Municipal Aquarium of Santa Pola

The Municipal Aquarium of Santa Pola, first opened in July 1996, tries to show a representitive variety of the marine species which live round our coastline.

For most people those areas which Nature has given over to the sea are inaccesible and only through documentaries on television are we able to see their natural beauty.

Thus there exist, far from human observation, vast regions and species which have continued to evolve over millions of years.

The idea of keeping fish in captivity is very ancient.

The Romans, Egyptians and, more especially, the people of the far East used to maintain various species, either for their amusement and relaxation of as food reserves, using sites cut into coastal rocks or making use of ponds, lagoons or natural sea inlets.

The word 'Aquarium', as we understand it today, was used for the first time in 1853 by the English naturalist Philip Henry Goose, for the opening in the London Zoological Garden of the first public aquarium.

Ever since then Aquariology has had considerable success in undertaking many oceanographic expeditions which have lead to the discovery of new species.

Nowadays man, surrounded by concrete, trapped in over-populated cities and isolated from the natural enviroment by the requirements of modern life, feels the need to make contact with Nature.

Developing a love of aquaria might just give him a little bit of such contact. The Municipal Aquarium of Santa Pola provides an instrument for education and investigation of the first order.

It's field of biological application is immense: Animal and Plant Physiology, Systems, Physics, Chemistry, Pisciculture, Aquaculture, Oceanography, etc...

Water Treatment:
For this fundamental requirement experience of running the old aquarium has been invaluable. Water is taken directly from the sea and, after treatment, is pumped to the aquaria; the "used" water which overflows from the upper part is filtered through filter trays situated at the rear of the tanks, returning by gravity to the purification tanks where the cycle re-starts.

Quarantine Room and Laboratory:
The Municipal Aquarium has as its objective the study of and education about indigenous species. It is equpped with several tanks with an independent water treatment circuit, to facilitate the observation and acclimatization of new species and the treatment and rotation of the exhibits. On notable feature is that all the tanks aquaria have been treated with a special resin to avoid contact between the water and the cement. The wole of the technical zone is finished in vitreous tiles which facilitates its cleaning and maintenance.

Environment:

The decoration and environment of the aquaria has been furnished by a company specializing in this type of work.

The glass for the aquaria, made to order in Germany, consists of four sheets of white glass especially made for aquaria
with a thickness of 40mm and dimensions of 130 x 450 cm.

The public area is equipped with projectors and loudspeakers for the production of special effects.

The illumination of the aquaria is by means of fluorescent tubes and halogen lights, which are compatible with the environment and which allow for changes in intensity to accomodate it to the biological cycle.

Dimensions:

Total constructed area: 706.85 sq.m.
Usable area: 631.65 sq.m.
Projection Room: 36.96 sq.m.
Public Area: 181,76 m2
Technical Room and Laboratory: 134 m2
Water Purifiaction Room: 35,83 m2
Machine Room: 32,37 m2
Aquaria Volume: 180m3
Purificationm Zone Volume: 50 m3

Frontage of Aquaria:

49 m. with a glassed area of 64 m2.

Situation, hours and rooms

Plaza de Fernandez Ordoñez - Tlf. 96 541 69 16 - 03130 - Santa Pola (Alicante )