Photo by Snap55. CC by 3.0.

 Late last year, a small dot of fresh land emerged from the sea following a long series of lava flows. Located about 600 miles south of Tokyo, Japan, the new island, part of a larger structure named Nishinoshima, is part of the ecologically rich Ogasawara island chain. These events provide a rare opportunity for biologists to study–firsthand and in real time–how mature “climax communities” arise from new habitat. Originally called Niijima (or “new island’), the formation eventually merged with Nishinoshima last December. The newly-born Nishinoshima, at less than a single square mile, is presently little more than than a huge rock. Over time, however, the tiny island is expected to undergo dramatic biotic and abiotic transformation (albeit a very slow one) as ecological succession progresses. It is presumed that seabirds will develop soils as they deposit feces, vomit, feathers and carcasses. Both birds and ocean and wind currents will serve as vectors, bringing small plant and animal invaders to the island. Future growth rates of the formation cannot be accurately calculated at this time, as the lava deposition continues; no one is sure when the lava flow will stop, or whether it will keep pace with erosion occurring at the island’s margins. But, researchers have already begun to take measures to ensure that the site remains uncontaminated by humans. It is presently being observed by air only. When the time comes to study the area up close, biologists will use only sterilized or brand new field equipment. If successfully isolated and monitored, Nishinoshima will provide a valuable glimpse into the processes of habitat development and ecological succession for years and perhaps centuries. For more information about this new island, please visit: http://www.volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=284096.… More:

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What tells you that a fish is healthy?

We’ve returned again because we simply can’t help it. This week’s topics include MASNA scholarships, Bryopsis, mollusk tanks, healthy fish characteristics, floors for fish tanks, and Acropora resistance. Download the podcast here, or subscribe to our podcasts at iTunes. Also, follow us on Twitter at reefthreads.—Gary and Christine

Sponsor: Rod’s Food
Rod’s Food website

MASNA scholarships
The MASNA student scholarship page

Fed acros are tough acros
Feeding Acropora helps them handle elevated temperatures and CO2, Leonard Ho, Advanced Aquarist

The floor under your tank
Floor selection for reef room, WindeyD, Reef2Reef.

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Recently, Madagascar has begun to export aquarium fishes. Some species are mostly the same as from other locales, such as Coral Beauty Angelfish (Centropyge bispinosa) and Midas Blenny (Ecsenius midas). One anomaly is the Red Head Linear Blenny (Ecsenius cf lineatus), which appears to be a species new to science. The genus Ecsenius is a common combtooth blenny found on shallow coral reefs throughout most of the Indo-Pacific, with the exception of Hawaii. These small reef fish are usually omnivores, and usually make great aquarium specimens. Though a handful of the 53 recognized species occur throughout the genus’ range, most species are usually restricted to a small group of islands within a country or body of water, such as the mimic blenny (Ecsenius gravieri), which is restricted to the Red Sea. The linear blenny (Ecsenius lineatus), also known as Klausewitz’s blenny, Is regularly encountered in Indian Ocean shipments from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Maldives. The “regular” linear blenny as described, reaches 9 cm, with a mostly monochromatic body with either a stripe down its lateral line or boxed pattern on its side. The red head morph has a bright red stripe running at the base of the dorsal fin, with a second red stripe running from the nape slightly past the end of the third “box”. In displaying and stressed fishes, the head will also turn bright red or orange, with the rest of the body lightening to a pale silver. The largest of the Madagascar species surpasses the maximum TL to 10cm. Though some regular morphs do exhibit the red line down the back, none seen to date exhibit the secondary stripe, nor the red head.Like other members of its genus, the red head linear blenny should be kept one per tank. A varied diet of mysids and algae is ideal for long term health. Some specimens will graze off the rocks, while others will snatch food from the water column. These blennies are collected at a depth of 5-15m (15-45ft), so will thrive in a reef tank and appreciate crevices within the reef structure to hide in. It should be noted that some species will nibble on coral, such as Montipora and Cyphastrea, especially if not fed enough. References: http://www.fishbase.org/summary/7567http://fishbase.org/Nomenclature/ValidNameList.php?syng=Ecsenius&syns=&vtitle=Scientific+Names+where+Genus+Equals+%3Ci%3EEcsenius%3C%2Fi%3E&crit2=CONTAINS&crit1=EQUALhttp://www.qualitymarine.com/News/Species-Spotlight/Highly-Underrated-Fish—Klausewitz%27s-Blenny-%2806/23/14%29 Notes: cf refers to a species that should be compared to an existing species that is already described. TL refers to the total length of the fish, including the tail … More:

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Adult rockmover wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus)In a previous post titled “Marine Fish Bait and Switch—5 Adorable Juveniles that Blossom into Brutes,” I listed the rockmover wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus), aka the reindeer wrasse or the dragon wrasse, among four other species that are typically sold in the marine aquarium trade as cute little youngsters but mature into very different adults. However, despite its surprising (for those who didn’t do their advance research) transformation, I think N. taeniourus remains a worthy aquarium species provided certain accommodations are made. That notorious physical transformationDepending on where they’re collected, the juveniles (the stage at which they’re typically sold), are either green or burgundy with dark brown and white mottling. Their color and patterning allow them to camouflage among growths of algae. They also possess two greatly elongated dorsal spines that vaguely resemble a deer’s antlers, giving rise to the “reindeer wrasse” moniker. Perhaps not surprisingly, owing to their cuteness, juveniles often tempt unwary hobbyists into an ill-considered purchase. Juvenile N.

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Good morning friends, I had a few people asking about my pet Ghost Shrimp so just for you I went out and shot some new photos. This little thing is dripping with personality and expression, I really enjoy spending time with him on the sand. I always bring him a fresh handful of algae and dangle it over his little hole. Upon seeing the algae he will race to the surface and take them out of my hand, he is really not very shy! I will sometimes lay a pile of food next the hole and he will grab it and somehow drag it all down inside his home?? If you saw how much food he is taking down you would think he lives in a giant cave or something, I would love to see the burrow this guy has built!

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Now, everyone who partakes (responsibly) in the hobby of reef keeping is a Rock Star in our book, but “everyone” doesn’t make for a very exciting contest, now does it?It’s always interesting to see how people fill their glass boxes, and the skeletal structure, the foundation, of every tank is the rockwork. And it’s all about how you place those rocks – “Aquascaping” is an art form in and of itself and can make the difference between a mediocre tank and a show-stopping one (along with mimicking a natural environment suitable for your inhabitants)So we want to put your aquascaping skills to the test! Show us a picture of your rockin’ tank in the comments below and we’ll select the top three entries along with the folks of Real Reef, the gorgeous, eco-friendly live rock alternative, to win a 25-pound box of Real Reef Rock. Only rule? It MUST be your tank! Please include yourself in the picture, or for the camera shy, a hand-written sign with your name and some variation of “I’m a Real Rock Star”. You’ve got two weeks, let’s see your reefs on the rocks! … More:

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Many of us in the reef industry and aquarium arts community have tattoos. Is it any wonder, considering how many hours we’ve dedicated to the art and science of cultivating the beauty of our aquatic world? For today’s Tattoo Tuesday, let’s play a game. Do you know which reef aquarium professional this tattoo close-up belongs to? Leave your guess in the comments below!  … More:

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It’s been about a year since we reported our best success to date with rearing yellow tang, having gotten larvae through to day 83. Since then we’ve had some repeated successes getting the larvae past the first month or so, but never any quite as far along as that cohort from last January. Frustratingly, we seem to have taken a few steps backward again (as seems more common in this field than not), and are now struggling to keep the larvae going past the first week.  We have been revisiting the protocols used from that successful period to ask a lot of questions pertaining to why that worked then, and not now. Yellow Tang larvae reared at OI. A=14 dph, B=24 dph, C=36 dph, D=45 dph, E=50 dph, F=60 dph

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I’ve got a strong hunch that you setup a saltwater tank to stock it with beautiful inhabitants for your viewing pleasure. I’m also got a strong hunch that 99% of the time, you view those inhabitants from the side -i.e. through your tank’s side panels. I’ll make one more hypothesis – as your corals start growing, you really, really would like to take some great photos of them.

Here’s some insider information for you – corals always look much better when viewed from the top down. Therefore, if you want some great photos of your corals, try taking them from above. But how do you do that without getting your camera wet?

The answer: the top-down viewer for cameras

Avast Marine Work’s Top-Down Porthole

Top-down viewers that are built for cameras give you an easy and safe way to keep your camera dry, while giving you access to stunning top-down shots. The way they work is simple. A water proof sleeve goes around your camera’s lens. The top-down viewer is secured to the camera’s lens through set screws and the viewer is rotated to zoom in or out to get closer to the subject matter. Note that the focus ring isn’t accessible when the viewer is attached to the camera so auto focus has to be enabled.

While most top-down viewers are meant for cameras with detachable lenses, there are versions available for smart phones like Avast Marine Work’s Smartphone Top-Down Porthole

If you’re using a DSLR/SLR camera or a smart phone, a top-down viewer gives you stunning photos of a completely new way to view your livestock. Corals display different colors and clams especially can look dramatically different when viewed from the top down.

Compare these photos of an acan colony.  The side photo shows mostly red and a hint of orange/yellow:

Here’s the same colony viewed from the top. Notice how the orange/yellow band jumps out in this photo. Plus the coral now looks more orange vs. deep red:

Checkout this photo of a clam taken from the side:

Here’s a top down photo of the same clam:

It looks like a completely different clam, yet it is the same specimen.

Top-down viewing of your tank opens up a whole new world that makes for some great eye candy. And for your FOWLR types, don’t worry, even your fish look different when viewed from the top-down.

(Special thanks to Josh at Murfreesboro Aquatics for the photos)

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To put a lid on it or not to put a lid on it, that is the question!Okay, with profuse apologies to the Melancholy Dane, the point I’d like to mull over in today’s post is whether it’s a good idea to use cover glasses on marine aquariums—you know, those oft-hinged glass or acrylic lids that are available in various dimensions to fit tightly atop aquariums of different sizes. As with so many aspects of the marine aquarium hobby, there’s no all-encompassing right or wrong answer to this question. Suffice it to say that cover glasses may be appropriate in some circumstances but totally inappropriate in others. To determine what’s best for your system, consider these cover glass pros and cons: Pros: Having a cover glass in place reduces evaporation, which in turn can reduce the size and frequency of freshwater top-offs and helps lower the humidity in the room housing the aquarium. Fish prone to jumping or slithering out of a tank are kept in the aquarium where they belong. Some fish, such as eels, and even certain invertebrates, such as octopuses, are such good escape artists that a tight-fitting lid is a must when keeping them. However, for many fish species, there are alternatives to glass/acrylic lids that may do the same job, e.g., covers made of some type of mesh or screening material or plastic egg crate. The light fixture is better protected from splashes and corrosive salt spray.

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Last week I wrote about the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) voting on whether to keep buying dolphins from the notorious town of Taiji (made famous by the movie ‘the cove).  The latest update to the article is that the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) issued a letter to Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA).  The letter essentially informed Jaza that they would need to stop using dolphins caught in the Taiji hunt or WAZA would suspend the Japanese organization’s membership. In response JAZA stated it would suspend use of the Taiji Dolphins. This move has been applauded by conservation groups . MORE… More:

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ABOUT Avid outdoorsman and underwater photographer, Barry Brown has spent the last ten years documenting life above and below water in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. He is currently working with the Smithsonian Institution documenting new Caribbean deep-water species and building a one of a kind database. His underwater images can regularly be seen in Sport Diver, Scuba Diver and on the Ikelite website. His image of a "Collage of Corals" seen under blue-light at night recently placed in the TOP 10 images for the 2014 NANPA (North American Nature Photographers Association) photo contest. Pages

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Here is a captive grown colony of Cortez Favia. 7 Polyps to full colony in 1 year.

 One of my life goals is to become a key player in the restoration of coral reefs. Until that time comes, I get to play pretend with one of the world’s largest thriving reef tanks, Joe Yaiullo’s 20,000 gallon behemoth. Last year, Joe noticed how several of our (ReefGen’s) Cortez Favia frags had fused into large, healthy colonies, and asked me to make him one for his tank. I happily agreed. As an aside, this technique is also used by Jamie Craigs from the Horniman Museum and Aquarium to produce spawning-size Acropora colonies in a short amount of time. Joe’s front colony, pictured above, was originally seven individual polyps grown on ReefGen frag plugs. After sufficient growth was achieved, I placed all the frags on a custom mount to create the substrate for the corals to grow onto and into a full size colony. I made the colony in a fractal shape to give a more dynamic and natural look in a shorter amount of time. Below is a picture of another Cortez Favia colony, this one tucked in among several other coral, mostly SPS. This Favia is hardy and can handle a wide range of parameters; the colony closer to the front viewing panel receives less flow and light and tends to encrust more while the colony in higher flow and light is becoming more mound-shaped, and the competition it faces around the colony edges is encouraging it to grow steadily upwards. 

Bright Green Eyes of Cortez Favia peaking out from a cluster of SPS

 I’m so pleased with the growth and health of these colonies, and will continue to make more, both for myself and, hopefully, We are making more of the colonies for ourselves and hope to offer them more widely in the future.  … More:

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Blue Heron Bridge

 While at the Eastern Academy of Scuba Education (EASE), located in Vero Beach, FL, I quickly learned about the Blue Heron Bridge. The bridge is an intercostal waterway just inside the Lake Worth Inlet. In Florida, it’s become a sort of shore diving legend among divers. For macro-photographers the bridge is legendary as a spot to get close ups of seahorses, frogfish, pipefish and even octopus and squid. While attending EASE, I had the pleasure of visiting the bridge a few times and it somehow reminded me of the shore diving atmosphere on the island of Bonaire, just with a lot more traffic, no gin clear water or beautiful female Dutch dive masters; okay it didn’t remind me of Bonaire. Recently though, the Blue Heron Bridge has erupted in locked horns between divers and those collecting fish for their marine aquarium.  During a Facebook rant, one diver spoke about how he forced a collector to return a seahorse he had caught for his aquarium. What really outraged the diver is the fact that collecting marine life around Blue Heron Bridge is illegal. Except that it isn’t. It is illegal to collect fish for industry or sale, but private aquarists can obtain a permit from Palm Beach County to collect marine life for their own aquariums. In reality, it’s very plausible that the person the diver accosted was collecting marine life legally, and under no legal obligation to return what he had collected. Events around the Blue Heron Bridge have made me question a practice that many aquarists are familiar with, collecting animals from the wild and putting them in our aquariums. I’d be a hypocrite to bash wild collection. As a child, I collected tadpoles, fish, crayfish and a variety of other animals from the streams and lakes around my home. My cousins and I would spend hours collecting crayfish, sometimes well over a dozen, from a large stream that ran through my grandmother’s property. In many ways, collecting animals locally was how I started gaining traction as an aquarist. Wild collection by aquarists isn’t an uncommon thing. I know aquarists from all over who collect local wildlife and keep them in their aquarium. When done by someone capable of identifying marine life and caring for it, the result can be quite good. Problems arise when someone with little respect for the animal, and ignorance about how to care for it, heads out and starts collecting.… More:

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There is no such thing as an unprocessed “image,” but the degree of said processing can vary greatlyOften the subject of heated online debate is the post processing of coral photos—the manipulation of the coral image by software to tweak color and exposure levels. Post processing of coral images is a particularly hot-button issue because it is possible to abuse it. Hobbyists unfamiliar with the practice may decide to purchase a coral online based on a stunning photo and be disappointed once they receive it because the photo was the result of heavy post processing. Half the equationSome in the reefkeeping hobby associate post processing with deceptive trade practices, which is unfortunate because post processing is merely a tool. That may be an understatement because post processing is half of digital photography. Let me repeat that: Post processing is half of photography. Let’s say, for example, that you are hiring a wedding photographer and the first candidate proclaims he doesn’t do any post processing and whatever comes straight out of the camera is what makes it to print.

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Eshopps has just released a new line of sumps that integrate their Channel Design system to optimize the flow pattern in the system.  Instead of a standard trickle/overflow system where the water moves from one area to the next, the ECD sumps force the water through the various sections through some clever engineering and acrylic work.  The pattern allows for the water to have a nice slow route through the fuge or filtration area before returning to the tank.  You can check out the intended use below.  Be sure to reach out to our friends at Eshopps for more info!.
… More:

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Today we will review an important coral anatomy lesson. Did you know that corals have a dual use mouth-anus combo? It’s true! Sometimes, when we refer to certain LPS coral or Zoanthids, we talk about mouths or eyes. But the label “mouth” is only half true. Folks, what we’re really talking about is mouths AND butts. It’s entirely accurate to say “How many butts does that Acan colony have?” In celebration of this two way street, enjoy this musical treat!   … More:

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Aerial view of Biscayne Bay, Government Cut, and Fisher Island encircled in deep dredge silt Over the past eighteen months, the Army Corps of Engineers’ Deep Dredge of PortMiami has continuously released dirty water throughout Biscayne Bay and onto our surrounding reefs. The dredging will continue until at least August 2015. Over the course of the Dredge we have observed levels of suspended silt far beyond what is environmentally acceptable or healthy in a coral reef environment, and in areas well outside the area where the Army Corps predicted. One of Coral Morphologic’s biggest concerns during the Deep Dredge has been the well-being of the hybrid fused-staghorn coral (Acropora prolifera) colonizing the Fisher Island side of Government Cut. This coral is what kickstarted our interest in documenting the extent of coral colonization within Miami’s coastal waterways, and was the subject of Colin’s 2011 TEDxMIA talk. The concerns we expressed to the State of Florida about this coral is ultimately what led them to provide us with permits to rescue corals from the dredging far offshore… but not for the hybrid itself (or any other corals on Fisher Island). [embedded content] Colin’s 2011 TEDxMIA talk on Hybrid Acropora living within Miami city limits In addition to this highly unusual hybrid Acropora coral living within the shipping channel, we have found a variety of other Acroporid corals living on the seawalls of Fisher Island. There are at least three colonies of federally-protected Elkhorn corals (Acropora palmata) and 2 different morphotypes of hybrid Acropora prolifera. As far as we know, Coral Morphologic are the only researchers documenting these critically important corals growing along man-made shorelines in Florida. Typically, elkhorn corals are found miles offshore on the outer reef crest where they receive clean water and strong water movement. Elkhorn corals were once the most important reef-building corals in the Caribbean, and the most effective coral species at dissipating hurricane storm surges for coastal communities. But since the early 1980’s more than 95% of the populations across the region have succumbed to highly infectious diseases. One such disease, white pox, has even been proven to be a human gut pathogen transmitted to the elkhorn coral via human waste from leaky septic tanks and offshore piping of sewage. In fact, white pox is the first known pathogen to be transmitted from a human to a marine invertebrate species. Over the past 5 years we have watched as these colonies of elkhorn coral wax and wane. Some years they will show remarkable growth, while another year they lose multiple sub-colony branches to white pox. However, over the past year (during the Deep Dredge), we have observed a precipitously steep decline in their health. We now feel that their survival is endangered enough by the continuing dredge silt that their plight needs to made public, and that their long-term well-being is ensured. [embedded content] Fisher Island Elkhorn Coral pre-dredge/ mid-dredge health survey It should be noted that the Virginia Key Wastewater Treatment Plant sits just ½ mile (760 m) away across Norris Cut… putting these corals within potential reach of air or waterborne contamination. Furthermore, these elkhorn corals are living on the outside of the Fisher Island marina which houses a multitude of luxury yachts, along with the occasional sewage, petroleum, or chemical spill. Despite it being less than a square kilometer in size, luxurious Fisher Island features a 9-hole golf course and lush landscaping indicative of frequent fertilizer use and runoff. The likelihood of the Federally-protected elkhorn coral self-recruiting and growing to adult size in such a manmade environment defies conventional logic when taking all these factors into consideration. Therefore, these particular elkhorn corals on Fisher Island could be invaluable to the scientific understanding of the adaptability, resilience, and restoration potential of such a keystone coral species. Furthermore, the elkhorn corals of Fisher Island are surviving in an extremely shallow sub-tidal zone where they are subject to direct sunlight and intense UV radiation. At one point in time these colonies were up to 1.5 meters in diameter. What appears now to be multiple independent branches of living elkhorn coral are all that remain of a previously contiguous mother colony. Partial die-off of coral colonies presents a dilemma for coral researchers, as it can create the illusion of multiple smaller colonies, when actually they are all clones of each other. One upside to having discontiguous colony for research is that a single branch can be removed for transplantation without risking the rest of the colony to a subsequent infection. In the past year, both of the elkhorn colonies living on the Norris Cut side of Fisher Island have demonstrated significant mortality, and evidence of white pox. Both colonies have undergone approximately 60-70% mortality since the dredging began, but appear to have stabilized during the previous cooler months. Without direct intervention we are concerned that these elkhorn colonies may not survive through summer 2015. More distressing is the clear evidence of dredge silt that has lethally smothered neighboring brain and star corals that were simply rested horizontally onto boulders when transplanted there by Army Corps subcontractors. Upon trying to fan off the silt that was choking these corals, we noticed that many were not even cemented in place as required. Rather, they were simply placed on the flat upper surfaces of the seawall boulders and left to their own devices. Even a small storm (let along a hurricane) can easily flip these unattached corals off their perches and upside down in the sediment. Whoever was paid to transplant these corals did a completely negligent job, and without any regard for the future success and settlement of the corals. An unacceptable number of these corals have already died from dredge sediment stress or simply from being dislodged from their perches. Some accountability is required for the deaths of these corals. [embedded content] Fisher Island silt-smothered coral survey Read more about our proposed solution to ensure the future survival of Fisher Island’s unique Acropora corals in Part 2. Tags: Coral Morphologic, Fisher Island, Miami This entry was posted on Thursday, May 21st, 2015 at 4:55 pm and is filed under Research. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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 A group of ex-pats in Indonesia have devised a rather ingenious, and cool looking, plan to help save our coral reefs using bio rock technology. This structure is in Gili Trawangan, a small island, one of the three islands which makes up the ‘Gili Islands’, off the coast of Indonesia. What was previously an off the map destination is now a much more visited tourist destination, ripe with western comforts. However, as expected, more human interaction causes more potential harm to its coral reefs. Between dive tourism and fisherman, plus pollution and global warming, the reefs are under attack. The Biorock project was started a decade ago by Delphine Robbe, the manager of Gili Eco Trust. Robbe was a dive instructor, originally from France, who wanted to create a solution to the problem.  By placing these steel structures under the water, biorock technology allows coral life to thrive. For example, under the Gili water, a motor bike sits atop a steel structure that resembles a speed bump. The bio rock technology allows low voltage electric currents to run through the steel, which causes limestone to grow on the structure. The limestone eventually solidifies and it becomes a perfect substrate for coral growth. When divers see injured corals, they move the corals to the structure, where it can heal at up to 50 times faster than its normal rate. Once healed they move the divers move the coral back to the open sea. MORE… More:

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This story hits close to home for me, living just miles away from Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, I’m quite familiar with the harrowing scene of rows of abandoned looking, underwater tires. An estimated 700,000 tires were dumped into the ocean off the State Park. During the 1970’s, this was a very popular idea of usage for old tires, with the hope to recreate artificial reefs. As i wrote about just a few weeks ago, similar tire reefs are around the world, with the most recent clean up taking place off the coast of South France.Unfortunately, while well intended, the tire reefs were quite a fail. Instead of creating marine life, the tires actually were pulled through the currents, thereby killing live corals on impact. The Florida Department of Environmental  Protection has budgeted 1.6 million dollars to clean up the tires. The two year project is estimated to remove about 90,000 of the tires, those which are closest to the coral reefs. The tires will be hauled out by commercial divers, who use helmets and airlines tethered to the ship. Once removed,t he tires will be taken to Tampa, where they will be taken to an energy plant, to generate electricity. Although this just a small amount of the tires which are out there, it is a start in the right direction.  MORE… More:

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