as hard as concrete! For staff working on an ambitious new $1.5 million exhibit have been busy turning concrete blocks into coral reef.

Not that they are alone, however, as two specialists have been called in to lend a helping hand with the North Rock Exhibit.

Americans Mr. Gary Dixon and Mr. Tom Prevatt boast more than eight years experience working with aquariums, zoos, educational parks and resorts.

And they have spent the last three weeks training Aquarium staff, passing on their expertise.

The North Rock Exhibit -- more than half of it has been finished -- features a 140,000 gallon tank made up of two sections.

One is the "coral reef'', where such fishes as wrasses, angelfish and damselfish will be on display.

The other is an "open sea'' section, which will be home to, among others, sharks, jacks and pompano.

"The North Rock coral exhibit is open to sunlight to promote the health and growth of the hard corals and sea rods and fans that will be part of this display,'' explained an Aquarium spokeswoman.

She added the Aquarium had had great success in maintaining living corals.

"This success will be further enhanced with the natural sunlight and clear filtered water in the exhibit.'' Work on the exhibit has been carried out by contractors Burland, Conyers and Marirea.

When The Royal Gazette visited the site yesterday, Mr. Dixon was hard at work with Head Aquarist Mrs. Jennifer Gray.

The rockwork he was creating will provide a good place for corals to thrive.

While some live corals will be taken from the ocean for the exhibit, staff ruled out removing a large section of the reef and taking it to the Aquarium.

"It would be a logistic nightmare to do this,'' the spokeswoman said.

She added: "Following completion of the rockwork structure, the cement rockwork will have to be acid washed and painted.

"The machine designed to create an ocean surge in the coral exhibit will be installed and tested.'' She added a grand opening for the exhibit was pencilled in for early summer next year.