Grand Opening of Nausicaá – Europe’s largest tank in a Public Aquarium.
Photo Credit: Ville de Boulogne-sur-Mer official website
On the 19th of May 2018, a massive expansion of NAUSICAA will open to the public for the first time.
Back in August, 2017 we have posted about our project with French Public Aquarium Nausicaa at Boulogne-sur-Mer in France.
Nausicaa will receive the title of the biggest in Europe (and 4th of the world). The title will be given this incoming weekend (Saturday, 19th) when the new venue will be open for the public for the first time.
NAUSICAÁ is more than just a place to admire sea creatures. Named for the heroine who cared for the shipwrecked Ulysses, in Homer’s Odyssey, NAUSICAÁ is an educational and research facility, breeding centre, and rescue hospital for sick and injured animals.
Over the years NAUSICAÁ has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Hauts-de-France region, and has welcomed over 16 million visitors since its opening in 1991.
The aquarium has kept a key focus on the fragility of the sea under pressure from human pollution and over-fishing, and the new exhibition hopes to increase awareness of the ocean’s plight.
Now with the new attractions it is hoping to bring one million per year, called from now the “Louvre of the Sea”.
THE CONCEPT
Built in the shape of a Manta Ray, the new building houses one of the largest aquariums in the World, holding a staggering 10,000 m3 of water (to give an idea of the scale, the equivalent
of 4 Olympic pools).
Modelled on the island of Malpelo, off the coast of Colombia, this giant aquarium will recreate the ecosystem of the high seas.
Sharks, manta rays and shoals of other fish will populate this ecosystem, with almost 60,000 creatures in the community and the new tank will be the home of approximatly 22,000/25,000 different marine species, including hammerhead sharks and eagle rays
Not only that! It is be the home of thirty eight new Orphek Amazonas 500 super LED Lights.
The tank with 60 m long, 30 m wide and 8 m deep (with a 20-metre long viewing window) will allow visitors to take in the dramatic scenes going on underwater.
An 18 metre-long transparent tunnel offers a totally immersive experience with panoramic viewing angles.
A vast viewing panel, measuring 20 metres long and 5 metres high, will also give spectacular views for the visitor.
The exhibition will also feature interactive attractions and dazzling new sights.
The project took 2 years to be completed and 70 million Euros were invested and its conception was designed by Jacques Rougerie who has already designed Océonopolis in Brest, France.
Nausicaá invites you to live a unique experience that will delight the whole family, through the exploration of two universes full of surprises: that of the high seas, and that of the shores.
It also invites you to an unforgettable trip to the heart of the ocean; to discover the 2500 species that populate our aquariums, and let yourself be convinced that the Ocean is not only source of wealth or wonder: it is also the future of man.
Pour lire sur Nausticaa en Français
LIGHTING SUPPLIED BY ORPHEK
Orphek was chosen to be the supplier of LED lighting solutions for its long settled worldwide reputation proven to be the only leading company in LED lighting for aquariums with a true passion for design, developing products and solutions that not only answers to the needs of the living creatures in captive aquariums, but also able to offer solutions where the integration of light sources, conceptual design and architectural elements are desired.
Our Amazonas 500 Watt Public Aquarium LED was developed to light up to 72,000 Lumens
Designed as a direct replacement for metal halide systems 1,000 watts and over, the Orphek Amazonas is the perfect LED solution for very deep coral reef aquariums or large freshwater displays.
The Amazonas has a 360° three dimensional heat dissipation providing the optimal thermal solution for heat management.
Orphek Amazonas 500 Watt LED is the most Powerful LED Aquarium Light, delivering more than sufficient light for viewing at depths over 15 meters.
The primary design goal targeted commercial installations, zoos and public aquariums.
Utilizing state of the art components combined with Orphek’s ability to target the exact spectrum that photosynthetic creatures require, the Amazonas delivers significant light penetration and plenty of coverage which allows for direct 1 to 1 replacement for large older technology inefficient lighting systems.
Deep water systems
Whether you are lighting large lagoons or a 15 meter deep coral reef tank, the Amazonas can deliver results. It has the ability to penetrate and deliver more than sufficient light for viewing at depths over 15 meters. High efficiency is evident in the excellent lumen/watt ratio which will provide life sustaining light at depths up to 15 meters. Installations can now run cooler and maintenance is reduced allowing your staff to focus more on livestock and husbandry.
ORPHEK AND PUBLIC AQUARIUMS
Understanding the challenges a contemporary Public Aquarium faces today, ORPHEK LED LIGHTING has been researching and developing customized products only Public Aquariums to provide:
HEALTHIER & MORE ATTRACTIVE AMBIANCE
A wide range of organisms kept in public aquaria comes from different types of habitat and different geographic zones. Our solutions will not only help Public Aquariums to create a more natural, more easy-to-adapt and healthier environment to any kind of installation and animals, but it will also help Public Aquariums to explore the beauty that a proper atmosphere can bring to the exhibition. Understanding each peculiarity of these habitats, ORPHEK LED LIGHTING helps Public Aquariums to make the correct choice of lightening, installation, and spectrum that will make all the difference for both visitors and species.
MORE CONTROLLED AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SOLUTIONS
We will also help Public Aquariums to overcome maintenance problems, as ORPHEK LED LIGHTING products reduce considerably the amount of algae in the tanks, and also provide solutions that meet the temperature requirements of each tank, avoiding over heating or chilling problems.
Also, by simply producing an efficient LED lighting solution ORPHEK LED LIGHTING is helping Public Aquariums to meet their environmental responsibilities reduce a great excess carbon dioxide, sulfur oxide and other waste emissions that are currently being released into the atmosphere every day, leading to a cleaner world and one that will last much longer.
Our environmentally friendly lighting solutions produce no radiant heat, and they will not raise the aquarium temperature more than two degrees Celsius above the room temperature.
REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND COSTS
Most of all, committed to quality x efficiency, ORPHEK LED LIGHTING quality control systems are developed to guarantee that all our LED lighting solutions will provide extraordinary energy efficiency, minimum environmental damage, and outstanding results (illumination, color & growth). That means a considerable annual reduction of energy consumption that helps Public Aquariums meet their energy consumption/reduction strategies.
Check Orphek’s PORTFOLIO to take a peek at the amazing projects orphek has been doing over these years!
If you are also from Europe or at any country around the globe and you are also wishing to:
- Improve the quality of life of your corals and marine species
- Install a neat and easy to clean fixture
- Own not only a conceptual design LED light solution, but a true color & growth technology
We will be very happy to find the best Orphek LED Lights for your tank.
Also if you wish to know more details about our Atlantik unit, email us to contact@orphek.com and we will help get you started! You can also reach us by filling our form.