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The Tree Of Life: I Created An Underwater Electrified Artificial Reef

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I’ve been working as a reef sculptor for the last 4 years and have made several installations that I’m proud of, but none nearly as much as this latest piece.

This “Tree of Life” is an electrified artificial reef, which causes it to form a crust of limestone on its surfaces creating a bio-engineered habitat for the coral that we’ll garden across the sculpture. This is just one piece, a part of a larger electrified site that I’ve been creating through the New Heaven Reef Conservation Program and in partnership with coralAID for the last 2 years. You can find more context on this concept here.

More info: Facebook | Instagram

Growing the Tree

The Tree Of Life: I Created An Underwater Electrified Artificial Reef

Transportation

The Tree Of Life: I Created An Underwater Electrified Artificial Reef

Finally 10 meters below the surface of the ocean, the Tree of Life stands

The Tree Of Life: I Created An Underwater Electrified Artificial Reef

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Dascyllus Damsel Fish checking out the latest addition to the seafloor

The Tree Of Life: I Created An Underwater Electrified Artificial Reef

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The work has only just begun. Now to garden this space with small, naturally fragmented coral that we’ll find lying in the sand

The Tree Of Life: I Created An Underwater Electrified Artificial Reef

These coral fragments, broken by waves and careless activity will be rescued from the sands where they would otherwise die, and fixed to the bars of the sculpture where they’ll thrive and grow into healthy colonies

The Tree Of Life: I Created An Underwater Electrified Artificial Reef

The sculpture took several months to complete, and in that time it sat on my balcony as a lamp so it wasn’t entirely functionless

The Tree Of Life: I Created An Underwater Electrified Artificial Reef

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It won’t light up my bungalow any more, but it’ll be so much more useful to the marine life that will call it home

The Tree Of Life: I Created An Underwater Electrified Artificial Reef

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7Kviews

Spencer Arnold

I work as a reef conservation instructor, artificial reef sculptor and marine biologist for the non-for-profit Conservation Diver. I create, plant and maintain underwater artificial reefs and (try to) raise awareness for these threatened ecosystems.

I work as a reef conservation instructor, artificial reef sculptor and marine biologist for the non-for-profit Conservation Diver. I create, plant and maintain underwater artificial reefs and (try to) raise awareness for these threatened ecosystems.

What do you think ?

Teresa Anthony 6 years ago

Not only does the tree look beautiful, it also helps save precious coral reefs. You're an amazing person!

18points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

Thank you so so much for your words. The intent of these projects is to draw attention to these threatened ecosystems and of course to serve as a home for the corals I so love. If you're interested in more of my work check out my other Bored Panda posts or have a look at some of the articles I've written on my program's page at newheavenreefconservation.org.

8points

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Just Carmen 6 years ago

What a great thing you're doing. I wish you would've shown how you attach the coral on to the tree though. That would have been so interesting to see.

10points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

We bind corals to the metal structure with metal wire, so it carries the impressed current running through the sculpture and binds the coral to the bars with a layer of limestone, the same material that corals use to build there skeleton. It's been suggested that it improves the growth rates of coral by 3-5 times, but we're running a test to prove that for ourselves as the technology only just became available now that it's 10 year patent has run out. Thanks so much for the kind words!

6points

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Matthew A 6 years ago

That's amazing

7points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

Thank you!

1point

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Desiré Yen 6 years ago

Design and make more!

5points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

I most certainly shall! Thanks for the encouragement. Check out my other Bored Panda posts for some of my other projects or check out my program's webpage at newheavenreefconservation.org. Or take a look at some of the articles I put together about more of my work: https://newheavenreefconservation.org/learning-resources/articles/136-an-electric-light-of-hope https://newheavenreefconservation.org/learning-resources/articles/122-drowning-in-despair

3points

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Moo Jar 6 years ago

So beautiful

5points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

Thank you, I so appreciate that! The corals will make it a lot more beautiful too.

1point

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Jay Raman 6 years ago

This is amazing! Hope you come back here with more pics as the reef grows. Curious, how do oyu fund this project?

4points

Lonely Dragon 6 years ago

Yes! What a good initiative. I want to become an adult quickly so I can start donating my own money to the cause of saving coral.

4points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

If more people out there had that attitude we'd all live in a better world. Thanks for caring!

3points

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Siona Woods 6 years ago

Love it, it was absolutely gorgeous as a light on your porch stunning. But how wonderful to be making this for the good of the coral reefs. Congrats amazing

2points

ElisabethN. 6 years ago

For a long time I'm thinking about doing volunteering to help life in the ocean, and when I see these things... it just makes me happy, in a complete sense.

2points

Silent Skeleton 6 years ago

Great way to create a new reef and save coral :oD Hope you can post some pictures of it in a few years when the coral grows more! I bet it'll be even more gorgeous :o)

2points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

I'll definitely be making more posts in the future about the progress of these artificial reefs. Unfortunately, coral reefs are slow growth ecosystems and these things take time, but on some of my older sculptures we're already seeing some incredible results. Very excited to share it all in the not so distant future!

3points

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Jen Wold 6 years ago

I'm just too distracted by his abs, not lustfully, I just can't look away

1point

Agnes 6 years ago

I must say it looked awesome in your bungalow but the purpose of this tree is even more awesome. You're an inspiration!

0points

BetsyB 6 years ago

What country is this in? The pictures are all so beautiful!

0points

Effseven Six 6 years ago

Stunning! Two of my life long loves together, trees and the sea. I love it.

0points

Alusair Alustriel 6 years ago

The idea being splendid aside - I wan't your bungalow!

0points

Teresa Anthony 6 years ago

Not only does the tree look beautiful, it also helps save precious coral reefs. You're an amazing person!

18points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

Thank you so so much for your words. The intent of these projects is to draw attention to these threatened ecosystems and of course to serve as a home for the corals I so love. If you're interested in more of my work check out my other Bored Panda posts or have a look at some of the articles I've written on my program's page at newheavenreefconservation.org.

8points

Load More Replies...

Just Carmen 6 years ago

What a great thing you're doing. I wish you would've shown how you attach the coral on to the tree though. That would have been so interesting to see.

10points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

We bind corals to the metal structure with metal wire, so it carries the impressed current running through the sculpture and binds the coral to the bars with a layer of limestone, the same material that corals use to build there skeleton. It's been suggested that it improves the growth rates of coral by 3-5 times, but we're running a test to prove that for ourselves as the technology only just became available now that it's 10 year patent has run out. Thanks so much for the kind words!

6points

Load More Replies...

Matthew A 6 years ago

That's amazing

7points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

Thank you!

1point

Load More Replies...

Desiré Yen 6 years ago

Design and make more!

5points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

I most certainly shall! Thanks for the encouragement. Check out my other Bored Panda posts for some of my other projects or check out my program's webpage at newheavenreefconservation.org. Or take a look at some of the articles I put together about more of my work: https://newheavenreefconservation.org/learning-resources/articles/136-an-electric-light-of-hope https://newheavenreefconservation.org/learning-resources/articles/122-drowning-in-despair

3points

Load More Replies...

Moo Jar 6 years ago

So beautiful

5points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

Thank you, I so appreciate that! The corals will make it a lot more beautiful too.

1point

Load More Replies...

Jay Raman 6 years ago

This is amazing! Hope you come back here with more pics as the reef grows. Curious, how do oyu fund this project?

4points

Lonely Dragon 6 years ago

Yes! What a good initiative. I want to become an adult quickly so I can start donating my own money to the cause of saving coral.

4points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

If more people out there had that attitude we'd all live in a better world. Thanks for caring!

3points

Load More Replies...

Siona Woods 6 years ago

Love it, it was absolutely gorgeous as a light on your porch stunning. But how wonderful to be making this for the good of the coral reefs. Congrats amazing

2points

ElisabethN. 6 years ago

For a long time I'm thinking about doing volunteering to help life in the ocean, and when I see these things... it just makes me happy, in a complete sense.

2points

Silent Skeleton 6 years ago

Great way to create a new reef and save coral :oD Hope you can post some pictures of it in a few years when the coral grows more! I bet it'll be even more gorgeous :o)

2points

Spencer Arnold (Post author) 6 years ago

I'll definitely be making more posts in the future about the progress of these artificial reefs. Unfortunately, coral reefs are slow growth ecosystems and these things take time, but on some of my older sculptures we're already seeing some incredible results. Very excited to share it all in the not so distant future!

3points

Load More Replies...

Jen Wold 6 years ago

I'm just too distracted by his abs, not lustfully, I just can't look away

1point

Agnes 6 years ago

I must say it looked awesome in your bungalow but the purpose of this tree is even more awesome. You're an inspiration!

0points

BetsyB 6 years ago

What country is this in? The pictures are all so beautiful!

0points

Effseven Six 6 years ago

Stunning! Two of my life long loves together, trees and the sea. I love it.

0points

Alusair Alustriel 6 years ago

The idea being splendid aside - I wan't your bungalow!

0points

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