The Aquarium is a unique environmental masterpiece in the heart of the new Founder’s airport

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The start of operation of the new King Abdulaziz International Airport, Terminal (1), is a qualitative leap for air transport system in the Kingdom. The Founder’s airport, with its new look and unique design, is classified as the most important air port at the regional level, gaining that importance from the cities of Makkah and Jeddah. An Islamic, economic and touristic value.  The new airport also contributes to transforming the Kingdom into centers of attraction for investment through the promotion and development of logistical services, which is in line with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 aimed at achieving sustainable economic development.
 
In this regard, the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) was keen to have King Abdulaziz International Airport be among the largest airports in the Middle East and Asia region, and to include many facilities that serve it operationally, to acquire a large share of air and transit traffic, and to become a hub airport that connects  East and West. It was taken into account in the design of the airport that is inspired by contemplation and simulation of a trip from the earth to the moon, the reflection of this breathtaking idea of ​​magnificence and beauty on all elements of the project, specifically the huge travel terminals. The terminals total area extends to (810) thousand square meters.  The panoramic view of the environment-friendly airport is achieved by creating an aquarium connecting the huge airport with the marine environment of the bride of the Red Sea. The center of this aquarium is the beating heart of Terminal 1, which acts as a link between the travel terminal complex, the multi-storey car park building, and the train and metro station.
 
The aquarium at King Abdulaziz International Airport, which is the largest of its kind in the world of any airport includes a group of coral reefs and rare fish that are characteristic to the Red Sea, and the water of the fish tank is similar to the real sea water and this simulation is formed after adding a special salt supported by chemicals to the water. The height of the basin is (14) linear meters and a diameter of up to (10) linear meters, while the capacity of the basin is one million liters of water, and the glass wall of the water basin has been made with a thickness of (300) mm, consisting of ten pieces, each of which weighs up to (12) thousand kg, while the coral reefs were made of silicon and latex, which represent the real coral of the Red Sea. The Aquarium for at the Founder’s Airport was provided with a lighting system that simulates the normal day’s cycle and is controlled automatically using (16) halogen lamps for day lighting, moreover, there’re (10) LED lights for night lighting that simulate moonlight.
 
The Aquarium at King Abdulaziz International Airport contains about (2000) marine organisms, and it includes (65) of the most famous types of Red Sea fish, most notably (sharks, mammoth, trigger, mono, and trifalli). A specialized diver maintains the aquarium and feeds the fish twice a day, and some specific fish are directly fed. There’re (3) quarantine systems, which are used to isolate new fish in independent ponds to adapt to their new environment, so that their safety is ensured before entering the water basin at the bottom of which there are (4) different tanks to rotate and for the maintenance and processing of sea water before use, which contributes to reducing the consumption of used sea water.