ZSL London Zoo The Aquarium

stulch

stulch

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I went on Saturday and they had a notice about refurbishment just inside the entrance in the Aquarium, however, I thought no more of it as I thought that that had been there a while and I know they have been refurnishing tanks one by one from at least the start of the year - as funds allowed.

However, there seemed to be a lot more tanks removed in the first hall in one go than they had previously and hall 3 was only available for pre-booked school visits.

All of which makes me wonder if they are now moving at a quicker pace and is hall 3 having major refurbishment?

Does anyone know?
 
As I can't find any plans and especially as the beams in the Aquarium are listed I don't imagine hall 3 is having anything more done to it than the other halls unless it's just required maintenance!
 
I don't think anything major is happening in the aquarium – hall 3 is being given over to school lunches while the penguin pool project is in progress and the normal lunch room is closed. Apparently they can't find any other suitable location. Hope they get a bit more lighting in there or the kids won't be able to see what's in their sandwiches!
 
volvox said:
I don't think anything major is happening in the aquarium – hall 3 is being given over to school lunches while the penguin pool project is in progress and the normal lunch room is closed. Apparently they can't find any other suitable location. Hope they get a bit more lighting in there or the kids won't be able to see what's in their sandwiches!
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Yeap. The school kids are in there as temporary measure due to the loss of covered eating arrangements with the construction of the new penguin pool. A pity really as Hall 3 has been more or less returned to full operation with all tanks more or less back on display.

Hall 1 is having a major make-over and I suspect hopefully will be ready by the beginning of next summer season.
 
John Dineley said:
Yeap. The school kids are in there as temporary measure due to the loss of covered eating arrangements with the construction of the new penguin pool. A pity really as Hall 3 has been more or less returned to full operation with all tanks more or less back on display.

Hall 1 is having a major make-over and I suspect hopefully will be ready by the beginning of next summer season.
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Anyone abreast on the Hall 1 refurbishment and collection plan?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Anyone abreast on the Hall 1 refurbishment and collection plan?
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The final two tanks at the end of the hall are now being re-rendered and then will be re glazed in three continuous sheets of glass; the old metal supports having been removed with one concrete buttress remaining in the old sea bass and bream tank; which is probably by volume one of the biggest tanks in the aquarium! I am not sure of what the theme will be. Nothing appears to be up on the ZSL web site at the moment.
 
I went on the 28th December and Hall 3 was still closed, now I know all that's been said above, but the kids are on holiday couldn't they have taken all the chairs & tables out until they were needed? - i'd have done it for them!

I just imagine people being disappointed going in there as there are quite a few tanks in Hall 1 empty at present.

I'd be very disappointed as well if this went on until the summer or longer, as I could see it doing as a result of reviewing things in relation to Boris' decision / building something else (as there won't be a replacement near the penguins).
 
To the best of my knowledge they have increased the pace with the aquarium as one of the senior keepers has been moving from department to department and helping with the developments as he moves around. He's now in the aquarium since the Clore is all done and dusted.

There are also more funds available for the aquarium after the collapse of BIOTA. I think the zoo are just fed up of the aquarium being a laughing stock after it was once one of the finest in the world and are now taking it seriously.
 
procyonlotor said:
To the best of my knowledge they have increased the pace with the aquarium as one of the senior keepers has been moving from department to department and helping with the developments as he moves around. He's now in the aquarium since the Clore is all done and dusted.

There are also more funds available for the aquarium after the collapse of BIOTA. I think the zoo are just fed up of the aquarium being a laughing stock after it was once one of the finest in the world and are now taking it seriously.
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There was already major work going on in Hall 1 in the old sea bass tank and the tank next to it. I am back there next week as I have been away and will be interested to see what has happened.
 
I went the Saturday before last (29th January) if I remember rightly they had three small tanks still to do, two medium ones and one large one.

procyonlotor said:
There are also more funds available for the aquarium after the collapse of BIOTA. I think the zoo are just fed up of the aquarium being a laughing stock after it was once one of the finest in the world and are now taking it seriously.
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A few years ago I showed some of the family round and was, thankfully, able to use BIOTA as an excuse for the state of the aquarium so I’m pleased that they are doing something now that BIOTA is no more.

It is such a shame as quite often I look at the old cut-away diagram on the wall and think what an achievement it was when it was built but I imagine now that is a hindrance as the beams are listed and I presume they can't cover them up, you look up now and it looks such a mess with netting and supports.

But it's good that they're sorting the tanks out (including merging a few into larger ones) and I was pleased to see Hall 3 open again when I visited!

Hopefully it can be something to be proud of again.
 
John Dineley said:
There was already major work going on in Hall 1 in the old sea bass tank and the tank next to it. I am back there next week as I have been away and will be interested to see what has happened.
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Was at ZSl yesterday.

Hall 1 now has all tanks relined and re-glazed: the final two being the last tanks at the end of the gallery. These are now been tested for leakage and life support systems are being installed and tested including new water heat exchange equipment. Much of this is obviously off-show but a huge amount of work by the staff has and continues to be done.

All the tanks currently empty are now being re-themed; they will all be fresh-water tropical with hopefully work completed for this summer season.

IMHO: it will look very impressive and will continue to take the aquarium forward.

One thing that should be noted: there is considerable 'off show' breeding and conservation work that goes on at the aquarium that sometimes isn't obvious; case in point being the sea-horse breeding programme.
 
John Dineley said:
One thing that should be noted: there is considerable 'off show' breeding and conservation work that goes on at the aquarium that sometimes isn't obvious; case in point being the sea-horse breeding programme.
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I went to an aquarium behind the scenes members event last January this was the reason I knew they were previously refurnishing tanks one by one as funds allowed.

There is a HUGH amount that goes on behind the scenes in breeding and conservation work, Eels are just one other example.

It was really fascinating to see the aquarium from another perspective and I would really recommend these members events, they give a fantastic insight into, amongst other things, the great deal of conservation work both ZSL and the Institute of Zoology do.
 
Was at ZSL London yesterday (15 March) and the renovation and development of Hall 1 continues with major themeing under way in all the tanks that which are currently empty; these will all involve displays of freshwater tropical animals and include a bamboo themed exhibit and a river bed exhibit.

Interestingly as you leave Hall 1 into Hall 2 (tropical marine) a large tank on the right is now undergoing reinvention.

Hall 3 still continues as a dinner area for school children due to construction of the new penguins exhibit. I noted that this is continuing at a pace and that the last remaining building which will stay (that was in front of the old parrot house) as now been re-roofed.
 
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