10,000g stingray tank at zoo
 

I went to the zoo today and found out they've just finished building their 10,000g tank, it's got 10 cownose stingrays and 1 bamboo shark that I saw and they're getting another 50-100 different stingrays, its gonna be one of those pet the stingray tanks.
Not very exciting photos and stuff yet but here's a link to their web site
http://www.calgaryzoo.org/cownose_rays/index.htm

the tank is a big oval, looks like a race track and the rays just swim laps mostly just a nice smooth sandy bottom thats 2.5 feet deep in the center and tapers up to the edge where the kids can touch them.

Yeah, been watching their build on this one for the last few months. (I take my kid to the zoo every couple of weeks..) It was about the only aquatic display that made it into reality from their wishlist of building a large aquatics and artic/antartic displays they wanted to do a few years ago. Hope to go check it out next weekend maybe...

Given the laundry list of problems that tank has that are still to be repaired and the keepers inexperiance with anything of this nature. I cannot see this lasting too long. Gorillas all over again.

i was wonderin what kind of equipment they have in this thing, it looked good from what i seen but whats it gonna look like in 6 months could be another issue, i was also wonderin who they hired to design and build a tank like this.
i also seen in the old monkey house the built a large piranha tank mabey in the 800-1000g range
as far as other large aquatic displays i believe they are still planning on building alot of other things when thier next large project gets built. i think its gonna be called the canadian north or something im hoppin it replaces the dinosaur park like they hinted at

replacing the dinos will be the biggest mistake they have ever made. Through an adult's eyes that place isnt too cool but for a kid that section of the zoo is awsome.

Lol, get this, from what i was told that sting ray tank does not even have an ATO.

Saw the tank this weekend, looked amazing. Everything looked healthy and happy. If anyone could pull this off, it would be the zoo. The excitement on the kids faces said it all!

Steve

Actually I'm all for keeping the dino park too. Back when I was a kid in the 70's my bud's dad was one of the architects of the park as it is today so I guess I feel a little nostalgia about it. As an adult, yes, it's pretty lame but then again it's not for us. But I suppose it is starting to show its age so its probably inevitable it will get retired at some point.

No topoff on a tank like that? Ok that does seem a little odd. On the one hand, you would think there are keepers on duty 7 days a week so it's not too much work to make it a daily checklist item, but on the other hand, why not just have an ATO to keep salinity nice and constant? Ultimately though I would assume the zoo would contract out the design and construction to a firm who would do their homework.. otherwise don't they lose credibility and/or AZA acceditation? I hope this doesn't turn into the same thing that happened to the "reef" display they used to have in the Australia House (whatever they call it now). That thing was an embarrassment.

But a touch pool for Rays, this is a fairly common thing for public aquariums to have, .. I think it's a pretty neat idea. Hopefully they will get it all figured out to keep it going nicely for the long-term. :)

They're hinting at getting rid of the Dino section?! That is the ONLY reason I take my kids to the Zoo. Honestly I hate the Calgary Zoo. Walking around in circles all day is NOT my idea of fun. I'd much rather go back to Winnipeg (my hometown) and go to their Zoo than waste my money on the Calgary Zoo. :redface:

Hey, now can you tell us how you really feel? ;)

LOL!... I could. :lol: