Asexual Coral Propagation for
the Aquarium Trade and for Reef
Restoration Using Reef Balls.
Marine Ornamentals
Conference, Nov. 26-Dec 1 2001
Copyright, 2001 © Reef Ball Development Group, Ltd.
Reef Ball Reefs

Current Totals
– 1/2 Million
Reef Balls in World
– 40 Countries
– 3,200+ Projects
– 17 Authorized Contractors Worldwide

World’s Largest Designed Reef
Manufacturer
Reef Ball Technology

Reef Ball Video
What’s Important to Corals?
Stability
 Vortexed Holes
 Surface & pH
 Variable Sizes
 Light Zones
 Adapter Plugs For Secure Transplants
 Totally Adaptable “Baserock” for Natural
Reefs.

Why Reef Balls for Coral
Culturing & Restoration Work?
Specifically designed for Corals
 Floating Deployment / Low Cost
 Universally Permitable, Industry
Standard--adds a living reef
 Protection of Investment-Stable
 Allows focus on Corals, not substrate

Goals of Projects
300+ Reasons to Build Reefs-Today Coral
 “Default Goal”Mimic Natural Reefs
 Coral Propagation &
Restoration Projects
should adhere to
default goal

Propagation & Transplant
System for Reef Balls
Minimize Underwater/Diver Work
 Wide Range of Corals-Soft & Hard
 Minimize Costs
 Strong Attachment
 Simple enough for
volunteers/indigenous work forces
 Allow morphology changes-Relocate
 No damage to natural reefs.

RB Adapter Plug System

Compatible with Aquarium Industry
“plug” standards
RB Adapter Plug System

#8 Rubber Stoppers in Mold
RB Adapter Plug System

Hole for Coral Plug-Wherever Desired
on Reef Ball…12-128 per Ball.
Coral Plugs
1-3 Minute pH Neutral Cement Mix
 Standard Medicine Plastic Cup for Mold
 Propagated or Transplanted Corals
embedded directly into the Concrete
 Works on nearly all hard corals and
Gorgonian Corals
 Grow out required for some other
species in a controlled setting.

Coral Plugs
Coral Plugs
Coral Plugs
Coral Plugs-@ 7 weeks Basing
Then Grown To Obtain
3rd Generation Corals
Ethics of Coral Aquaculture
•Start only with imperiled corals or
ethically obtained corals
•Bring to market only 3rd Generation
Corals…Mother…Reef Ball…Market
•Local Diversity Only
Ethics of Coral Aquaculture
•Start with small fragments, not
adult colonies
•Transplant only within ranges of
depth, current, visibility,
temperature, etc. of selected
species.
•Use best known practices
Ethics of Coral Restoration
•Start only with imperiled corals
unless selecting for traits requires
propagation from mother colony.
•Species Diversity of Natural Reefsall life, not just corals.
• Don’t transplant larger than
fragment size if morphology at issuereplant instead.
•Local Diversity Only
Coral Transplant &
Propagation Projects
•Volunteer Based Projects
-Curocao
-Pago Pago
-Maldive Islands
-Dominica
-Planned: St. Marteen, Stacia,
Cancun, Bali, Barbados, Florida
(Jacksonville), Turks & Cacios,
Bahamas, Qatar, others
Coral Transplant &
Propagation Projects
•Research Based Projects
-Puerto Rico (Austin Kirby Bowden)
-Sarasota (RBDG)
-Ft. Lauderdale (Nova Southeastern)
-Mustique, (Applied Marine Tech)
-Dominica (Applied Marine Tech)
-Baltic Sea (Marilym)
Coral Transplant &
Propagation Projects
•Additional Monitoring Based
Projects
-Pago Pago (C.O.R.L.)
- Maldives (4-Season Staff Biologist)
-Curacao (Porto Maria Biologists)
-Jacksonville High School
-Turks & Caicos (Marsha Pardee)
-F.I.T., SPARS, N.Z., HK, Oman,...
Mortality Rates @ 90 Days
25
20
15
10
Mother
Fragment
Brains
Plates
Porites
0
Acropora
5
Others
Solitary
Hydrocorals
50
40
30
20
10
0
Gorgonian
Mortality Rates @ 90 Days
Mother
Fragment
Main Causes
• Acropora-Rapid tissue necrosis
•Porites-Handling
•Plates-Handling
•Brains-Black/white band
•Gorgonians-Crushed tissue
•Hydrocorals-Improper Placement
•Solitary-Division process
Other Problems
• Improper Mounting / Possible
Morphology Changes
Other Problems
• Algae Overgrowth-Pollution
Other Problems
• Physical Damage...Divers, Boats,
Storms, etc.
•Bleaching Events
•Too Many Fragments
•Propagation/working tank H2O Quality
•Poor epoxy mixing
Other Problems
• Time from plugging to installationStorage Issues
•Too much H20 in cement plug
•Living flesh not touching plug cement
•Fragments too big or too small
•Corals stinging each other
•Lack of imperiled corals
Biggest Questions
• Species Specific Placement
-Location (range)
-Depth
-Turbidity
-Light Zone on Reef Ball
-Proximity to Vortexed Holes
-Room for Growing
•Species Specific Propagation Methods
Answering Questions
www.artificialreefs.org
• Scientific Resources ->Coral Transplant
and Propagation Notes
•Range Notes: depth, turbidity, temp.,
currents, colony sizes, etc.
•Propagation Notes
•Transplant Notes
•Photos and other notes.
Answering Questions
www.artificialreefs.org
•6000 pages of additional information
•Reef Ball Foundation, Reef Ball
Development Group, Eternal Reefs, Reef
Ball Coalition, Authorized Reef Ball
Contractors and more
•Sign up for free email updates
Don’t forget Other Natural
Problems
• Parrot fish, coral eating sponges,
flamingo tongues, crown of thorn, storms
etc.
Or the biggest problem
• From Mother Earth News…
“We know EXACTLY what is wrong with
our worlds coral reefs…
Corals are allergic to humans!”
•Propagation and restoration may be the
closest thing to Benadryl that we’ve got.
And Reef Ball Foundation thanks the
aquarium industry for developing 90% of
this technology.
Thanks To
•CORL, Mike King
-www.corl.org
•John Walch
•Coral Life
Questions & Answers
Coral life of Malaysia

Case Study of Coral Propagation using
Reef Balls.
Coral life of Malaysia
40 indoor tanks, 60 gallons each
 R/O H20, Instant Ocean, MH Lighting
 4 banks of connected tanks
 Reverse Daylight Photosynthesis
Filtration, turf algae & Calerpras
 Produces 500 Plugs/ Month w/ 90 day
grow-out.
 Demonstration Only-Stage 2 outdoors

Underpinnings
Reef Ball Training-Reef Ball Asia
 Tanks & Technical-John Walch
 Propagation-Todd R. Barber, RBDG US
 Grant from Malaysian Gov’t to Coral life
 Marketing, SMART Fish
 Lab Production, Export-Coral life

Lab Challenges
Temperature…added A/C
 Nudibranch Infection

1st Mother Coral Collection
From Malaysian Nat’l Parks
 Special Permits-Imperiled Corals
 Some
for
Aquarium
Resale
 Others for
Restoration

Reef Ball Use
After 1st Mother Corals, plugs planted
on Reef Balls
 Subsequent Stock from 3rd Generation
off Reef Balls
 Some Reef Balls used for restoration
work
 New “wild” collections only for new
species.

Results
First Corals for Export Spring 2002
 Requires outdoor facility to be
economically viable
 Color Morphs & Variety drives Aquarium
Mkt Demand
 Diversity/suitability drives restoration
demand
