The Georgia Aquarium (VERY Photo Intense)

[specialkb]

My GF is taking me next weekend for my birthday, so is it worth the 50$ for behind the scenes or no?

[TitusvileSurfer]

I would pay $100 for a behind the scenes tour of that place.

[dillagas]

Yeah it is really worth the extra money for the behind the scenes tour, if possible take the last tour of the day, i got lucky and the lady said it is usually the least crowded tour of the day. We got to spend an extensive amount of time behinds the scene above the reef and it is truly a masterpiece of engineering. Not that the whole place isn't crazy, the behinds the scene tour really is a great way to close out your day in this amazing aquarium

[onetimer]

I joined on just to tell you how amazing these pictures are! I have worked at the aquarium since its opening and love taking pictures around here and peeking at people's photos and cameras as well. I've gotta know...what kind of camera and lens were you using. This is a great testament to how the exhibits looked at opening. Thanks for sharing!

[jwedehase]

Wow, thanks! The camera was a Canon 20D, and I used the 28-135mm IS.

"Looked at opening." Are they different now!? Maybe someday this California boy will make it back.

[onetimer]

Yes, things have changed quite a bit. Much less trevallies and cownose rays, but a myriad of new additions...lionfish, emerald tree boa, upcoming dolphin exhibit. Kind of an even exchange of some animals off exhibit for construction (penguis, sea lions)...some new things coming.

[lostintheocean]

great pics. i booked my hotel room last week adn will be there in a few weeks. I cant wait. I am glad I saw this, i never thoguh about gettingadvanced ticket but I will be sure to get my tickets tomorrow.

[Snakebyt]

great pics

[launchnukes]

great pics. and a great walkthrough. i'd love to make a trip up there sometime.

[100%hydrophylic]

great pics. ive been to the ga aquarium several times. live pretty close actually. but if you ever have the chance you should go behind the scenes. its really cool.

[tkimmons85]

Wow, in a few of those pics it truly looks as if your staring into the majestic ocean. Unbelievable !

[wjake]

Originally Posted by jwedehase

For you maintenance/equipment nerds, here's a shot of the big tank's surface. I'm presuming this is how they cool it. There were several of these areas that looked like a helicopter overhead.

Actually that is not for cooling, it is to obscure the surface of the water so you cant see the ceiling overhead. they use chillers in the main pump room. We have a seasons pass and go about 50 times/yr and have taken the behind the scenes tour 5 times.

[wjake]

BTW when you go ck out the weedy sea dragons, they cost the aquarium 35k/yr per specimen and they have about 4-5 of them!!

[anbosu]

It is pretty interesting to see what the aquarium looked like when it opened, most of the schooling fish are gone from the main tank. I assume they were too difficult to maintain or the hammerheads got hungry. I hope the humphead wrasses make it to maturity, seeing a couple 5-6 footers swimming around in there would be pretty spectacular.

[greggnyce]

i wish I did the behind the scenes tour. The in law was with us and she is a bummer!lol

[DustnF]

Very awesome. My brother got engaged in the tunnel in this aquarium.

[Untamed12]

I recently took the behind the scenes tour for my 2nd time, and I can't recommend it anymore.

You no longer get the opportunity to go out on the catwalk over the OV exhibit. (I guess a manta jumped and crashed into the catwalk, so they rarely use it anymore). That was a highlight of the tour that isn't there anymore, sadly.

I find that the tour, unfortunately, gets dumbed down to appealing to 5 year olds. At one point, the tour consisted of encouraging children to roll down the hallway. I don't need to pay for a tour to see that. The tour guides do not have the expertise necessary to answer the kind of questions that a hobbiest might ask...(although they will makes notes and find you the answers later, which I appreciated)

They also now stop the tour so that everyone can get their picture taken individually in front of the fence beside the OV exhibit. Silly.

I suggested that the GA consider creating a tour specifically for hobbiests. As is, I won't go on the behind the scenes tour again.

btw...They are clearly struggling with the reef exhibit. Given the number of years it has been running, I expected to see some large coral formations...but they must have had a setback or are finding it difficult to grow coral at all. I loved seeing the full grown vlamingis and unicorns...but it looks more like FOWLR at this point.