March 1st is the opening date for the Oklahoma Aquarium

There is finally a firm date for the opening of the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks. It is set for March 1st, almost three years from the ground breaking to the opening. <br><br>News on Six reporter Rick

Monday, November 25th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

There is finally a firm date for the opening of the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks. It is set for March 1st, almost three years from the ground breaking to the opening.

News on Six reporter Rick Wells says in May of 2000 they broke ground, so just short of three years when it opens. Monday, I got a tour of the exhibit space and a close up look at the shark feeding.

It's feeding time at the Oklahoma Aquarium, eight sharks, four lemon sharks and four bull sharks, enjoying one of their two feeding this week. They will be the star attraction in the new aquarium now set to open March 1st. We've watched the Aquarium take shape on the west bank of the Arkansas River in Jenks. The outside's nearly done during the winter they'll finish the exhibit spaces.

Head Marine biologist Kenny Alexopoulos says there'll be dozens of exhibits fish and aquatic animals from all over the world. A special exhibit of Oklahoma fish. But the centerpiece will be this half million-gallon shark tank. "It's pretty much a complete seamless dome and tunnel system." No visible concrete supports and no joints connecting the 3-4 inch thick acrylic dome and tunnels. "At this point you'd see sharks swimming various directions over your head."

From the catwalk overhead you can see how enormous this thing is, it will contain nearly half a million gallons of seawater he and the other biologists will have to create. The four bull sharks are the largest anywhere in captivity. They've been here since May. They are fed a diet of salmon and tuna. "Shark vitamins are stuffed into the meat to ensure that get the proper nutrition."

The feedings are charted so they know which sharks got fed what and how much, each one gets fed about 5 percent of its body weight per week. â€œThis tank right here gets about 170 -180 pounds of food a week." Alexopoulos says they could eat more, but they'd get fat.