Watch Pacific Coral Reef  live: Bright, beautiful and overflowing with life, coral reefs are among the most incredible natural wonders in the world. Often thought of as rocks or plants, corals are actually made up of invertebrates called polyps. These polyps can range in size from a millimeter to a foot in diameter. The polyps group together, forming a colony, and use calcium carbonate from the ocean to build a protective skeleton. Generally, corals are classified as either hard or soft corals. Hard corals are the framework of the reef. As these corals grow in colonies, they create skeletons. Soft corals are soft and bendable, looking more like plants. These organisms form a visually stunning and biologically important foundation for many ocean inhabitants, from tiny fish to large apex predators like sharks. Though coral reefs constitute less than one percent of the ocean floor, they support an estimated 25 percent of ocean life, serving as critical spawning, nursery, breeding and feeding grounds for thousands of species.

- Jack Cover, General Curator, National Aquarium The loss of thriving coral reefs has real consequences, and not just to their many inhabitants. Besides being essential habitats for fish, coral reefs have a measurable value to those who live on land. Because they essentially serve as mountain ranges for the ocean's coastlines, they deflect the energy of brutal storms that might otherwise decimate coastal communities. In fact, in areas where we have experienced tsunamis, the areas with coral reefs fared much better than those without. Chemical compounds unique to coral reefs are especially useful for medicinal purposes. Researchers have used coral amalgams to treat ailments including ulcers, skin cancers and heart disorders. Once the correct formula is identified, the medicines can be synthetically mass-produced . And of course, the natural beauty of coral reefs makes them attractive for tourists, too. Visitors from all over the world flock to the Florida Keys, Barbados, Indonesia, Australia and other destinations to get a closer look.

Most of these areas rely heavily on tourism for economic growth and sustainability, so preserving coral reefs is vital to their economies. All told, the economic value of coral reefs has been estimated to be $375 billion per year. Sadly, coral reefs are highly threatened. Storm damage, invasive species, climate change, coastal development and commercial use are just a few of the threats. Corals are extremely sensitive, so even small sifts in light, temperature and water acidity can be detrimental. Many of the choices that we make every day contribute to the devastation of coral reefs. Coral is able to grow and repair itself, but needs precisely the right environment to do so. In order for many coral species to thrive, they must have exposure to bright sunlight. Clear-water environments are necessary for corals to receive the maximum amount of direct light. Pollution in our water from runoff and other chemicals can cause excessive amounts of algae to grow on its surface. This process, called eutrophication, clouds the water and prevents coral from getting the sun that it needs.

According to a report by the World Research Institute, 75 percent of the world's reefs are considered threatened. In addition to chemical pollutants, coral reefs are also threatened by ocean acidification caused by the burning of fossil fuels. This process sends a deluge of carbon dioxide into the air, forming carbonic acid. Destructive fish practices, such as the use of cyanide to attract specific types of fish, also contribute to the devastation of coral reefs.boyu fish tank bangalore While the future of coral reefs may appear bleak, there's still a lot we can do to protect these aquatic treasures! fish tanks for sale tewkesburyThe individual choices that we make each day CAN make a difference in the future health of our ocean.fish tanks for sale warrnambool

Sea anemones are polyps that attach to surfaces with an adhesive foot, called a basal disc. Their column-shaped bodies end in an oral disc, and they can have anywhere from a dozen to a few hundred tentacles. This small, disc-shaped fish is easily recognized by its tasseled first dorsal fin; long, tapering second dorsal fin; and deeply forked tail, or caudal fin. While many of our visitors point and declare “hammerhead!” when they see this shark cruising through the exhibit, the bonnethead shark is easily distinguished from its much larger cousin. The green moray is actually brown! The yellow tint of the mucus that covers its body, in combination with the drab background color, gives the fish its namesake green appearance. The percula clownfish is the most well known of the 29 species of clownfish. There are nearly 2,000 species of sea stars in the world’s oceans. Like most pufferfish, the spotfin porcupinefish can draw in water to inflate itself.

When it does, sharp spines on its body stick out, which is how it got its name. As a defense, yellow sea cucumbers can expel their internal organs—then quickly regenerate them. This reef-dwelling fish is known for its bright yellow body.The end result of the manufacturing and growing process is a beautiful natural three dimensional coralline colored living rock made from 100% natural materials. This wild rock alternative is eco-reef friendly, with the basic building blocks to cycle and promote a healthy modern reef aquarium. Basic necessary components such as: Nitrifying bacteria, Micro Algae’s and some Coralline Algae varieties. Real Reef Mfg. does note grow or promote any unwanted hitchhikers and undesirables that wild live rock inherently is plagued with. As a result, Real Reef requires no curing or waiting for the dying, rotting and decaying biological material normally found on wild live rock. A huge part of the success of Real Reef has been the progressive aquarist.

Cutting edge aquarist know, that being environmentally conscious is the mindset that facilitates a responsible hobby for the future. It is those modern aquarists that have been leading the charge on coral propagation, marine ornamental fish breeding and creating and using eco-reef friendly products. Being a responsible aquarist starts with the products we choose to buy and overwhelming the hard core marine aquarist choose Real Reef! Currently most Live Rock in the aquarium trade is not alive anymore. Most live rock is shipped via boat and sea container from places like the Fijian Islands. This low cost live rock is known in the industry as Container Rock. Container rock is shipped in large metal sea containers and packed dry in boxes for months at a time. The rock is alive upon collection, but dead on arrival. Simply, most wild live rock isn’t alive, but dead! Even though most wild Live Rock is dead on arrival, it still requires additional cleaning and curing for weeks at a time by the retailer and/or aquarist.

This period of time is called “Curing”. Unfortunately, this curing process only allows the external decaying bio-material to slough or rot off. Often it doesn’t allow for the decaying bio-material within the pores throughout and center of the wild coral skeleton rock. As a result, the wild rock’s decaying bio-material impregnated porous coral skeleton serves as an ideal environment for growing nuisance and/or plague algae’s. With so much emphasis placed on nitrates and phosphates, we must first remove the very dead organic material that ultimately converts into these algae loving nutrients. All of this can be avoided by not buying wild live rock. Another benefit of Real Reef Rock, is it’s extremely porous. Real Reef is covered with thousands of pores, nooks and crevices, which are clean, open and available for beneficial colonizing organisms. Real Reef Rock promotes good strong encrusting coralline algae growth, but does not promote nuisance or plague algae’s. Real Reef is a quality natural reef eco-friendly product that promotes easy success in marine aquarium keeping!

You never have to second guess this product. From inception, quality ingredients and quality control are our number one focus. Real Reef aquarists never have to tear down their aquariums some months later due to an infestation of unwanted pest or nuisance inverts or algae brought in by the rock! It works great as a natural porous filter and provides beneficial Calcium, Buffer and essential trace elements. Simply, Real Reef helps create and grow beautiful aquariums, without destroying the natural beauty of the World’s Coral Reefs. The wild Live Rock mining, harvest or collection is not a sustainable practice! Never has been and never will be, simply due to the fact that it is the very habitat that is taken and never replaced. There has never been a Fishery or Conservation program that has ever advocated the destruction and removing of habitat. The very habitat that feeds, grows and shelters the very fishery that is harvested and sold (Marine Fish, Inverts and Coral) What is the point of buying sustainable or aquacultured products, if we are placing them in or upon a reef made from destroyed coral reef habitat?

This makes no sense and is not a productive practice for our hobby and industry. The idea is for native islanders to farm their coral reef resource, as they have done for thousands of years. Not to encourage them to remove and take pieces of the actual habitat that produces the very livelihood for them and future generations. Real Reef is 100% made and grown in the U.S.A. Here at Real Reef we feel it’s critical that we support and buy American made products when ever we can! It’s good for the U.S. economy, security and the American people. Innovation, farming and manufacturing should always start at home first. Real Reef is an American made product, which is sold here and exported to countries around the world. Real Reef is an example for the World, how America can be an environmental leader with innovative eco friendly products. Help conserve the Coral Reefs, while securing and creating jobs here and abroad. It is products like Real Reef that continue to set the tone and raise the bar for a sustainable aquarium trade.

It proves that aquacultured eco friendly products can be profitable and viable, even for our overseas partners. Every sold piece of wild coral rock encourages and promotes our overseas suppliers to continually damage one of the few resources they have. A habitat resource that needs to be nurtured and farmed, not strip mined, crow barred, boxed and shipped. What example are we leading the world by? America is only interested in exploiting your resource? Ship pieces of your Island habitat and we will give you money? Let’s lead by example and send a message that farming the reefs and protecting your resource is in your best interest and the Worlds! Without healthy reefs, how will our overseas suppliers ever be able to catch next year’s crop of baby coral, fish and inverts for future aquarists? I know of no sustainable Fishery practice or conservation method that advocates the taking and removing of the very habitat that grows the very resource which brings in revenue for the country of origin.