Advances in Coral Husbandry in Public Aquariums. Public Aquarium Husbandry Series, vol. 2. R.J. Leewis and M. Janse (eds.), pp. 239-250 © 2008 Burgers’ Zoo, Arnhem, the Netherlands. Chapter 26 The Coral Reef Exhibit at Reef HQ Aquarium, Townsville, Australia: Technical operations and water quality SÉVERINE THOMA S 1,3 AND SHELLEY L. AN T HONY 2,3 1 Université Européenne de Bretagne Université de Brest / CNRS, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer Place Nicolas Copernic, 29280 Plouzane, France
[email protected] 2 School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
[email protected] 3 Reef HQ Aquarium, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2-68 Flinders St.- PO Box 1379, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia ABSTRACT Reef HQ Aquarium, previously named the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium, houses the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium system, called the Coral Reef Exhibit (CRE). Over 20 years of CRE operation, water management has evolved significantly to improve the overall health of the tank. This chapter describes the present mode of technical operation of the CRE with a focus on water quality and compares with previous experiences. An increase in coral survival since current methods are in place indicates that a shift from occasional water exchanges using a priori ultra-clean oceanic water to regular exchanges with ‘less pure’ estuarine water has been largely beneficial to the CRE. Reduced mechanical filtration and increased general and localized flow have also contributed to a healthier system, which is very tolerant to large natural variations in some water quality parameters.