IntelliReefs: Smart Substrates for Super Corals and Happy Fish!

Reef Life's IntelliReefs division brings advanced ocean innovations as the United Nations declared a Decade of Ocean Science

"The Science We Need for the Oceans We Want" https://www.oceandecade.org/

The Oceanite Reef Mineral Substrates have performed beautifully, creating a fish feeding, coral growing, sponge breathing reefscape, on a plain sand ocean bottom, where there was no prior reef activity, increasing the bio-diversity of marine creatures exponentially, in a short time period.

Video of IntelliReefs Deployment https://vimeo.com/325568580

The photos in the above gallery (small arrow on right) were taken in Phase Two Monitoring by the Nature Foundation, so you can see the biodiversity progression.

Oceanite mimics the complex composition and structure of natural coral reefs. Novel formulations of Oceanite were developed by Reef Life Restoration which includes high-grade limestone, aragonite, and several pozzolanic mineral components along with organic binders and nano composites. Oceanite enables the precise control of pH values, surface chemistry, and textures required for optimum spawn attraction, the rapid growth of coral embryos, and micro-fragmentation growth. Next phase efforts will focus on the incorporation of value-added features to Oceanite such as hydrophobic, photocatalytic; antibacterial and anti-inflammatory functions. The coral disease remediation and prevention is our highest priority today.

Coral reefs have location-specific environmental requirements, which Oceanite units will serve, customized to withstand environmental changes and to promote the re-growth of coral tissue in areas that have undergone bleaching and other events leading to reef death. The properties of contemporary "reef" substrates (e.g. traditional concrete, rubber tires, steel, and 3D-printed concrete structures) cannot accommodate the physiological needs of diverse marine organisms, while engineered Oceanite substrates of Intellireefs are able to be tuned to precise parameters to promote reef restoration on multiple levels.  https://www.reeflifefoundation.org/intellireefs

Phase two has established proof-of-concept for these new materials and to lay the groundwork for investigatory methods and testing protocols in a field of application where no such methods and protocols currently exist. By pushing the frontier of both the Oceanite technology and bio-compatibility evaluation procedures, this science would significantly reduce technical risks to the evolutionary development and incremental improvements in the future of global reef restoration. Given the threats to coral reefs, and the significant economic impact they have throughout the world, developing the Intellireef technology to repair coral reefs, to bring dead reefs back to life, and even expand the reefs into new locations, represents the potential for a dramatic impact within the marine restoration sector. Phase three mobilization of moveable reefs in preparation for water temperatures rising in coral colonies. Entire Intellireefs can be established where corals thrive today and moved to locations whose prior temperatures were too cold for corals in preparation for migration.

Link below is from the Original IntelliReefs Deployment in 3 locations in the Caribbean with IntelliReefs, developed by the Reef Life Restoration, were deployed at three sites: The Bridge, the Manowar Shoal Marine Protected Area and just off the landing of the Pelican Peak Zipline in Point Blanche, currently under construction by Sea to Sky Ventures. Along with Reef Life Restoration, Plant a Million Coral has significant support from Sea to Sky Ventures, the Pelican Peak developers, as well as international support from SeaLegacy, an ocean conservation organization founded by National Geographic Photographers Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen. SeaLegacy is a distinguished group of world-renowned photographers and filmmakers with a combined audience of more than 6.3 million people. 

https://www.reefliferestoration.com/single-post/2018/11/08/How-to-Build-an-IntelliReef-Caribbean-Style

With Gratitude for the Incredible site photographs and reef monitoring by Melanie Meijer zu Schlochtern, MSc Projects and Research Officer Nature Foundation St. Maarten

www.naturefoundationsxm.org

www.facebook.com/naturefoundationsxm

www.instagram.com/naturefoundationsxm

Another massive shout out to Geoff Bell, of Pelican Peak who funded the original launch! Check out the Coolest ZIP Line in the Caribbean:     https://pelicanpeaksxm.com/

For additional information including site and species specific growth parameters:  melody@reeflifefoundation.org

To become involved in next phase deployments: or Adopt A Coral:

https://www.reeflifefoundation.org/

https://naturefoundationsxm.org/2018/11/06/caribbean-wide-plant-a-million-coral-initiative-launched-on-sint-maarten/

https://www.intellireefs.com/

https://www.sealegacy.org/

http://seatoskyventures.com/uncategorized/reef-life-restoration-project/

https://www.sxm-talks.com/721news/minister-johnson-commends-nature-foundation-on-countrys-participation-in-plant-a-million-coral-initiative-2/

http://pelicanpeaksxm.com/the-plant-a-million-coral-campaign/

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