It is important to keep the animals happy, this will help ensure a long life. Upon arrival at the museum we were greeted by Woody Wilkes. There are a vast number of species represented, which the above list of spotted species pales in comparison to. The whole reef appeared to be an alive, vibrant community. It is apparently just as alive at night as it is during the day.
Balance seems to be the key to maintaining such a diverse ecosystem in captivity.
The museum uses as many species as possible to benefit the community, including fish which help keep the reef clean to those that consume waste products, along with an intense simulation of nature with respect to cycles. We then moved to the area behind the tanks and went over the nitrogen cycle and discussed the filtration systems and the functions they provide in maintaining the environment - as described in the notes. Several different loop filtration systems were discussed each with a combination of chemical, mechanical, and biological systems, each suited to the individual needs of the tank. We moved to the room containing the reef tank and examined it from above. The lighting system involves two sets of light in the day, a nantimic light and metal halide bulb that has a plastic screen that blocks low l UVA rays.