Working with coral scientists and propagation experts, The Reef Ball Foundation Coral Team has developed specialized methods for asexually reproducing both hard and soft corals and planting them onto Reef Balls using trained volunteers or local people.  The system is simple enough, that nearly anyone can participate, guided by Coral Team Leaders, and yet even with volunteers, rates of coral fragment survival are better than 80% and because we create multiple colonies from original colonies, coral genetics are always preserved 100%.  (Fragment survival rates of 95%+ are achievable using the team's most experienced members).  Most hard corals and soft corals with woody stems can be propagated by the methods.  Our team leaders can provide expert solutions for more advanced coral types or for soft corals without woody stems using custom methods when needed.

WARNING: THIS WEB PAGE IS DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE OUR PROCESS, BUT IS NOT A SUBSTITUTION FOR PROPER TRAINING AND SUPERVISION...DO NOT ATTEMPT CORAL PROPAGATION IN WILD ECOSYSTEMS WITHOUT TRAINING.  ANY ATTEMPT TO PROPAGATE CORALS ONTO REEF BALLS WITHOUT PROPER CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING WILL RESULT IN TERMINATION OF REEF BALL MOLD LICENSING AGREEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROJECT.

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1. Use Coral Restoration methods to determine if propagation and planting of corals is necessary and to develop overall reef restoration strategies.  Corals can be asexually reproduced for a variety of project goals including; preservation of genetics, increasing the number of colonies, selecting specific genetic traits, re-growing a coral reef faster than with sexual reproduction, aquaculture, education, or ecotourism purposes...goals should be defined specifically before working with coral propagation technologies as propagation of corals should not be undertaken lightly and without strict supervision of Reef Ball Foundation Coral Team Leaders. 
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2. Build and Deploy prefabricated modular reef units to accept planted corals according to Coral Restoration strategy.
   
   (Different Styles of Modular Units all with Adapter Receptor Plugs built-in highlighted by red arrows)
   

3. Develop individual coral planting strategies based on overall restoration strategy.

4. Locate suitable imperiled corals.

5. Collect and transport imperiled corals to the Coral Propagation Station
   (Coral Propagation Stations are set up in shallow water or in shallow salt water tanks designed for the system)
   

6. Fragment and prepare imperiled corals for base plugging.
   
   
   (There are many different fragmenting techniques for each type of coral, this is one area where training is most useful).
   

7. Embed prepared coral fragments into base plugs
   
   
   (Reef Ball Foundation uses a special 30 second setting pH neutralized cement formulation that allows the fragments to only be out of the water for a very short period of time and is key to proper basing and survival of the fragments.)
   

8. Hold (Acropora corals only)  in temporary nursery for 24 hours & check for Rapid Tissue Necrosis 
   
   
   (Acropora species are very fast growing for hard corals, but they are most susceptible to being injured in the fragmentation process. Many special precautions are taken when working with these delicate corals such as use of sterile gloves, dipping in anti-bacterial solutions, and a 24 hour recovery period before planting.  However, they are one of the most rewarding species to work with providing beautiful coral cover in just a few years).
   
   

9. Affix coral plugs in adapter holes built into prefabricated modular reef units using 2 part underwater epoxy.
   
   
   
   
   
   (Properly based corals grow out over the plugs and epoxy putty and attached directly to the designed artificial reef module)
   
   
   

10. Monitor results and adjust techniques if  necessary

• Reef Ball Foundation Coral Propagation and Coral Rescue Team In Antigua
  
  
  

• Curocao Project(s)
  
  
  

• Bahamas RCCL Project
  
  
  

• Thailand Project(s)
  
  
  

• Maldives Project
  
  
  

• Ft. Lauderdale Project (s)
  
  
  

• Sabah Project
  
  
  

• Kuwait Project
  
  
  

• American Samoa Project
  
  
  

• Bradenton, FL Project (s)
  
  
  

• Mustique Project
  
  
  

• Puerto Rico Project
  
  
  

• Costa Rica Project
  
  
  

• Dominica Project
  
  
  

• La Reunion Island Project
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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