Abstract

To develop artificial reefs, that are environmentally friendly and inexpensive, prototype artificial reefs made of ceramic material have been studied. The properties of the reefs (chemical constituents, surface texture, water absorbability, mechanical strength, erosion rate, and sustainability) were examined. The reefs were compared with natural coral rubbles. The effects of the reefs on nutrient availability, toxic chemical diffusion, and the propagation of plankton (bacteria, diatom) and other benthic organisms were examined, for which the reefs were set in aquaria for a long time. It was shown that the reefs were nontoxic, pH-neutral, mechanically strong, and sustainable in a hostile shallow sea environment. This study suggests that artificial reefs made from the ceramic material are not hazardous to small fish.

Keywords: Artificial reef; Shallow sea; Ceramic material; Environmentally safe; Propagation of fish