Behind the scenes at Shark Reef in Vegas (very pic intense).

Reefghoul · 07/10/2007, 12:08 AM

I am not sure if this has been posted, but I figured I would...

So I went to Vegas over the weekend and had to stop by and check out the 1.6million gallon aquarium (total volume) at Mandolay Bay Hotel. When I got there, I found out that you could take a behind the scenes tour of all the equipment, so I thought it would be cool to see and I also had the club in mind when I decided to see it (I know there are alot of equipment junkies on the board). So I drug, now Finance (I proposed in vegas) through the tour of behind the scenes. They usually have groups go through, but no one else was there at our time so it was just us two, so it was a private tour.

Some of the pics are not the greatest, sorry alot of areas had weird shadowing and some tight spaces so it was hard to get some full shots... I will do my best to remember all the details on everything, but some stuff I know I will not be able to remember...so I apologize, but here we go...

This sign was cool on the wall, it was put on there via a projector and when you walked in front of the sign it got all distorted.

How they have their aquariums set up

Protien skimmers, they had three of these in action

Ozone generator display, they run three of these

Ozone reactor chamber, also run three of these

Display of the trickle filters they use, they have three huge trickle filters. These use bio wheels, which are as round as a 2 liter bottle and half the height

Reefghoul · 07/10/2007, 12:09 AM

The actual trickle filters

Fresh RO/DI water storage tank, they have 5 of these which are 15k gal. each

Freshly made saltwater storage tanks they had 2 of these, you can see in the left hand corner, a white bag, it is instant ocean (another pic a little later will show the size better)

Remote sand beds, a whole bunch, they were huge

Back side of remote sand beds

Pump for the remote sand beds, 60hp, the pump can empty a homes private pool in 2 mins

more of the piping for the remote sand beds

Reefghoul · 07/10/2007, 12:10 AM

Misc. piping, just to show the sheer size and amount

Misc. panels to control things
(this is where you see a better shot of the instant ocean bag)

Reefghoul · 07/10/2007, 12:11 AM

More pumps, not sure what for the bigger ones are 10hp pumps

One of the chillers, they use roughly 4 ft. tall

Brine shrimp hatchery, used for some fish, but mainly their jelly fish display

More equipment, not sure what for

Backwash pumps and system, with this they are able to reuse 95% of their water

Reefghoul · 07/10/2007, 12:12 AM

Back side of their main display

Some of their synthetic corals they use in the tanks

Chain mail suit their divers use, sorry really bad shadow, they cost 4k each

That is it, I hope some people get some enjoyment out of this...There are of course pics of the actual aquariums, but there is alot to resize and go through, so that thread should be up in the next few days...I just thought I would get this going...If you have any questions please let me know and I will do my best to answer them....

melev · 07/10/2007, 12:15 AM

I sure did!!! Thank you so much for sharing. I've never even been to Vegas, so this would be nice to see. Do you have any pictures from the front of the exhibit ready to share yet?

Reefghoul · 07/10/2007, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
I sure did!!! Thank you so much for sharing. I've never even been to Vegas, so this would be nice to see. Do you have any pictures from the front of the exhibit ready to share yet?

I will be getting those up...they are not nearly as good...Due to most of the exhibits being super, super dark and flash against glass never works...but I will get those up here in the next few days, it will also include other tanks I saw walking through out the hotels in vegas...

melev · 07/10/2007, 12:24 AM

I'm subscribed, so hopefully you'll just add them to this thread.

Reefghoul · 07/10/2007, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
I'm subscribed, so hopefully you'll just add them to this thread.

I can do that...or I will at the very least put a link in here...

melev · 07/10/2007, 12:29 AM

That works too.

edwing206 · 07/10/2007, 12:30 AM

Awesome! Those skimmers are HUGE!

Reefghoul · 07/10/2007, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by edwing206
Awesome! Those skimmers are HUGE!

You have no idea.... to the top of the cup they were at least 15-20ft and roughly 5-7ft in diameter.

aiv · 07/10/2007, 01:29 AM

Wow. really cool pictures Reefghoul. I went to the Shark Reef a long time ago when I was a kid, it seems like alot changed. Thanks for sharing the awesome pics.

Cody Ray · 07/10/2007, 04:52 AM

wow.......

Tang Salad · 07/10/2007, 05:44 AM

Great! Loved Them! Thanks!

shouldabenacowboy · 07/10/2007, 06:02 AM

Can't wait to see more

SBC

somethingphishy · 07/10/2007, 07:12 AM

nice pics.......the size of the equiptment.....wow factor

supateddy · 07/10/2007, 07:26 AM

Cool pics, thanks for sharing. And congratulations.

Flatlander · 07/10/2007, 07:34 AM

Great pics. Thanks.

Eric55 · 07/10/2007, 08:07 AM

Thank you for taking these and posting them. I was at Mandalay Bay 5 years ago and remember the exhibit. These pictures are incredible.

Grins · 07/10/2007, 08:32 AM

Loved this, thanks for sharing.

dc · 07/10/2007, 09:14 AM

So that's what's behind the door they wouldn't let me in!

I figured it would be pretty impressive.

Reefghoul · 07/10/2007, 09:29 AM

Wow, I am glad to see everyone enjoyed these pics...I am working on the pics of the display, so that should be going up soon, just alot of filtering, playing with the colors, sizing, etc. but I will get them up...

Ismellikefish · 07/10/2007, 11:55 AM

I am curious as to how much all that equipment cost. And what there Monthly cost is on all that....

Also trying to figure out if I can fit that into my house some how >

but I think the wife would kill me.

xtm · 07/10/2007, 01:11 PM

Thanks for sharing! How about shots of the tanks? Any full tank shots?

What is their lighting setup like?

07/10/2007, 12:08 AM	#1
Reefghoul Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 161	Behind the scenes at Shark Reef in Vegas (very pic intense). I am not sure if this has been posted, but I figured I would... So I went to Vegas over the weekend and had to stop by and check out the 1.6million gallon aquarium (total volume) at Mandolay Bay Hotel. When I got there, I found out that you could take a behind the scenes tour of all the equipment, so I thought it would be cool to see and I also had the club in mind when I decided to see it (I know there are alot of equipment junkies on the board). So I drug, now Finance (I proposed in vegas) through the tour of behind the scenes. They usually have groups go through, but no one else was there at our time so it was just us two, so it was a private tour. Some of the pics are not the greatest, sorry alot of areas had weird shadowing and some tight spaces so it was hard to get some full shots... I will do my best to remember all the details on everything, but some stuff I know I will not be able to remember...so I apologize, but here we go... This sign was cool on the wall, it was put on there via a projector and when you walked in front of the sign it got all distorted. How they have their aquariums set up Protien skimmers, they had three of these in action Ozone generator display, they run three of these Ozone reactor chamber, also run three of these Display of the trickle filters they use, they have three huge trickle filters. These use bio wheels, which are as round as a 2 liter bottle and half the height

07/10/2007, 12:30 AM	#11
edwing206 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Shoreline,Washington Posts: 4,518	Awesome! Those skimmers are HUGE! __________________ The name's Luis. :) Current Tank Info: 50G cube

07/10/2007, 04:52 AM	#14
Cody Ray Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 5,101	wow....... __________________ Limit 1 stupid question per day Current Tank Info: Mr. Aqua 7.5g bowfront

07/10/2007, 05:44 AM	#15
Tang Salad Algae skeptic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: 78702 Posts: 3,098	Great! Loved Them! Thanks! __________________ Your algae is not special. Current Tank Info: TBD ADA 120-P SPS NLPS

07/10/2007, 06:02 AM	#16
shouldabenacowboy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Where am I today? Posts: 529	Can't wait to see more SBC __________________ They're selling make believe, and I don't buy that anymore They're trying to put an end to guys like me - Gary Allan Cuz there aint nothing funny when a soldier cries - John Michael Montgomery

07/10/2007, 12:09 AM	#2
Reefghoul Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 161	The actual trickle filters Fresh RO/DI water storage tank, they have 5 of these which are 15k gal. each Freshly made saltwater storage tanks they had 2 of these, you can see in the left hand corner, a white bag, it is instant ocean (another pic a little later will show the size better) Remote sand beds, a whole bunch, they were huge Back side of remote sand beds Pump for the remote sand beds, 60hp, the pump can empty a homes private pool in 2 mins more of the piping for the remote sand beds

07/10/2007, 12:10 AM	#3
Reefghoul Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 161	Misc. piping, just to show the sheer size and amount Misc. panels to control things (this is where you see a better shot of the instant ocean bag)

07/10/2007, 12:11 AM	#4
Reefghoul Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 161	More pumps, not sure what for the bigger ones are 10hp pumps One of the chillers, they use roughly 4 ft. tall Brine shrimp hatchery, used for some fish, but mainly their jelly fish display More equipment, not sure what for Backwash pumps and system, with this they are able to reuse 95% of their water

07/10/2007, 12:12 AM	#5
Reefghoul Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 161	Back side of their main display Some of their synthetic corals they use in the tanks Chain mail suit their divers use, sorry really bad shadow, they cost 4k each That is it, I hope some people get some enjoyment out of this...There are of course pics of the actual aquariums, but there is alot to resize and go through, so that thread should be up in the next few days...I just thought I would get this going...If you have any questions please let me know and I will do my best to answer them....

07/10/2007, 12:15 AM	#6
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	I sure did!!! Thank you so much for sharing. I've never even been to Vegas, so this would be nice to see. Do you have any pictures from the front of the exhibit ready to share yet?

07/10/2007, 12:24 AM	#8
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	I'm subscribed, so hopefully you'll just add them to this thread.

07/10/2007, 12:29 AM	#10
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	That works too.

07/10/2007, 01:29 AM	#13
aiv Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 55	Wow. really cool pictures Reefghoul. I went to the Shark Reef a long time ago when I was a kid, it seems like alot changed. Thanks for sharing the awesome pics.

07/10/2007, 07:12 AM	#17
somethingphishy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Fleetwood, pa Posts: 852	nice pics.......the size of the equiptment.....wow factor __________________ "Set the gearshift for the high gear Of your soul, you've got to run like An antelope out of control!" Current Tank Info: 50g/20l sump

07/10/2007, 07:26 AM	#18
supateddy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Cloverdale, IN Posts: 85	Cool pics, thanks for sharing. And congratulations.

07/10/2007, 07:34 AM	#19
Flatlander Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 2,886	Great pics. Thanks. __________________ Doug TOTM April 2001 Current Tank Info: 50g sumpless sps tank..Evergrow 2081 led..Apex control..Tunze 9012 skimmer..Tunze calcium reactor..Tunze kalk reactor..2 rw8,s..1 MP40..1 Hydor Korillia 1200gph..Tunze ATO..all propagated sps frags

07/10/2007, 08:07 AM	#20
Eric55 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 490	Thank you for taking these and posting them. I was at Mandalay Bay 5 years ago and remember the exhibit. These pictures are incredible.

07/10/2007, 08:32 AM	#21
Grins Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 735	Loved this, thanks for sharing. __________________ R.A.S.O.C. : Reef Aquarium Society of Charlotte Current Tank Info: 55g mixed reef

07/10/2007, 09:14 AM	#22
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	So that's what's behind the door they wouldn't let me in! I figured it would be pretty impressive. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

07/10/2007, 09:29 AM	#23
Reefghoul Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 161	Wow, I am glad to see everyone enjoyed these pics...I am working on the pics of the display, so that should be going up soon, just alot of filtering, playing with the colors, sizing, etc. but I will get them up...

07/10/2007, 11:55 AM	#24
Ismellikefish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 271	I am curious as to how much all that equipment cost. And what there Monthly cost is on all that.... Also trying to figure out if I can fit that into my house some how > but I think the wife would kill me.

07/10/2007, 01:11 PM	#25
xtm Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Panorama City, CA Posts: 4,703	Thanks for sharing! How about shots of the tanks? Any full tank shots? What is their lighting setup like? __________________ Function before fashion Current Tank Info: 120g SPS Tank (48x24x24)