Basement coral farms may save reefs

[Gatortailale]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/07/19...s.ap/index.html

 

Basement coral farms may save reefs

 

Wednesday, July 19, 2006; Posted: 2:28 p.m. EDT (18:28 GMT)

 

Home reef aquariums have been gaining popularity in the United States since the late 1980s.

 

DRYDEN, New York (AP) -- In upstate New York, famous for its snowy winters and far from any tropical ocean, Steve Lowes is growing coral reefs in his basement.

 

The 41-year-old English-born Lowes is raising dozens of coral species for his Web-based coral business, Reef Encounters, and is one of a growing breed of coral farmer who have found a niche supporting the booming hobby of keeping aquariums, which in 2005 was a$6.9 billion market.

 

And in the process, they are also helping scientists learn more about coral and are raising public awareness about a threatened species.

 

"It brings the ecosystem to life for people in a very effective way that's much more persuasive than reading about it in a book or looking at photographs," Lowes said.

 

Scientists have identified about 2,000 species of reef-building coral. The coral reefs are typically found in the warm salt waters in region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn and cover about 1 percent of the earth's surface.

 

The reefs, some millions of years old, are among the planet's most diverse and productive ecosystems. They are formed by the skeletons of coral and algae.

 

Their value to the world economy is projected at more than $300 billion as a food source, for tourism appeal and in reducing shoreline erosion. However, they are threatened because of disease, natural disasters, pollution, overharvesting and global warming.

 

"There's something about life under the sea that attracts the human spirit. It starts with children," said Lowes, a scuba diver whose fascination with the sea began as a child watching Jacques Cousteau documentaries in the 1970s.

 

Lowes, a chemist for a pharmaceutical company, began growing coral as a hobby more than a decade ago while living in Britain. In 2002, he turned his "addiction" into a business and became a professional coral farmer.

 

Lowes raises 50 species and sells about 200 animals a month to upstate New York hobbyists and wholesalers. Depending on the species' rarity, they sell from $10 to $1,000 or more. He also helps install high-end reef aquarium systems, some of which can cost in excess of $30,000.

 

Home reef aquariums have been gaining popularity in the United States since the late 1980s, said Joe Yaillo, curator at Atlantis Marine World in Riverhead, New York, which features a 20,000-gallon tank with the nation's largest live coral reef exhibit.

 

Lowes' basement looks like a mad scientist's laboratory, with tens of thousands of dollars worth of lighting and filtration equipment hooked up to a 125-gallon aquarium and three large 100-gallon tanks.

 

He propagates his coral by breaking off millimeter-sized fragments and growing them in the tanks. They grow to about two inches in six months, when they are ready for sale and shipment. While its primary purpose is display, the aquarium also allows Lowes to study the interaction among the more than 60 species he keeps.

 

Lowes is investigating the ways corals' anti-fungal compounds could be useful to humans, one of many subjects he is working on with a Cornell University professor. Another is a project studying coral photosynthesis as part of an effort to develop improved lighting systems -- it bothers him that he must rely on fossil fuel to light and power his tanks.

 

By growing coral for home aquariums, hobbyists are reducing the need to harvest wild coral and have contributed significantly to the growing understanding of coral over the past 15 years, said Eric Borneman, a professor of coral reef biology at the University of Houston who has written extensively on coral.

 

"As scientists, we often only get snapshots of the coral we study, whether in the wild or in the lab," Borneman said. "Hobbyists are filling in the gaps by looking at coral every day, for much longer periods."

 

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Sharkb8]

Very cool article. I think the comment about burning fossil fuels for the sake of growing corals is very astute. I think, in the end, we are not going to be able to sustain natural reefs through farming corals indoors, as the CNN article suggests. However, we could act as a repository I guess, at the very least. Another idea is to begin thinking about a coral cell bank, to store coral samples long term in liquid nitrogen, etc. for future generations, should the need arise. I wonder if this is being done or thought of yet, or if it is even known if coral cells can regenerate from such low temps.

[F&Fmgr]

I guess this is a good time to announce and propose fins and feathers plan for the future....

 

Between now and next spring we will break the ground on a new 3000 sq. foot saltwater only store. I plan to eventually have close to 10000, yes ten thousand gallons on coral system and a few thousand for fish. I read a few weeks ago about the SWAP program....Id like to throw this idea out there which a business version of this program.

 

You give me a frag of your prized corals, I grow them out and sell frags of them to buying customers(business side). We will catalogue the frags abased on type and allow WAMAS members to dub the name for records and marketing sake. The frags will still be available to WAMAS members of course, but at 50% of what id be asking retail....and NO I WILL NOT BE PLAYING THE PRICE PUSH/PULL GAME! anyone that knows me and my store well can vouch for my fair prices. After all that being said, should you have a catastrophe and lose a particular coral we will have a backup for you....frags, based on my models would be available from immediately- 6 weeks. small colonies obviously will take more time for us to grow them.

 

I offer this b/c I absolutely believe this is the direction the hobby should go, also I wont have to pay $34 dollars a square foot but rather $7 a sq. foot. Therfore not costing me an arm and a leg for overhead.

 

This program I will offer to WAMAS members exclusively, which I think will help build our membership even more while at the same time offering backup livestock support to all wamas members

 

LMK what you guys think, agin this is months away.....but i thought Id throw it out there for everybody.

 

Your thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated

 

Craig if this is considered hijacking then I can repost in a new topic heading but the feedback I am looking for here has to do directly with Idea presented in your article.

 

Thanks gang,

 

Sean

 

ps...Im also trying to figure out a cool name, I initially thought of Dulles marine center, but I thoguht Our local Veterans might not like that one. PM if you think of one, dont post here cuz that would be improper.

[emissary]

Between now and next spring we will break the ground on a new 3000 sq. foot saltwater only store. I plan to eventually have close to 10000, yes ten thousand gallons on coral system and a few thousand for fish. I read a few weeks ago about the SWAP program....Id like to throw this idea out there which a business version of this program.

 

 

I offer this b/c I absolutely believe this is the direction the hobby should go, also I wont have to pay $34 dollars a square foot but rather $7 a sq. foot. Therfore not costing me an arm and a leg for overhead.

Where will you be, under water?!

 

This program I will offer to WAMAS members exclusively, which I think will help build our membership even more while at the same time offering backup livestock support to all wamas members

 

Y'know... if you and Johnny ever went into business together I think I would just keel over.

[Sharkb8]

This is an awesome idea. I would even drive the distance for a program like this. I hope it happens.

 

Dulles Marine Center is too generic. You need a name with more pop You could have a "Name my coral store" contest!