Coral Farm
About the Program
The reef aquarium hobby is a multi-million-dollar industry which has been growing over many years. As natural reefs continue to decline and countries ban the export of wild corals, the demand for aquacultured corals increases forcing aquarists and scientists to continue advances in culturing methods to provide beautiful and healthy corals for the aquarium trade without the need to harm the natural reefs. “Coral farming” has also allowed scientists to replant corals back into the wild to allow coral reefs to continue to grow and prosper.
The Stockton Aquarium and Aquaculture Club (SAAC), which is a non-profit/student run organization, has built a coral aquaculture lab (coral farm) which will be used to culture corals for the aquarium trade. A team of SAAC members with aid from the Marine Field Station staff and club advisor will be maintaining the farm, learning about coral husbandry and propagation as well as technology used in the hobby and the industry side. Not only is the goal for this farm to be used for growing cultured corals but to also be utilized by students, faculty and staff for classroom instructions, research and outreach programs. It is the goal of the SAAC to educate students and the public about wild conservation, sustainable collections and aquacultured products to help keep a vital ecosystem thriving.
Corals that will be propagated will either be used for research, donated for public exhibits or sold to the public. All proceeds will go to the continuation of this program. It is planned to continue expanding the project as more funding is acquired.
The Coral Farm
The farm consists of a ~120-gallon tank which houses the coral fragments (frags). The tank is filtered by a ~40-gallon sump and lite with a LED/T5 hybrid unit. Additional flow is given with a wave power head. The filtration consists of mechanical, chemical and biological filtration and the entire system is controlled and monitored with a Neptune Systems Apex with automatic top off and dosing. The main frag tank is to showcase the more advanced and high-tech areas of the reef aquarium hobby. There is also a ~75-gallon tank that will be used for holding colonies and quarantining. This tank is filtered individually by a DIY sump and is lite with a ACAN LED unit.
For more information on the program and Coral Farm please contact The SAAC. If you would like to utilize the coral farm or aquaria lab please fill out the google form.
If you would like to help support this project please visit our Donation Page.
Project Support & Sponsors
