[Coral-List] Epoxy or cement for transplanting coral. (IvanaKenny)

[Todd Barber]

I missed the posted question, but Keith is correct that epoxy is for
specialized applications in coral rehabilitation and is typically used for
only for temporary attachment of fragments (when they will base themselves
to more stable substrates) and not for adult colonies.

Hydrolic cement is normally required for larger colonies, although the
method can be quite labor intensive.  Some alternatives include genetic
rescue of the coral colonies combined with complexity and
footprint rehabilitation with designed artificial reef modules
or mechanical anchoring of very large colonies.

There is a full glossary of tools, methods, and types of epoxies that can be
used (in the situations where it is appropriate since some epoxies are
actually toxic to corals) in our Step by Step Guide to Reef Rehabilitation
which can be found on our website free of charge at www.reefball.org under
the menu item "Reef Building" then "Step by Step".

We have found over the years that so many people try to replicate other
peoples methods without understanding them (such as using hydrolic cement or
epoxy putties interchangeably) that Keith is correct...you NEED to get
someone involved with your project that is trained and certified in handling
live corals.  Normally, when our CORAL team undertakes these kind of
projects, we typically find that the correct solution is not one method but
a combination of many different methods based on coral species, sizes,
depths, and a host of other factors that determine what REALLY needs to be
done to be successful.

-Todd Barber
Chairman, Reef Ball Foundation




On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 7:35 AM, Spring, Keith <kspring at conshelf.com> wrote:

>
>
> Ivana:
>
>
>
> Is this in conjunction with the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines ship
> channel and harbor dredging project at Falmouth where the proposal was
> to dredge through more than 100,000 m2 of fringing reef, patch reefs,
> and hard bottom as well as seagrass beds to create a cruise ship
> facility? During the initial stages of this project it was estimated
> nearly 200,000 stony corals (>5cm diameter) and more than 50,000
> octocorals would need to be relocated to meet permit requirements (based
> on surveyed densities of corals at the site and published AGRRA survey
> data from Jamaica's north shore). Proposing to use aquarium epoxy or
> "pool putty" (or even the more liquid 2-part epoxy used for anchoring
> bolts in seawalls) for a project of this size should not have been an
> accepted methodology. Hard to believe a contractor would agree to use
> this method based on cost not to mention success criteria. Type II
> Portland cement is the standard for conducting coral reattachment,
> especially when dealing with larger specimens as well as instances of
> multiple colonies attached to large sections of detached rock (based on
> reattaching more than 40,000 coral colonies over the past 15 years).
> There are additives which can be utilized to accelerate setting times
> and other techniques and methodologies which have been developed by
> those who are experienced in projects of this type to ensure high
> success rates (coral survival as well as secure attachment). Methods
> also have been developed to successfully attach octocorals (fans and
> whips) as well as various sponge species. Feel free to contact me if you
> would like further information.
>
>
>
>
>
> Keith Spring
>
> kspring at conshelf.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>


-- 
Thanks,

Todd R Barber
3305 Edwards Court
Greenville, NC 27858
252-353-9094 (Direct)
941-720-7549 (Cell & Goggle Voice)
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