# how do Aquariums fill their huge tanks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2014, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415 "2014-05-27T22:26:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/1 "2014-05-27T22:26:27Z")
How do aquariums and places like Sea World fill their huge tanks? Do they truck in actual seawater, which would require dozens of truckloads, some special permits and be incredibly expensive? or do they just make their own from local water supplies by adding salt and the necessary live cultures? What about the smaller (but still quite large) tanks at fancy casinos and hotels (e.g. 35,000 gallon size)? Normally on [Tanked](http://animal.discovery.com/tanked) they just pump trash cans\* filled from 5-gallon jugs of pre-made seawater (including the necessary bacteria and such). For their large tanks, they’ll [IBC’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermediate_bulk_container) that hold ~275 gallons. However, I can’t see either of those being feasible for tanks larger than a few thousand gallons. - They look just like a standard industrial trash can (that a custodian would drag around and empty office wastebaskets into), but I’m pretty sure they’re used only for filling tanks and are cleaned far more regularly and thoroughly than any trash can. nitpick counter 1: Yes IBC’s come in 2 sizes, but I’ve only seen them using the smaller waist-high ones nitpick counter 2: I doubt the IBC’s are completely full of water, to allow for some airspace to keep the water oxygenated/aerated. ---
**Author:** ![bizerta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/2 "2014-05-27T23:23:09Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > How do aquariums and places like Sea World fill their huge tanks? … What about the smaller (but still quite large) tanks at fancy casinos and hotels (e.g. 35,000 gallon size)? … I asked a Las Vegas casino that question. This particular casino trucked seawater concentrate to Las Vegas and addded water. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/3 "2014-05-27T23:25:11Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > Do they truck in actual seawater […]? or do they just make their own from local water supplies by adding salt and the necessary live cultures? You have essentially answered your own question. In the past, they shipped in the water by train, but now they use specially prepared local water. This article in the Chicago Tribune gives a brief overview of the process: [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-08-08/news/9908080349\_1\_aquarium-officials-sea-otters-water](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-08-08/news/9908080349_1_aquarium-officials-sea-otters-water). ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/4 "2014-05-27T23:47:06Z")
> [@bizerta](#): > > I asked a Las Vegas casino that question. This particular casino trucked seawater concentrate to Las Vegas and addded water. OK, this made me laugh. (Not that I doubt you.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/5 "2014-05-28T00:00:48Z")
We took a behind the scenes tour of the Monterey Bay Aquarium a few weeks ago. Most of their tanks are sea water, and they get it straight from the Bay. Most of the Aquariums I’ve been to are on the water, and do the same. He also said that emptying a tank is not something you do very often. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/6 "2014-05-28T00:32:01Z")
> [@dstarfire](#): > > Do they truck in actual seawater, which would require dozens of truckloads, some special permits … Out of curiosity, what special permits are needed to transport seawater? ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/7 "2014-05-28T00:43:25Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Out of curiosity, what special permits are needed to transport seawater? I was wondering the same thing. Then I wondered if perhaps the OP was wondering about permits needed to draw the water from the sea. That seems a bit more likely. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/8 "2014-05-28T00:54:11Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > I was wondering the same thing. Then I wondered if perhaps the OP was wondering about permits needed to draw the water from the sea. That seems a bit more likely. Yeah, it’s drawing it from the sea I was thinking would require a permit. I’d imagine seawater is one of the safer things shipped by tanker truck. ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/9 "2014-05-28T01:17:40Z")
Crossing state lines might still require permits, checks for invasive species, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/10 "2014-05-28T01:30:03Z")
> [@dzeiger](#): > > … checks for invasive species, etc. Yeah - otherwise, a species from the ocean might end up in … the ocean. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/11 "2014-05-28T12:17:30Z")
This is one of the things I didn’t know I didn’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/12 "2014-05-28T12:32:36Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Yeah - otherwise, a species from the ocean might end up in … the ocean. Not if you’re trucking it to Las Vegas casinos. Obviously they want to stop any sea life from colonising the desert. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/13 "2014-05-28T13:09:51Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Not if you’re trucking it to Las Vegas casinos. Obviously they want to stop any sea life from colonising the desert. Unexpected closed road forces you to detour by the Trinity site, and next you know… BAM! You’re in a 1950s SciFi movie, running for your life. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/14 "2014-05-28T13:42:25Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Yeah - otherwise, a species from the ocean might end up in … the ocean. Like there aren’t marine invasive species… ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/15 "2014-05-28T14:13:50Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Unexpected closed road forces you to detour by the Trinity site, and next you know… BAM! You’re in a 1950s SciFi movie, running for your life. Exactly. Glowing, floating, 60-foot-diameter desert jellyfish. Looking to keep themselves hydrated by sucking the salty water out of YOU! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/16 "2014-05-28T14:35:49Z")
SeaWorld, San Diego is, like, yards from the shore. I doubt whether they even need to bother with trucks. A big hose and a pump would probably do it more easily. Of course, not all such places are right on the coast, but I think quite a lot are. (Another that is familiar to me, and that is also right by the sea, is the Long Beach Aquarium.) ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/17 "2014-05-28T14:41:26Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Exactly. > > Glowing, floating, 60-foot-diameter desert jellyfish. Looking to keep themselves hydrated by sucking the salty water out of YOU! :eek: Just don’t do a [T63622A](http://www.hipaaspace.com/Medical_Billing/Coding/ICD-10/Diagnosis/T63622A)! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/18 "2014-05-28T15:50:43Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > SeaWorld, San Diego is, like, yards from the shore. I doubt whether they even need to bother with trucks. A big hose and a pump would probably do it more easily. > > Of course, not all such places are right on the coast, but I think quite a lot are. (Another that is familiar to me, and that is also right by the sea, is the Long Beach Aquarium.) Most places in the US do not abut sources of saltwater. The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has saltwater exhibits, and they have to get it [from somewhere](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-08-08/news/9908080349_1_aquarium-officials-sea-otters-water)! ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/19 "2014-05-28T21:14:53Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Like there aren’t marine invasive species… … which are polite enough to move around only by truck, and never by boat or ship? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415/20 "2014-05-28T21:43:38Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Most places in the US do not abut sources of saltwater. The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has saltwater exhibits, and they have to get it [from somewhere](http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-08-08/news/9908080349_1_aquarium-officials-sea-otters-water)! As I acknowledged,\* not _all_ places with large aquariums are right on the coast. Presumably _they_ have to bring the water in in tankers. However, I would be surprised if it were not the case that a _large proportion_ of large saltwater aquarium-type exhibits are close to the coast, in part simply for the reason I implied, because the seawater is much easier to get there, but also because being by the sea probably puts far more tourists in the mood to look at fish than other locales would. \*It really would help if some people bothered to read _all_ the word in other people’s posts before picking at nits that have already been removed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-aquariums-fill-their-huge-tanks/689415.md?page=2)