The age of aquariums

Alex Coolman

ORANGE COAST COLLEGE -- Advance warning to math professors: the school

aquariums are about to start looking even better than they already do.

The aquariums, housed in the Lewis Center for Applied Science, are a

popular attraction for passersby, says Dennis Kelly, director of the

school’s Marine Science department.

They’re so popular, in fact, that math teachers in the nearby

classrooms occasionally complain that their students, fascinated by the

fish, don’t make it to class on time.

But if the aquatic critters are attractive now, they’re about to get

the fish equivalent of a make-over.

The school is making some improvements to its aquariums -- changes

that will see the construction of an awning to shield the outdoor tanks

and the erection of a computerized marine information kiosk to help

viewers appreciate what they’re viewing.

All told, Kelly said, the project should cost between $40,000 and

$50,000. Construction should take place some time between September and

the end of the year.

“This [improvement] will make it a lot more interactive and

educational” for viewers, Kelly said.

The way the aquariums are set up now is not bad. There are seven

cold-water tanks, providing a total of 1,400 gallons of living space for

creatures like garibaldi, moray eels and lobster. Other tanks, heated to

tropical temperatures and lit with powerful lights, are home to more

exotic species, like live coral and clown fish.

But the cold-water tanks, some of which face directly into the sun,

have had a few problems with moisture condensation and algae growth

caused by the solar exposure. Boards cover the glass of one of the tanks

because of the difficulties.

With the new awning, however, the tanks will be kept cooler and

cleaner. And the outdoor kiosk, which will feature lighted pictures of

marine creatures, should help the public and students enjoy the

underwater scene.

For Caroline Ko, a math student at the college, the prospect of better

viewing conditions sounded pretty attractive. Like many of her peers, she

finds the fish in the tanks every bit as attractive as the class she’s

supposed to be attending.

“I’ve spent quite a deal of time here,” Ko said. “Every time I come,

there’s something new.”