Industrious Brooklynites have taken waterproof liner, bath tiles, concrete blocks and gravel and fashioned a new urban pond in a tree bed next to the now repaired hydrant. This new makeshift aquarium showcases community creativity in preserving a local ecosystem after concerns led to the original pond being filled in.
Devang Shah lamented that the aquarium had been easier to manage under the leaky hydrant. The steady stream from the hydrant had provided a constant source of fresh water, so a filter system wasn't really needed. 'They seemed happier over there,' Shah said.
The so-called Bed-Stuy Aquarium is searchable on Google Maps and has its own Instagram and TikTok accounts, managed by Shah and other residents. This highlights the modern blend of urban ecology with social media engagement.
Volunteers soon hope to outfit the aquarium with a solar-powered filtration system to replace the current battery-powered one. They also plan to acquire a heating system before winter sets in and dream of establishing a livestream for admirers worldwide.
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