The main tank holds 6.3 million gallons of water

The Georgia Aquarium's largest tank, called the Ocean Voyager, contains 6.3 million gallons of water. That is roughly equivalent to 9,500 Olympic swimming pools. The tank is 100 feet deep, 250 feet long, and 126 feet wide — large enough to hold whale sharks, manta rays, and thousands of smaller fish at the same time.

This single tank makes up more than half of the aquarium's total water volume. The Ocean Voyager was the world's largest aquarium tank when it opened in 2005 and held that record for many years. The sheer scale is designed to let large marine animals move naturally without feeling confined.

Key Takeaways

  • The Ocean Voyager tank holds 6.3 million gallons and is 100 feet deep, 250 feet long, and 126 feet wide.
  • The entire Georgia Aquarium contains 11 million gallons of water across multiple exhibits, not just the main tank.
  • The acrylic panels in the Ocean Voyager are 2 feet thick and weigh thousands of pounds each to withstand the water pressure.
  • Whale sharks and manta rays live in the Ocean Voyager because the size allows them room to swim naturally.

The entire aquarium uses 11 million gallons total

While the Ocean Voyager is the star, the Georgia Aquarium is divided into multiple galleries and exhibits, each with its own tank system. The aquarium's total water volume across all exhibits is 11 million gallons. This includes the Tropical Diver, Cold Water Quest, Beluga whales, sea otters, and dozens of smaller habitat tanks.

Each exhibit is designed for the specific animals living there. Tropical fish need warmer water and different filtration than cold-water species. The aquarium maintains separate systems so that temperature, salinity, and chemical balance can be controlled independently for each gallery.

How the acrylic panels stay intact under pressure

The Ocean Voyager's walls are made of acrylic, not glass. Each panel is 2 feet thick and weighs several tons. The thickness is necessary because water pressure increases with depth — at 100 feet down, the pressure is roughly 43 pounds per square inch on every panel surface.

The panels are held in place by a steel frame and are sealed with specialized materials that prevent leaks. The aquarium has redundant backup systems for water circulation and filtration, so if one pump fails, another takes over automatically. This prevents the water quality from dropping suddenly and stressing the animals.

Comparing the Ocean Voyager to other large tanks

The Ocean Voyager was the largest aquarium tank in the world when it opened. Since then, other facilities have built larger tanks. The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan has a tank called the Kuroshio Sea that holds 7.5 million gallons. The Monterey Bay Aquarium's Kelp Forest tank holds 335,000 gallons, which is much smaller but is still one of the most visited exhibits in North America.

Size alone does not determine how good an aquarium is. A smaller tank with excellent water quality and proper animal care can be better for the animals than a larger tank with poor maintenance. The Georgia Aquarium's size allows it to house large animals that need space, but the real work is in the filtration, feeding, and veterinary care that happens behind the scenes.

What happens behind the scenes to maintain these tanks

Maintaining 11 million gallons of water requires constant work. The aquarium employs aquarists, engineers, and veterinarians who monitor water chemistry, feed the animals, and repair equipment. The filtration system runs 24 hours a day, removing waste and keeping the water clean enough for the animals to survive.

The Ocean Voyager's filtration system can process the entire tank's water multiple times per day. The aquarium also uses ultraviolet light and ozone treatment to kill bacteria and parasites. Water temperature is kept at specific levels depending on which animals are in each tank — whale sharks prefer warmer water than beluga whales, for example.

Why the aquarium needed such a large main tank

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world and can grow to 40 feet long. Manta rays have wingspans up to 23 feet. These animals cannot be kept in small tanks — they become stressed, stop eating, and develop health problems. The Ocean Voyager was built specifically to give these animals enough room to swim in patterns similar to what they would do in the ocean.

The aquarium also houses thousands of smaller fish in the same tank. This mimics a natural reef environment where many species live together. The size allows the aquarium to create a more realistic ecosystem rather than isolating each animal in its own small enclosure.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to fill the Ocean Voyager tank?

The aquarium does not refill the entire tank at once. Instead, it uses a closed-loop system where water is filtered and recirculated. Water is only added to replace what evaporates or is removed during cleaning. The cost varies depending on local water rates and how much water needs to be replaced, but it is not a one-time expense — it is an ongoing operational cost.

Can you see the whale sharks from outside the tank?

Yes. The Ocean Voyager has large acrylic viewing panels that allow visitors to watch the whale sharks and manta rays swim. The panels are positioned so you can see the animals from multiple angles as they move through the tank. Some viewing areas are underwater tunnels where the animals swim above and around you.

How often does the aquarium change the water?

The aquarium does not drain and refill the tanks regularly. Instead, it uses continuous filtration to keep the water clean. Small amounts of water are replaced as needed, but a complete water change would stress the animals and disrupt the bacterial colonies that help keep the tank healthy. The filtration system is designed to maintain water quality without full replacements.

What happens if the power goes out?

The Georgia Aquarium has backup generators and multiple redundant systems. If the main power fails, generators kick in automatically to keep the filtration and aeration systems running. Without these systems, the animals would run out of oxygen within hours. The backup systems are tested regularly to make sure they work when needed.