Electrical Failure Puts Big Tube Tank Out of Commission

Contact: Emily Stehle, APR
(727) 803-9799, ext. 207
Cell (727) 688-7993
estehle@pieraquarium.org
www.pieraquarium.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ELECTRICAL FAILURE PUTS BIG TUBE TANK OUT OF COMMISSION
Loss of Fish Estimated at $2,000; Fund Created

St. Petersburg, FL (Aug. 13, 2010) – A ground fault interrupter (GFI) late Friday afternoon cut off the air pumps to the three circular "tube” aquariums located in The Pier’s first floor lobby. Within 15 minutes time, Butch Ringelspaugh, The Pier Aquarium’s Curator of Exhibits, faced the loss of about 35 fish. "It happened very quickly,”

Ringelspaugh said Tuesday. "When the GFI went out, the electricity was cut to the air pumps, which meant no air.”

No air meant that the three "tubes” literally shut down. By the time power was back on, it was too late for the big 20-ft. tall tube, which featured a mix of small brilliantly-colored Damselfish, Vlamingi Tangs (Naso vlamingi), Koran Angelfish (Pomacanthus semicirculatus), Cinnamon Clownfish (Amphiprion melanopus), Porkfish (Anisotremus virginicus) and 12-inch long Orbicular Batfish (Platax orbicularis).

"I know people will question why the back-up didn’t work and what we could’ve done,” he said. The original design for "the Tubes,” which are at least 15 years old, he explained, didn’t have a back-up system. Also, one couldn’t be adapted to work with the installed system.

The configuration of the tall circular tank provided more swimming space for bigger fish. Fish that grew too large for the tanks in the aquarium and other "showstoppers” were moved downstairs. The "showstoppers” were attention-getting fish that "would catch peoples’ eyes” as they walked past the aquarium display. Some staff favorites and "old-timers,” fish that had been at the aquarium of a while, resided in the "big tube.”

The loss of the animals weighs heavily on Ringelspaugh, who works on maintaining the equipment and set-up of the 17 aquariums with his aquarist staff. The replacement value of the fish is about $2,000.

The plans are to clean, flush and provide mechanical upgrades for the "big tube” during the next two weeks. The process to replace the fish will be a slow and careful one. That’s to ensure that animals introduced to the tank will be free of disease and compatible with each other.

"The loss of animals due to electrical problems is frustrating,” said Ringelspaugh. "I would have hoped to upgrade the tank with a new air pump system and not expend funds on animals.

"But, we love our fish. Our visitors love our fish,” he added. "We’ll have the tube display up and have it as nice as before, but it will take some time… and some money to do that.”

Persons who would like to help and make onlines donations to "The Tube Fish Fund,” created specifically to pay for the exhibit, can go to: www.pieraquarium.org/TubeFishFund. All supporters will receive a  thank you certificate.

About The Pier Aquarium

Established in 1988, The Pier Aquarium is a private, non-profit aquarium and marine education center located in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida at The Pier. It showcases 17 tanks of live fish and other marine life and educational exhibits on the first and second floors and an outdoor marine laboratory and teaching unit, the Roy G. Harrell, Jr. Education Station, located on the Pier approach.

ts mission is to enhance the public’s understanding of the value and fragility of the local and global marine environment through research, education and personal experiences.

The Pier Aquarium serves as the "public face” for the St. Petersburg Ocean Team’s research, innovation and technology. The Ocean Team is a consortium of 13 marine science and oceanographic institutions and environmental research agencies in the Southeast and one of the top such industry clusters in the nation.

More than 88,500 visitors, including 25,000 who participate in our scheduled educational programs, come to The Pier Aquarium annually to attend our first Saturday of the month "FISH-ful Saturday" programs, the annual Spa Beach Splash free marine discovery day and Summer Marine Adventures summer camp.  Volunteers contribute more than 4,600 hours each year.