RESEARCH AT CORAL HQ

 

 

This is really exciting for us. We've always been fascinated with corals, how coral grows the way it does and we've always believed the hobby will help scientists save the reefs.

Here at Coral HQ, we have 3 research systems running. These are simple systems that will allow us to observe initial trials to answer the following question:

Do the materials corals attach to have an effect on growth rate? And does the size of the frag aid faster growth?

 

System 1: Main Research System

Set up in July 2019 and still maturing, the display system is 5ft x 2ft x 2.5ft. This system has a sump and we run 2 x RedSea 90 lights.

 

July 2020 

 

Due to lighting restrictions, this system is 99% soft corals. We will look to change these to Ecotech XR30's in the near future.

System 2: Artecology nano system

Working with Artecology, to trial different natural materials within tropical salt water conditions.

 We have set up a the nano system and added materials supplied by Artecology. 

 

 

One of the strangest materials we're using is this rock made from Coffee Beans and natural cement...... yes coffee beans.

 

The Xenia a fast growing coral has naturally attached to the rock and as you can see is growing well.

We have already seen 3 types of clean up crew eggs deposited on the glass, so something must be happy.

 System 3: Nano System

Again another basic system, set up in September 20. This has 4 substrates (inc 1 frag plug, a substrate we know corals will grow on as a control)

Each material has a single Sand Paly superglued to it for consistency and over the next year, we will see how fast the coral (once its starts to grow in the substrates) .

Our research doesn't just stop at Coral HQ, we are also supporting Oxford University with their coral research set up. 

 

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