About those sharks in the Grand Reef at Discovery Cove ...

Now that Grand Reef at Discovery Cove has officially opened, what can you expect if you visit the sea-life immersion experience in Orlando?

Here's a video of the new attraction, including a look at the new SeaVenture portion that allows you to wear a dive helmet and walk among the fish and coral. That's scheduled to start operating at the end of June or in July.

And here are some facts to know if you're planning a visit. They were provided by Discovery Cove.

It's how big? The new reef covers 2.5 acres, with close to a million gallons of water.

77: Temperature of the water; most outdoor pools can hit close to 92 degrees in direct sun.

Who's in it: There are approximately 10,000 creatures, representing  125 different species of fish, rays and sharks.

Sharks?!: Non-swimmers can gaze down from above while snorkelers and SeaVenture participants can marvel through 10-foot-tall panoramic windows into a habitat filled with zebra, nurse and blacktip and whitetip reef sharks.
A species new to Discovery Cove, zebra sharks are found in Southeast Asia, Southern Africa and Western and Northern Australia. Cream-colored with spots, they’re born with stripes – suggesting a sharky zebra. They’re also known as Australian leopard sharks.

Flashy display: Thousands and thousands of schooling sardines, shining in the sun, will swim freely throughout the main reef.

Something's fishy: Discovery Cove’s experts chose only species whose natural populations are healthy and sustained. The fish include angelfish, butterflyfish, wrasses and tangs as well as larger, unusual-looking hogfish and filefish.

Rays and eels, oh my: Four species of rays will fly among swimmers, including spotted eagle, cownose, southern and bluntnose rays. A variety of exotic eels swim among Grand Reef’s canyons. But for the squeamish, there's good news: They’re safely behind glass. Other interesting species such as grouper and triggerfish make their home with the eels.

Coral cleaning: Discovery Cove is using a unique technology to ensure the Grand Reef’s man-made coral maintains its vibrant colors. Each piece of coral – most weighing a ton – is inflatable. When filled with air, the coral sections float to the surface for easy maintenance and cleaning. Overall, the Grand Reef will have 90 pieces of the colorful coral in four different sizes.

Pass the salt: It takes about 140 tons of salt to make the Grand Reef’s crystal clear water. The recipe is a closely guarded secret.   

The sand plan: Mined at nearby Davenport, the sand is from Florida’s ancient beach dunes. More than 5 million pounds will be used at the Grand Reef, and every pound is sifted and grated.

What's next?: The Grand Reef’s innovative experience, SeaVenture, is an underwater walking tour where guests wear dive helmets. It's expected to open by the end of June. Easily climbing down a ladder and setting foot on the reef floor, guests immediately come eye-to-eye with sharks through an 8-foot-tall, 21-foot long panoramic window.  During their journey, guests encounter velvety rays, exotic-looking lionfish hiding under a dock – and even touch a star fish or sea urchins found along the way. The adventure ends with schools of fish feeding around the divers with the massive open reef as the backdrop. Scuba certification is not required. The program is about an hour long for groups of up to six people per excursion. The cost is $59 per participant.

If you go: Discovery Cove's swim with dolphins day packages start at $199 for Florida residents and include parking, meals, drinks, some alcoholic beverages, snorkeling gear, wet suits and admission to SeaWorld, Aquatica or Busch Gardens for 14 days. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. The park caps attendance at around 1,000 per day, so reservations are highly recommended by calling toll-free 1-877-557-7404. 6000 Discovery Cove Way, Orlando; discoverycove.com.