Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium to reopen Saturday

During the six weeks the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium has been closed, crews cleared out 1,000 fish from the giant saltwater tank to refurbish it, started construction on a large new restaurant and put together a healthier menu.

The zoo and aquarium will reopen to the public Feb. 14, although visitors will have to wait awhile to enjoy the new restaurant and see the giant aquarium.

The sea life is gone from the large saltwater tank that sits in the middle of PPG Aquarium, leaving behind a fishy smell. Crews are revamping the Big Ocean tank, which usually holds 100,000 gallons of saltwater and 1,000 fish of multiple species and sizes. The tank was drained in December so crews could re-coat the walls with an epoxy material, said Bradley Smith, director of construction management at the zoo.

Big Ocean is 14 years old and needs to be recoated because the saltwater took a toll on the old coating, he said. Crews plan to add new coral to improve the decor of the tank, and add new lighting.

Dwayne Biggs, curator of aquatic life at the aquarium, said crews would make a fresh batch of saltwater out of synthetic sea salt to refill the tank, which is expected to be ready by the end of March.

Mr. Smith pointed out a small area within the tank he called Little Ocean, where the small fish hide from sharks and groupers when they get too aggressive. The fish have now been separated into temporary holding tanks spread throughout the zoo. It took about two months to remove and transport them, Mr. Biggs said.

The aquariums two big groupers are out on loan to other aquariums in the area, and required specially designed stretchers and nets to safely move them to transport tanks the larger grouper weighs about 300 pounds.

Most of the other fish are in the quarantine room, where fish new to the aquarium stay for 30 days when they arrive. The room also holds about a half-dozen holding tanks. One tank is 5,000 gallons, and houses sharks, Mr. Biggs said. The largest holding tank holds about 15,000 gallons of water, and Mr. Biggs said there were various other smaller tanks elsewhere in the aquarium to fit the fish.

The restaurant, Jambo Grill, will be the zoos largest at 7,000 square feet. It is near the Safari Grill and replaces a cheetah holding building and two smaller restaurants that served pizza and French fries. Construction began in October, although it slowed the past two weeks due to the cold, Mr. Smith said. It is expected to be completed by Memorial Day.

The restaurants patio faces the area housing elephants, zebras, giraffes and cheetahs. Jambo Grills structure will have a safari theme, with wood paneling and a steep ceiling, and will accommodate 300 people, split between 160 indoor seats and 140 outdoors.

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Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium to reopen Saturday