After we feed all of our animals, we do have to maintain the tanks, and keep everything clean. The day after the feedings, we remove any uneaten foods, as this prevents spoilage. Any soft growth on the rocks and windows is scrubbed off. On a regular basis, the bottom gravel is siphoned using a long tube at the end of a long stick, in order to get the smaller decaying bits without polluting the rest of the water. It’s a process very similar to what you would use for your home aquarium, only with longer hoses, since our tanks are very deep.
In order to keep the tanks attractive, not only to the visitors, but to the creatures themselves, we have to regularly replace the old seaweed with fresh tufts. Seaweed provides color, and good hiding spots for most fish and crustaceans. Sea ravens especially like to squeeze in between the different stands, as they have evolved to blend in brown-green seaweed. Rocks of different colors and driftwood of interesting shapes are often added for landscaping purposes.
It takes good knowledge about each species to care for them, but it is very rewarding work, when you see them thrive and live a long life. We got such a reward this afternoon when our Norway King crab molted. He crawled out of his old shell, and came out with a new softer shell (that will harden over the next week), and his color became a vibrant orange-red instead of beige-brown. If a crab decides to molt in order to grow, it means that he is well fed and comfortable in his environment.
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