Terrific photographs!

I’m a nobody @ the Aquarium now, but when they promote me to owner, as they inevitably will, I will fill it w/ plants. Let me know if you need a job.

Have you been to the Monterrey Aquarium? They have an amazing and beautiful wetland tank. IMO, it was the best tank on the premises.

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/plantid2/index.html

I heard about the Ballard Locks, but didn’t make it down there due to time constraints. I didn’t know that the ladder at the aquarium were just for show. That’s too bad.

I agree with you that the exhibits you mentioned are pretty cool, as are you ideas for updating them.

Oh! Also! Do you remember the Closer Look Table at the back of the touch pool area? It had the tank with the tiny red octopus and the squat lobsters, etc?

I really like that set up, and have thought about how I could make a system like that of my very own, but with freshwater. An obvious limitation is that I wouldn’t be piping water directly in from Elliot Bay and piping it straight out.

Honestly, I just don’t think there’s a whole lot of freshwater plants and animals that live around here. There’s a huge amount of biodiversity in the Sound, but the only place I’ve ever managed to find any aquatic plants was in a mountain lake in Eastern Washington, and then I didn’t see any fish.

Also, the salmon ladders at the Aquarium are just for show nowadays. If you want to see salmon climbing a ladder, you can go to the Ballard Locks at the right time of year.

Let me know next time you’re in town (if you’re not too creeped out by me)!