National Aquarium - Baltimore Inner Harbor

Blacktip Shark Exhibit - Renovation Field Formed, Fiberglass Reinforced Epoxy Liner for Concrete Tank Completed March 2013

The National Aquarium emptied the existing “Wings on the Water” stingray exhibit, and converted this concrete tank to the new Blacktip Shark Exhibit. The 260,000 gallon tank had an existing liner that was already in disrepair and failing. Whiting-Turner, General Contractor, managed the overall renovation project. During the entire renovation, the National Aquarium remained open and occupied with visitors, staff and sea life.

Pro Coat used ultra high water jetting in order to remove all of the existing coating, down to bare concrete. The re-surfacing products used were provided by Fox Industries Company (now a division of Simpson Strong-Tie). The first step was applying a “parge coat” / resurfacer product, FX472. The resurfacer coat fills all imperfections and “bug holes” etc. that occur during the aggressive high pressure water jetting process. The re-surfacing provides an even surface which allows the epoxy coating to be applied evenly and create a monolithic tank liner.

After the parge coat was applied and cured, the Field Formed System was installed. FX-70-10 is a chemical resistant, fabric reinforced, multi-layer protective epoxy coating. Two (2) fiberglass reinforced layers were installed, by embedding fiberglass fabric into the 100 % epoxy FX70-9 coating. A top coat of FX70-9 completed the system and complied with National Aquariums color requirements – 4 custom colors.

Pro Coat was able to spray apply the 100 % epoxy coatings using their WIWA Duomix Plural Component spay pump.

The new exhibit “Blacktip Reef” is designed to replicate an Indo-Pacific reef. At more than $ 12 million, this is the largest renovation at the 31 year old aquarium since the opening of the $ 74.6 million Australia exhibit in 2005.