Why Build Reefs

Man's activities and natural disasters have led to a reductions in our natural reef systems.
Recreationally, growth in sports fishing, scuba diving, and boating has increased the
pressures on these systems. Commercially, our seafood industry is dependent on developing
the ocean to enable ever larger, yet sustainable, harvests. The loss of our natural systems,
coupled with increased use, COMPELS US TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SAVE
NATURAL REEFS. Even so, the natural reefs cannot rebuild themselves fast enough to
meet human demands. Long lasting artificial reefs are useful tools for restoring our reef
systems to a natural and productive balance. The key to making the decision to build a reef is
having a properly defined set of project goals. Once these goals are established, it is possible
to design a specific artificial reef that will accomplish that particular set of goals. It's not a
simple process but the Reef Ball Foundation has completed a "Step by Step Guide for Reef
Rehabilitation for Grassroots Organization" that will help you decide if designed artificial
reefs are right for your project.

What's Involved & How Are They Made?

Reef Balls are made by pouring concrete into a fiberglass mold (shown) containing a central
Polyform buoy surrounded by various sized inflatable balls to make holes. There are over a
dozen different standard mold sizes and custom sizes are possible. Molds obtained from the
Reef Ball Foundation are generally supplied with spare parts, tool kits, starting concrete
additive supplies, and training. Sometimes, additional items such as coral propagation kits are
added. Usually, clients only need to supply some plywood to build the base, a source of
compressed air, and a fresh water supply. Any type of concrete can generally be used,
including end-of-day waste, but additives such as microsilica and a high range water reducer
are needed to give the Reef Balls high strength and to make the concrete suitable for marine
life growth.
We provides clients with customer
concrete specifications for their
particular biological use and if
admixtures are not available
locally then we can supply the
additives. Building an artificial
reef usually requires artificial reef
permits or access to use a
permitted area. The Reef Ball
Group can help clients get or
secure permission to use a permit.
A training manual on how to use the molds and how to deploy the modules is also included
with the mold systems, but most clients host a couple of certified Reef Ball trainers for about
a week to get set up and casting Reef Balls efficiently and safely. We can provide additional
specific on-site training such as coral propagation, coral planting, anchoring, bottom
surveying, site assessment, monitoring or any other aspect involving artificial reef projects to
make sure your project goes smoothly. Special programs are available to subsidize university
research projects and other worthy projects through the Reef Ball Foundation. Reef Ball
Foundation also encourages participation in projects by private organizations as we match

projects needing sponsorship with companies that want to help the environment while gaining
excellent press exposure.

Floating Deployment

Whirlpooling Shape of Side Holes

[Wind tunnel tests at FIT showing effect of

holes on current flow]
Natural reefs are variable in size, shape and
hole density. Artificial reefs function better
when they mimic nature. The balls which
create holes are inflated to different
Reef Balls are cast around an extremely durable pressures to vary hole sizes. You can move
the hole creating balls around in your mold
Polyform bladder which are supplied with
to create holes exactly where you want
molds. This bladder can be left in the unit to
provide flotation so the Reef Ball can be towed them. Interconnected holes are possible by
inflating the balls until they touch. Most
behind any size boat. Once at the site, the
bladder is deflated and removed. When divers holes are designed so they create whirlpools
are used, the unit can be placed precisely on the around the Reef Balls helping to nourish
marine life that is attached to the reef. The
sea floor with a controlled descent, making
way the balls are squeezed against the
repairs to damaged reefs possible without
endangering natural reefs. Floating deployments molds during casting makes the inside and
outside of the holes smaller than the interior
are useful in small projects when towing
cavity created and that creates the whirlpool
distances are less than 5-10 miles. This is an
effect. Every Reef Ball molds comes with a
especially important feature in developing
set of attachment adapter plugs that fit the
countries were access to barges and lift
equipment can be limited or expensive. Multiple mold shells and create specific sized
indentions onto the surfaces of the Reef
units can be towed behind a single boat. Seas
should be 3-4 feet or less. Recommended towing Balls for purposes of attaching items once
speed is 2-3 knots, but techniques are available the Reef Ball has been deployed. The
to attain 4-5 knots for long hauls. For most larger attached items can include standardized
coral fragment disks fostering live coral
projects, the units can be deployed by barge
growth, tags for the purposes of scientific
without divers and we have specialized tools
available to make this easier such as a Wanger research or plaques such as signage for
underwater snorkeling trails. Since hole
automatic release hook.. Divers are required
sizes and placement can be modified, every
when deploying on any site that contains live
Reef Ball will have a unique look....creating
corals within 300 meters of the intended
the visual diversity commonly associated
location.
with reefs. Additional casting techniques are

taught by our trainers so users can

customize to fit any need such as specific
hole shapes for octopus nesting, lobster
shelter, blenny hideouts, or long spiny sea
urchin day shelter. The void spaces in the
interior of the Reef Balls can also be
customized, such as filling partially with
rocks or conch shells to modify fish
populations such as shifting the habitat to
favor juvenile fish or to increase biomass
production.

Surface Textures

[The
Above Close Up Shows Aggregate Exposed By Using Sugar Water
On Molds]

Marine Friendly
Concrete
The concrete used to
make Reef Balls
features W.R. Grace's
Force 10,000 micro
silica to create a super
high strength, abrasion
resistant, concrete that
has a pH similar to
natural sea water. This
is unlike regular
concrete which has a
surface pH as high as
12. This high pH (the
sea has a natural pH of
8.3) can inhibit the
settlement and growth
of many species of
marine life including
some larval corals.
Micro silica gives Reef
Balls an expected life of
500 or more years.

A variety of surface textures that enhance the settlement of marine

life are available. A popular surface texture is made by spraying
sugar water onto the surfaces of the mold before casting. After the
cement mixture hardens, the mold panels are removed and the last
1/2 inch of concrete remains unhardened. A rough stony surface is
exposed by rinsing the module with a garden hose. All surfaces are
enhanced by the use of an air
entrainment admixture. This nontoxic, soapy-like additive creates
tiny pockets in the concrete which
pits the surface of the Reef Balls.
Other admixrtures
These pits offer tiny marine
organisms (such as larval corals) a include a high range
place to easily attach themselves. water reducer, and
microfibers. Reef Balls
are made without using
[This is a Bay Ball(tm) which
weighs 325 pounds and is 3 feet any iron rebar that
would cause cement to
wide and 2 1/2 feet high. Three
eventually degrade in
different surface textures were

applied (rubber mat, surface retarder, and air entrainment).]

Stability & Longevity

sea water.

Simple Easy To
Use Portable
Molds

We provide mold
systems that have
been used in
thousands of work
sites and are
simple, efficient
and easy to use.
Molds pack down
for shipping on
simple pallets and
will fit easily into
a pick-up truck.
We've even
carried many of
Reef Balls are designed so that over half of the weight is in the bottom nearthe smaller sized
the sea floor. All sizes of Reef Balls have withstood, without movement, molds as checked
heavy tropical storms in as little as 20 feet of water without anchors. Reef luggage on an
airplane.
Balls are stable because the opening in the top of the unit breaks up the
lifting force of the hydrofoil effect common to dome shapes. Side holes are
wider near the center of the walls and narrow near the units surface. This For current mold
feature creates miniature vortexes which further reduce lifting forces and pricing, go here
bring rich nutrients to life on the reef. Reef Balls can be cast up to double
the standard weight to accommodate high energy zones, or they can be cast
at 75% of the standard weight to save concrete for bay, deep or protected
water locations. Our staff will help you determine the best way to insure
stability.
Check out our Stability Analysis By Florida Institute of Technology

Reef Ball Sizes Chart.

<="Standard" style
Reef Ball.

"Layer Cake" style=>.

There are 9 different standard sizes ranging from as small as a basketball to as large as a car 8
feet high.

Left to Right: Oyster, Lo-Pro, Mini-Bay, Bay, Pallet, Ultra, Super, Goliath, Goliath w/Booster
Ring.
<<=Smaller Sizes
Largest Size ==>

We also offer Model sized reef balls for displays and they come in Large (6 inch diameter),
Medium (4 inch diameter) and Small (3 inch diameter)

We give different sized Reef Balls names in an effort to differentiate them. If you work with
the molds on a project you will learn the names by heart, but don't fret if you just emails you
want the 4 foot tall size we'll help you figure it out. For a quick primer, use this sizing chart..
Style

Width

Height

Weight

Concrete
Volume

Surface
Area

#
Holes

Goliath
Booster
Ring

6 feet, 6
inches
(2 m)

3 feet
(1 m)

4,000-6,000
lbs. (1,8182,727 kg.)b

1.3 yard3
(1.19 m3)

180 ft2

15-25

Goliath

6 feet (1.83 5 feet

m)
(1.52 m)

4,000-6,000
lbs. (1,8182,727 kg.)

1.3 yard3
(1.19 m3)

230 ft2
25-40
(21.4 m2)

4.5 feet
(1.37 m)

4,000-6,000
lbs (1,8182,727 kg.)

1.3 yard3
(1.19 m3)

190 ft2
22-34
(17.6 m2)

0.9 yard3
(0.76 m3)

150 ft2
22-34
(13.9 m2)

6 feet
Super Ball
(1.83 m)

Ultra Ball

5.5 feet
(1.68 m)

4.3 feet
(1.31 m)

3,500-4,500
lbs.
(1,591-2,045
kg.)

Reef Ball

6 feet
(1.83 m)

3.8 feet
(1.16 m)

3000-4200
lbs.
(1364-1,909
kg.)

0.75 yard3
(0.57 m3)

130 ft2
22-34
(12.1 m2)

4 feet
Pallet Ball
(1.22 m)

2.9 feet
(0.88 m)

1500-2200
lbs.
(682-1,000
kg.)

0.33 yard3
(0.25 m3)

75 ft2
(7.0 m2)

17-24

Bay Ball

3 feet
(0.91 m)

2 feet
(0.61 m)

375-750 lbs. 0.10 yard3

(170-341 kg.) (0.08 m3)

30 ft2
(2.8 m2)

11-16

Mini-Bay
Ball

2.5 feet
(0.76 m)

1.75 feet
(0.53 m)

150-200 lbs.
(68-91 kg.)

less than 4
50 lb. bags

8-12

Lo-Pro

2 feet
(0.61 m)

1.5 feet
(0.46 m)

80-130 lbs.
(36-59 kg.)

less than 2
50 lb. bags

6-10

Oyster

1.5 feet
(0.46 m)

1 foot
(0.30 m)

30-45 lbs.
(14-20 kg.)

less than 1
50 lb. bag

6-8

Sizes in red are typically only used for submerged breakwater applications. Other sizes are
more typical for standard artificial reef projects.