ophiura
Active Member
I left very suddenly.
So I am sorry for that.
I haven't checked here in months and months and months, nor anywhere else, for that matter, including my own site!
You see, I was one of those people who thought it would be great fun and the ideal job to work at a public-ish aquarium. And it was the perfect job, at the wrong place.
Think you are paranoid about your 100g system? Don't like doing water changes? Try it on systems that are tens of thousands of gallons with fish worth the same amount.
I am no longer employed by the Downtown Aquarium in Houston, where I worked for about 15 months. I left in June, and have a new job far removed from the field.
For anyone who may have visited the Aquarium, prior to a couple of months ago, I must ask for understanding! The coral tank, in particular, was one of my many systems, and it was majorly flawed as anyone with any experience in the hobby could tell.
Inverts were CONSTANTLY dying from the design, and various people above me insisted on trying more. It was emotionally draining. I cried over that tank many times and reached a point where I could not look at it (apart from the hours that I was in it, 3 times a week).
Shortly before I left I decided to put a polyfilter in the system (which was, BTW, 3,500g). Surprise! What would be the worst color it could turn?
Yes.
Blue.
So there we had it. Finally, after 15 months, the higher ups were convinced it would not work, and the tank was completely redone.
The ultimate source of the copper was unknown, but it most likely entered through the foundation cement-like stuff that was used to build a support structure for live rock (by people who knew nothing about what they were doing, and who are not affiliated with the place any longer).
I also had the touch tanks, which I can't stand the thought of, at least as it was designed. And what did they want? Seastars, and they didn't last long. And there were other things (animals, care) that I disagreed with. We all have our ideas about the ethics of this hobby and what we want to do may not always be what others demand or do or believe. Here, the is a chance people will listen and change. In that environment, they may not.
Anyway, I was drained on the hobby at that point, and didn't desire to come home and talk about it more, here, or anywhere else.
Be careful what you wish for.
BTW, this is not a bash of them. The concept of the Downtown Aquarium is quite a good one for people like me, and there is potential. There may be one coming soon to a city near you (Nashville just opened one, for example). Many are just the restaurants like Kemah and Nashville...the one in Houston has an exhibit chain as well. There are some good people in charge, but no doubt some issues for this growing concept.
And also, FWIW, those fish eat well :yes: indeed.
I don't know that I'll make it back often. My husband and I just bought our first house
and, as mentioned, I'm at a new job and don't know how much I can get away with yet
But I want you guys to know I am sorry I missed those echinoderm questions! FYI, I can generally be reached at my email and will help as much as I can:
ophiuroid@(no spam)att.net
Best wishes to everyone!
So I am sorry for that.
I haven't checked here in months and months and months, nor anywhere else, for that matter, including my own site!
You see, I was one of those people who thought it would be great fun and the ideal job to work at a public-ish aquarium. And it was the perfect job, at the wrong place.
Think you are paranoid about your 100g system? Don't like doing water changes? Try it on systems that are tens of thousands of gallons with fish worth the same amount.
I am no longer employed by the Downtown Aquarium in Houston, where I worked for about 15 months. I left in June, and have a new job far removed from the field.
For anyone who may have visited the Aquarium, prior to a couple of months ago, I must ask for understanding! The coral tank, in particular, was one of my many systems, and it was majorly flawed as anyone with any experience in the hobby could tell.
Inverts were CONSTANTLY dying from the design, and various people above me insisted on trying more. It was emotionally draining. I cried over that tank many times and reached a point where I could not look at it (apart from the hours that I was in it, 3 times a week).
Shortly before I left I decided to put a polyfilter in the system (which was, BTW, 3,500g). Surprise! What would be the worst color it could turn?
Yes.
Blue.
So there we had it. Finally, after 15 months, the higher ups were convinced it would not work, and the tank was completely redone.
The ultimate source of the copper was unknown, but it most likely entered through the foundation cement-like stuff that was used to build a support structure for live rock (by people who knew nothing about what they were doing, and who are not affiliated with the place any longer).
I also had the touch tanks, which I can't stand the thought of, at least as it was designed. And what did they want? Seastars, and they didn't last long. And there were other things (animals, care) that I disagreed with. We all have our ideas about the ethics of this hobby and what we want to do may not always be what others demand or do or believe. Here, the is a chance people will listen and change. In that environment, they may not.
Anyway, I was drained on the hobby at that point, and didn't desire to come home and talk about it more, here, or anywhere else.
Be careful what you wish for.
BTW, this is not a bash of them. The concept of the Downtown Aquarium is quite a good one for people like me, and there is potential. There may be one coming soon to a city near you (Nashville just opened one, for example). Many are just the restaurants like Kemah and Nashville...the one in Houston has an exhibit chain as well. There are some good people in charge, but no doubt some issues for this growing concept.
And also, FWIW, those fish eat well :yes: indeed.
I don't know that I'll make it back often. My husband and I just bought our first house
and, as mentioned, I'm at a new job and don't know how much I can get away with yet But I want you guys to know I am sorry I missed those echinoderm questions! FYI, I can generally be reached at my email and will help as much as I can:
ophiuroid@(no spam)att.net
Best wishes to everyone!
