Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center

Lagoon Day was a Big Success!

2011-08-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to all who came out for our inaugural Lagoon Day event on July 24. Over 300 participants enjoyed the collaboration between Agua Hedionda, Buena Vista and Batiquitos Lagoons. Extra love to the kids who entered the costume contest, our volunteers and the great celebrities who shared their time and enthusiasm with us! Oh, and Tip Top Meats for a Tip Top lunch to round out the day.

Celebrate with us on Lagoon Day Sunday, July 24

2011-07-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

Lagoon Day Fun Walk/Run-Sunday, July 24
To raise awareness and educate future lagoon stewards.
Enjoy a scenic run or walk beginning at one of 3 lagoons:

Agua Hedionda Lagoon Route: 2 miles
Begin at the corner of Cannon Road and Carlsbad Boulevard.
Registration from 8:30 - 10:30 am; 11 am start time.

Batiquitos Lagoon Route: 6 miles-starts at the Park Hyatt tennis Club Parking Lot on Kingfisher Lane
Check route at HERE
Registration from 7:30 am; 10:30 am start time.

Buena Vista Lagoon Route: 5 miles-starts at the Buena Vista Nature Center
Registration from 8-10 am; 10 am start time

All routes end at the Lagoon Discovery Center where a bbq will be held.
BBQ is an additional fee. Mingle with noted celebrities like actors from "Leave it to Beaver" and "The Brady Bunch".
Post event activities include a "lagoon costume" contest for kids.
Participants can come dressed as a bird, fish or other "lagoon critter" and get a chance to win
a K1 Speed Party Pack for 8 and Lego Land tickets!

Free shuttle back to start point.

Team Up for Fun!
Get your workplace involved with a company team. Teams of 20 or more members will
receive the following recognition:
Award Plaque
Company logo on event welcome banner
Company listed as a supporter for one year on each lagoon website
Company acknowledgement in each lagoon newsletter
Company banner & announcement at the event

Become a Fundraiser!
Raise more funds to preserve our lagoons by asking friends, family, and business associates
for donations. The top fundraiser will win a 4-day, 3 night vacation stay in Mazatlan ($1000 value)!

We Love our Trashy Flowers!

2011-05-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

Creating flowers out of recycled “trash” proved to be elementary for Carlsbad Unified School District students from all nine K-5 schools. Students fashioned vibrantly colored flowers and now our Native Garden looks amazing with this splash of color, making it the most unique garden in Carlsbad.

Discovery Aquariums Life Support System Explained

2011-05-03T19:01:00.000-07:00

Discovery Aquariums Life Support System
Multiple Strategies Working Together

Biological Filtration-
Deep Sand Bed (DSB) - Bacterial processing and draw-down of nitrogenous
waste. Habitat for detritus feeders like snails, cucumbers, and sea stars. If the
detritus feeders have a comfy habitat, they will help clean the tank of dead
material and leftover food.

Wet/Dry Filter - “Trickle Filter” creates high oxygen environment for bacterial
processing of nitrogenous waste, filter media (sponges + biobale)
provide high surface area for beneficial bacterial colonization.

Refugium - Additional DSB action, controlled light-driven algae growth removes
nutrients from the water. This is good because nutrients + light = lots of unwanted algae growth.

Mechanical Filtration-
Sponges - remove particulate matter just like an air filter in your house.
Protein Skimmer - takes advantage of a neat physics trick: organic matter
(proteins etc) has a high affinity for bubbles; waste material “sticks” to bubbles. The protein skimmer generates millions of tiny bubbles, the longer the bubbles are in contact with the water before they pop, the more organic matter sticks to the bubbles. The bubbles float to the surface, spilling over into a collection cup, and as the bubbles burst the organic matter is left behind and you just dump it out!

Chemical Filtration-
Chemical Reactors - Granular Ferric Oxide (GFO) has a high affinity for binding with phosphate. Activated carbon has a high affinity for binding with silicate and phosphate, as well as other dissolved toxins (like those released by cnidarians-close relatives of anemones and corals). Phosphate and silicate are nutrients that can cause harmful algae to grow out of control, so it is important to remove them from the water as much as possible.

Ultraviolet Sterilization-
High intensity light in the high frequency, short wavelength range (ultraviolet)
shines on water as it passes through a protected chamber. The light kills any
microbes like harmful bacteria and viruses by giving them a really bad “sunburn”.

Temperature Control-
Powerful chillers cool water as it passes through, drawing heat away from the water and into the air in a similar fashion to the way a refrigerator works. This allows the water to stay at a chilly 50-55 degrees Farenheit.

The critters’ metabolism is adapted for life close to this temperature range, and maintaining a low temperature reduces the growth rate of harmful bacteria that can cause disease. These chillers have thermostats, just like air conditioning in a house, and the temperature can be maintained at a precise level.

Water Circulation- Pumps keep the water moving and disrupt an otherwise flat water surface, breaking up the surface tension and letting more oxygen dissolve into the water. Fish and invertebrates depend on this water movement and increased dissolved oxygen to breathe.

Summary- The different strategies of filtration and sterilization work together as a team to clean the water for tank inhabitants. Meanwhile, pumps keep the water moving and well-oxygenated and the chillers keep the temperature of the tank at a comfortable level.

Earth Day Awards!

2011-04-28T19:39:00.000-07:00

Three awards were given at the Lagoon Discovery Center's Earth Day event on April 23, 2011. These heros were awarded and honored for their commitment to the health and well-being of our planet. They were chosen for their inspiring acts, which remind us all that we can make the world a better place. The honorees were the Carlsbad Garden Club, H2O Trash Patrol, and Ann Kulchin, Carlsbad City Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem.

Swallows at The Discovery Center

2011-04-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

The wild action of swallows nesting at the Discovery Center was an unexpected thrill for the guests at our Birding Walk. Wow!

Our World Water Day Festival was a big success!

2011-04-07T21:24:00.000-07:00

Special thanks to our sponsors Metropolitan Water Authority of Southern California, SDG&E, Leucadia Wastewater District, Purdy Homes, and Par Electric!

We were honored by the presence of Supervisor Bill Horn and Mayor Matt Hall who made opening remarks. Yes, that's Supervisor Horn with Lincoln the lizard!

Warm appreciation goes to Cathleen Chilcote Wallace, Brandon Wallace, and Lydia Vassar for their Native American storytelling, music and basket weaving presentation.

Big thanks go to our incredible volunteers: Jordan Ahle, Roz B, Lin & Joe Ball, James & Finn Brown, Al Cerda, Johanna Chambers, Terry Cooper,Ryan Crivello, Ruth Anne Gransbury, Nancy Hart, Mike & Dylan Howes, Inger Huber, Marie Johnson, Diane Kahler, Patricia Kirby, David Lloyd, Mike Metts, Eric Munoz, Chris Pepin, Terry & Spencer Rodman, Greg Rubin, Bob Schueller, Sarah Schweizer, Nathan Spindel, Jim Strickland, Marcia Stults, Barbara & Jerry Swearingen, and Chris Wang.

What a wonderful day at the Discovery Center. A good time was had by all!

Jordan Ahle Presents our Empty Barn Owl Nest Box.

2011-03-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

Barn Owl Nesting Box for Rent -- FREE TO THE FIRST OWL THAT NESTS HERE! Biologist Jordan Ahle presents the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center empty Barn Owl Nest Box. We'll be keeping track, hoping to have an owl take nest soon. If you know any, put in a good word for us.

More from Nate Spindel on the Discovery Aquarium Project!

2011-03-24T18:03:00.001-07:00

SDG&E Energy Conservation Talk

2011-03-17T20:32:00.000-07:00

Risa Baron, Local Outreach Manager for SDG&E, gave a very informative talk on how to conserve energy and use the new Smart Meter tools to reduce energy consumption. The crowd at the Discovery Center came prepared with questions and specific examples to learn how to increase their energy efficiency at home. Risa was extremely knowledgeable with a thorough presentation and stayed until all of the questions from the audience were addressed. Plans are underway for more partner events with SDG&E at the Discovery Center.

Discovery Aquariums Video Blog

2011-03-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

A short video blog on the Discovery Aquariums project at the Discovery Center. Next time we'll use a tripod, promise!

Discovery Aquarium Project -- Update!

2011-03-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

Aquatic Biologist Nate Spindel reviews Discovery Aquarium computer model

In addition to the fascinating marine biological phenomena that will be on display, the Discovery Aquariums will also offer a technological education experience. Since the aquaria have been designed with transparent stands, visitors will have the unique opportunity of seeing and learning about the inner workings of the life support system. The process of water treatment will come to life as visitors follow the burbling path of water as it circulates through a closed filtration circuit that allows the tanks to sustain sensitive marine life while recycling nearly 100% of the water.

LED lighting system

Visitors can feel the heat being drawn out of the water as powerful cooling units keep aquarium inhabitants at a healthy 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The shimmering aquamarine hues of the display tanks are made possible by a state-of-the-art LED lighting system that uses roughly one tenth of the electricity of conventional lighting, produces almost no heat, and lasts roughly twelve years before needing to replace LEDs. As both an educational tool and a visual treat, the Discovery Aquariums will offer visitors new and different experiences each time they visit the Center. Through their engagement with the marine creatures on display, visitors will gain an intimate appreciation for the importance of conservation of marine resources and the exciting prospects of aquaculture. Come visit the Discovery Aquariums this Earth Day!

Discovery Aquarium Project -- Progress!

2011-03-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

Aquatic Biologist Nate Spindel preps the tanks

Visitors to the Discovery Aquariums (scheduled to open in April 2011) will enjoy the thrill of studying the colorful tank inhabitants and curious behaviors of different, carefully selected representative species of different aspects of the lagoon marine ecosystem. The Wetlands Tank will feature a living cross-section of the tidal mudflat habitat, revealing otherwise invisible burrowing sea creatures, similar to the way an ant farm reveals ants’ fascinating secret lives. Although very interesting, the tidal mudflats and marshes represent a relatively small portion of the total area of the lagoon. The large majority of the habitat area of Agua Hedionda Lagoon is “subtidal”, or persistently covered by water regardless of the changing tides.The six and a half foot long, 350 gallon Subtidal Tank will serve as a dramatic focal point to the exhibit, showcasing some of the local denizens of this deeper habitat.

Part of the unique experience of visiting the Discovery Aquariums will be exploring the interactive Touch Tank during presentations and tours of the facility. The Touch Tank will contain different local species at different times of the year, depending on which animals are featured, so visitors will have the chance to get a closer look at and sometimes even touch some very special marine creatures that are part of educational series such as “Masters of Camouflage”, “Locomotion” and “Food Fight!”

Discovery Center Aquarium Project Underway!

2011-03-10T18:27:00.000-08:00

By Nate Spindel, Aquatic Biologist

An exciting and unique new exhibit is coming to the Discovery Center in April 2011! As a result of a collaborative effort put forth by the University of California Santa Barbara’s REEF (Research Experience and Education Facility), the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, we are proud to present the all-new Discovery Aquariums exhibit. The Discovery Aquariums will feature a dynamic, state-of-the-art system composed of three display aquaria that will showcase locally collected marine life.

Lina Makes Donation to the Discovery Center!

2011-03-10T18:02:00.000-08:00

Lina loves using the binoculars to enjoy the Lagoon

Meet Lina! Her mom, Rebecca, is a teacher here at the Discovery Center for the third grade Environmental Stewardship program. Lina has adopted the Discovery Center as her home away from home. Happy by nature, happy in nature, one person described Lina as the “Mayor of all little people.” I thought what an interesting description for such a young person until I experienced Lina at play, sharing and caring for perfect strangers making them feel welcome, and included. At the Discovery Center’s first movie night, Lina came with her family. One other little boy came too and she immediately offered him popcorn, showing him around the center and sharing in her giving way throughout the evening.

Fast forward to February 11^th its Lina’s birthday. Her mother informs me that Lina wanted to help others out on her birthday. She had just received a bunch of gifts over the holidays and she really didn’t need any more toys. Her mother liked the idea and asked Lina to choose which charity she wanted to embrace. She had quite an extensive list of choices. Her mom asked her to narrow it down and the Discovery Center was one of the final two she chose.

You see she really loved the night at the movies here at the Discovery Center and she wanted to duplicate that for all her friends. At first glance it appeared to be a typical 6 year old birthday party at a beautiful venue with a movie for entertainment and popcorn to accompany it. Lina’s request for her friends was unique however. She asked them to bring a can of food or a monetary donation for the Discovery Center in lieu of a gift.

Lina and a friend enjoy the Discovery Center

WOW what a BIG giver; pretty amazing don’t you think? On February 11^th, Lina brought friend after friend into my office introducing each one to me and then skipped merrily away showing them all the cool things here at the center. 72 people experienced the Discovery Center that evening through the vision created by a 6 year old.

She collectively gathered 65 cans of food for Interfaith Church’s food bank and $225 for the Discovery Center. When she returned last Friday she was beaming with excitement! “Miss Lisa now you can afford to buy real binoculars because only two of the three pairs actually work.” Her vision is to have more children able to experience the power of looking at nature with binoculars. Thank you Lina, you truly are the Mayor of all little people and we hope they come and enjoy the center especially now that there will be more binoculars thanks to you!

Lina presents donation to Executive Director Lisa Cannon-Rodman