash needed to buy a chiller needed for a 6,000 gallon tank at 52 degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Ward September 13, 2012 Share September 13, 2012 If you don't have cash for that chiller, you probably don't have cash for a 6,000 gallon tank either We sponsored that tank with the proceeds from the MACNA we hosted a few years back. It's in an unfortunate state with respect to its condition, but we're working with the National Aquarium to get it into better shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon September 13, 2012 Share September 13, 2012 Hi AlanM, Welcome. It's probably been a year and a half since I've been there. I've donated two corals to the WAMAS sponsored tank. A large Hydnophora and this Heliopora. I'm not sure if either coral is still there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon September 13, 2012 Share September 13, 2012 This was the tank four (4) years ago. the Heliopora is in the lower right corner, in the shadow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller September 13, 2012 Share September 13, 2012 I donated the big cup coral in the mid lower left corner of Almon's pic at about the same time. I hear it has recently had some recession around the edges and plan to go talk with the in the next weeks about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flooddc September 13, 2012 Share September 13, 2012 Wow! I lived in this area for almost 30 years and did not know there is a National Aquarium in DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almon September 13, 2012 Share September 13, 2012 It's in the basement of the Commerce building, next the to White House. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM September 14, 2012 Author Share September 14, 2012 That cup coral is there still. I'm not an expert, so I assumed it was fake. Looked like it had rock under it showing around the edges. It does seem like it would be nice to add some more color to that huge tank. Maybe they need some of the sweet corals from the wtb section here oh and bluer lights. 8) Also, I had the tank covered for my sharks. I figured I'd just caulk up the drains in the basement and start filling it with saltwater. Then I'd take the floor boards off and replace them with sheets of acrylic so we could look down at the sharks. The trapdoor could come later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM September 14, 2012 Author Share September 14, 2012 Wow! I lived in this area for almost 30 years and did not know there is a National Aquarium in DC Enter on 14th street, half block south of Pennsylvania. 3 blocks from 13th street exit from metro center. $8 admission I think. I'm a commerce employee, so got in free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flooddc September 14, 2012 Share September 14, 2012 Enter on 14th street, half block south of Pennsylvania. 3 blocks from 13th street exit from metro center. $8 admission I think. I'm a commerce employee, so got in free. And I work for DOC too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM September 14, 2012 Author Share September 14, 2012 And I work for DOC too... Hmm. Maybe we work at the same place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 September 14, 2012 Share September 14, 2012 (edited) nevermind... Edited September 14, 2012 by BowieReefer84 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 September 16, 2012 Share September 16, 2012 Okay, so here's the deal. The NADC has been understaffed for at least the past 1 1/2 years without a coral person on staff and then for the previous couple of years simply being understaffed. Since late August, however, it has been fully staffed and equipped to handle everything the way it has always wanted to. This really is a first for the NADC and I can say that we are working on improvements across the board. I know that the state of the WAMAS tank will improve drastically in the coming months as well based on personnel and experience. How do I know? At the beginning of August I took the Director of Operations position there. I am there most days of the week and some weekends and, while my hands are not in the tanks themselves, I am in a unique position as an avid hobbyist, WAMAS VP, and the person in charge of the facilities. Although we are greatly limited by the facility we currently occupy and our future plans, we're very cognizant of the shortcomings of the aquarium and do our best to work around them. And yes, Commerce employees are free, adults are $9.95, military and seniors are $8.95, and children 3-11 are $4.95, so come visit and ask for me when you get there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef September 16, 2012 Share September 16, 2012 Yippee Dave! Im glad to hear its all being 're-vitalized'... I havent been there but I am a member and go to the Baltimore Aquarium monthly cant wait to stop in now after it gets back up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 September 16, 2012 Share September 16, 2012 Do you all need any volunteers or help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM September 17, 2012 Author Share September 17, 2012 Chip, looks like now you know who to talk to about that cup coral. Dave, We will definitely go every couple of months to check the place out. Does that huge octopus come out to the front of the glass much? We could just see a couple of big tentacles and a body moving around in the back. The seahorses were neat to spot too, hard to find in the tank, and the docent said that there were 15 more in quarantine waiting to go out, so that will be really cool too to see so many H. Reidi if you're putting the same ones in there to match the three in the tank now. Was cool to see some truly huge anemones as well. Changing signage seems like it would be a huge pain, but sometimes it's hard to tell what's natural and what's artificial in some of the tanks. Next to the planted tank there was a sign saying that it's all real plants (with what looks like a serious case of hair algae 8) ), maybe next to the WAMAS tank there could be one that says it's all real coral or something (if the plan is to do all real coral). Maybe the Ecotech guys would donate some of their fancy new Radions. Must be fun to be in charge of a place like that after being a hobbyist. You suddenly got way way more volume and some seriously cool tanks to play with. Best basement fish room ever. And now I know what to donate to on my CFC form this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad September 17, 2012 Share September 17, 2012 Dave, I'm glad to hear you are stepping in! Hopefully you will have resources necessary to make the changes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extreme_tooth_decay September 17, 2012 Share September 17, 2012 Dave, I'm glad to hear you are stepping in! Hopefully you will have resources necessary to make the changes! +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 September 19, 2012 Share September 19, 2012 We have two types of volunteers, husbandry and docent. Those are applied for through the husbandry department and our education department. Details on how to apply are on our website - aqua.org. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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