SEA LIFE Orlando to Fill Atlantic Ocean Habitat Tomorrow

The new SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium is reaching a new construction milestone this month as aquarists fill the Aquarium’s Atlantic Ocean habitat with more than 192,000 gallons of water on Tuesday, February 24 at 10 a.m.
It will take approximately two days to fill up the Atlantic habitat. After completion, aquarists will fill more than 30 additional habitats inside the attraction. The water will go through a customized filtration system where salt will be added. 

After the filtration process, the salt water becomes acclimated to safely hold the aquarium’s sea animals, which will begin to arrive in the coming months.

Rowdy Gaines, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame inductee, NBC swimming analyst, and Central Florida resident will join Steve Blair, Curator, Merlin Animal Welfare and Development for SEA LIFE Orlando for this special milestone.

Fun facts about the new SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium:

• 45,000 pounds of sand have been placed inside the aquariums;
• More than 90,000 pounds of salt will be used to create the saltwater;
• SEA LIFE Orlando will have temperate habitats which will help create a more diverse ecosystem to house colorful and vibrant animals;
• The 360-degree tunnel, weighs eight tons and has a buoyancy of 60,000 pounds lifting it like a bubble;
• The animals that will call SEA LIFE Orlando home include: Sand Bar sharks, Pacific Black Tip sharks, Grey Reef sharks and Bowmouth Guitarfish sharks;
• The aquarium’s windows are approximately four inches thick;
• More than 40,000 gallons of water are held in an underground reservoir beneath the aquarium.

About SEA LIFE Orlando

Opening May 4, 2015, SEA LIFE Orlando is an immersive, one-of-kind aquarium experience that allows marine life enthusiasts to experience the magical world beneath our oceans of the world with interactive touch pools, bubble aquariums, floor-to-ceiling displays, and 360-degree and 180-degree ocean tunnels featuring more than 5,000 sea creatures. The 25,000-square foot aquarium attraction will be home to colorful fish, sharks, sea horses, sting rays, jellies, sea turtles and much more.

SEA LIFE provides a glimpse of the diversity of marine life, while also playing an active role in animal and environmental conservation. Visitors will see strong evidence of the Breed, Rescue and Protect program with activities around the world, and new projects developed locally, as well as educational initiatives, including guest lectures and talks.

SEA LIFE is the world’s largest aquarium chain and SEA LIFE Orlando is 50th location aquarium launched in the world and the 8th in the U.S. SEA LIFE Orlando is located at 8337 International Drive in Orlando, Florida, inside I-Drive 360, the entertainment and dining complex which is the home of the 400-foot Orlando Eye observation wheel and celebrity wax attraction Madame Tussauds Orlando. For more information, go to www.visitsealife.com/orlando.