The Mydlarz lab is collaborating with Engineering professor Dr. Warda Ashraf to look at the ability of novel carbon sequestering concrete formulations based on Roman concrete to act as artificial reefs. To accomplish this project, we built a fully automated 10-tank seawater system custom-built by Aquatic Research Systems to support controlled coral experiments. This state-of-the-art setup allows precise regulation of temperature, nutrients and light enabling parallel studies on multiple coral species under varying environmental conditions. The system’s automation ensures consistent, reproducible conditions, providing a platform for exploring how corals and their symbionts respond to different stressors while growing on small artificial reef structures 3D printed by the Ashraf lab.

In June we visited Mote Marine Lab in Summerland key to learn about keeping coral frags in artificial systems and received corals this fall!