Development and Conservation Coral Reef with Biorock Technology

System in Situbondo

Dirta Marina Chamelia, Suntoyo and Silvianita

Department of Ocean Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember,

Kampus ITS Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111, Indonesia

Keywords: Coral Reef, Conservation, Biorock Technology.

Abstract: Coral reef condition in Indonesia has degrade into some condition of damage environmental in several areas.

In order to prevent this into worsening state, effort must be done to keep our coral environment healthy. Coral

planting is one of this effort. The artificial coral also can be functioned as breakwater in shallow water and

also reduce beach erosion. One of the many technics in coral transplantation is biorock technology. Regular

monitoring of the transplanted coral must be done regularly for years to ensure the development is according

our plan. Biorock technology is a development of electro mineral in the sea, as well as called mineral accretion

technology. Biorock works by electrolyze sea water. Occurred by located two electrodes in the sea and inject

low voltage electric current. Coral reef transplantation program must consider ecological aspect as the

program run. The purpose of this research is to develop biorock technology and improving biorock efficiency.

Identification of the ecosystem in Batu Lawang to determine correct procedure and technics for biorock

application.. With healthy coral and sea environment, local community will have indirect benefit by increasing

of maritime tourism.

1 INTRODUCTION

Pantai Pasir putih, is one of the main tourism

destination in east java province, sited in Situbondo,

located at north side of the island along the main road

Surabaya – Banyuwangi. Because of this strategic

location, Pasir putih has the easiest accessibility

among the beaches in east java. Pasir putih infamous

as host of many tourism activities, from fishing until

scuba diving.

Those activities done for several years contribute

in deteriorating coral live in Pasir Putih. Buildings,

over fishing activity, domestic waste and industrial

pollutant are the main cause for damaging coral life

in this area. Every day, more than ten fisherman boats

throw their anchor into sea bed in Pasir Putih, during

their pursuit, their boat were also followed, as well as

their anchors which were hold on to rocks, coral,

anemone or any places in the sea bed. These thing

make coral broken, cracked or even worse uprooted.

During International Coral Reef Symposium, in

Bali, October, 2000. Presiden Megawati Sukarnoputri

stated that 94% of Indonesia coral was heavy damage.

Almost 70% coral in east java and Indonesia are in

bad condition, and ironically this damaged was

created mostly by local fisherman in their areas

(Ahmad and Masud, 2013). One bad behavior in the

fishing is using detonation to shock the fishes so they

can have easy catches, but this destroyed fishing

ground and coral life. “In term of money, coral

damages cost almost IDR 500 billion/year”, said

Saifullah Yusuf, vice governor of East Java. Coral

condition in Pasir Putih can be described as follows,

teluk Pelita has 50,61% good coral, Karang mayit has

32,92% good coral, Dermaga 1 has 27,59% good

coral and Kembang Sambi 22,49%. With condition as

above, it needs urgent action to prevent the area of the

damaged coral wider, or even better to restore coral

life environment. One of the many methods for coral

transplantation is Biorock technology.

2 LITERATURE REVIEWS

Coral reefs is one of the natural protector along with

seagrass, mangrove forest and dunes. But, only

6,41% Indonesian coral is in very good condition, the

rest conditions are 24,3% good, 29,22% and 40,14%

damage (Eko, 2011). Comprehensive artificial Coral

reefs rehabilitation had been launched in 2003 with

132

Chamelia, D., Suntoyo, . and Silvianita, .

Development and Conservation Coral Reef with Biorock Technology System in Situbondo.

DOI: 10.5220/0008376201320136

In Proceedings of the 6th International Seminar on Ocean and Coastal Engineering, Environmental and Natural Disaster Management (ISOCEEN 2018), pages 132-136

ISBN: 978-989-758-455-8

the funding from ADB and world bank. Called

COREMAP (Coral reef rehabilitation management

program).

Biorock technology is electro mineral deposit

process in the sear, also called Mineral accretion

technology (Edwars and Gomez, 2007). Biorock

works by sea waer electrolysis process, place two

electrodes in sea bed and injecting low voltage

electric power, which is save for underwater activity.

This electric power allowing mineral in the sea water

crystalized in the electrode.

2.1 Biorock Technology

Biorock works by sea waer electrolysis process, place

two electrodes in sea bed and injecting low voltage

electric power, which is save for underwater activity.

This electric power allowing mineral in the sea water

crystalized in the electrode. Biorock formed with non

galvalume metal as cathodes. Carbon, Lead and

Titanium as anode pole. When electric power flows

in the structure, structure produce electrolytic

reaction which is produce mineral development in

cathodes sides. Mineral that formed in the structure

are Magnesium hydroxide and Calcium carbonate.

These two minerals are very important for coral since

those two minerals are basic structure of coral reefs.

This deposit also glued biorock structure into sea bed

and strengthen the structure.

Figure 1: The making of biorock structure (https://monruw.

wordpress.com).

2.2 Coral Reefs

Coral reefs has been played important role in ocean

ecosystem, it supplies food source for many creatures

in the sea. Coral reefs can contain 300 living species,

200 fish’s species, molluscas, crustacean, sponges,

algae, dunes and many other species. Coral reef has

very importan role for supplying food, living place,

breeding place nad natural protection of the beaches

(Dahuri, 2003).

Basically coral reefs developed by large number

of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) deposit produced by

coral developer organism from filum Cnidaria, ordo

Scleractinia with another organism whose secreting

calcium carbonate (Bengen, 2002). That coral

organism is in class Anthozoa, flower shape animal

hewan (Antho is flower in latin, ; zoa is animal).

Furthermore, Aristoteles classified coral organism as

animal plant. In 1723, coral organism classified as

animal (Dahuri, 2003).

3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Identification

Identification as initial step hold very important basis

to ensure the correctness of coral type, location and

structure shape in order to produce best growth.

3.1.1 Data Gathering

Data gathering obtained by scuba diving in several

location to have various data and comparison. Data

obtained during scuba diving are:

1. Coral transplantation location

2. Coral types (sample)

3.1.2 Data Analysis

1. Water

During data gathering, each location will analyze its

temperature at the depth where coral will be planted,

degree of coral reefs condition, salinity, sunlight

intensity and seabed pictures.

2. Coral Transplantation

Transplanting coral is using healthy coral, cutting at

its tip then transfer that piece into our location.

According Dr. Soekarno in Coralmap, below criteria

must be considered to get optimum result in

transplanting coral:

a. A specimen must be taken from location which

have minimum 40% healthy coral that covering

the area of coral reefs, must have similar depth

and similar current with transplantation location.

b. Specimen must be planted within 1 hour.

c. Specimen must be cut the edge of coral, not the

colony to avoid greater damage in the future.

3.2 Transplantation

1. From several literatures about coral

transplantation, the best result is in Pemuteran

beach – Bali with biorock application. A team

assembled from professional scuba divers and did

the survey in Pemuteran to have view on biorock

structures and technology application

2. Biorock technology application is designed

according to transplantation location. Using solar

panel to generate electric instead of shore

Development and Conservation Coral Reef with Biorock Technology System in Situbondo

133

connection is chosen due to the security and

geographical aspects.

3. Plant the Structure

Structure was assembled underwater by knock

down technology. Structure shape consider the

beneficial for water activity in the area, so

economical aspect also impacted instead of

environmental only.

4. Maintenance

The main factor to get optimum growth in coral

transplantation is maintenance. Maintenance is

very important to ensure that no sediment is

covering the coral. Also with routine

maintenance, evaluation can be generate more

accurate since the subject of this research is

located 7 m underwater. Maintenance is done by

scuba diving, cleaning the sediment every two

weeks

4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Dimensional of Structure

Structure of the biorock is made from cast iron as

main frame, and CACO3 as a medium to plant the

specimen. The main structure took half hemisphere to

get more strength than straight shape, as drawn below

Figure 2: Main structure detail specifications.

Table 1: Structure data.

ame Remarks

Structure and

Material

: Cast iron

Diamete

:10 m

Ancho

: concrete

Join

: Welded and screwe

Plant

mediu

Material : Mixture of cement

and CACO3

Composition : 1:4

Dimension : 50mm x 100 mmx

250m

Medium of planting was made of cement and

CACO3 mixture to get more CaCO3 in the structure.

Electrical power supplied in the structure is planned

5Volt DC current for 9m².

4.2 Location

Location for transplantation environmental data

Table 2: Environmental data.

Data Remarks

Depth : 4 m

Current : 2 m/s

Salinity : 33

Temperature : 28 °C

Location chosen for having vast opening seabed

to place the structure with n3 – 7 m depth which is

optimum depth for coral environment. Also this place

only took 30 minutes sailing from the location of

specimen, less than maximum time 60 minutes as

described before.

4.3 Transplant Medium

Plant medium was casted from mixture of cement and

CACO3 with specification as described in table 1.

Before placing the main structure under water,

structured was assemble at surface to determine and

describe clear job description for each diver who will

install this structure underwater. Clear briefing must

be delivered to have efficient works underwater.

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Figure 3: Habitat for Coral Reef.

Figure 4: Medium and main structure.

Main structure then dismantle and loaded onboard

in pieces. This pieces will be assembled together

underwater by the divers. After main structure

assembled complete, specimen of coral

transplantation can be plant in the CACO3 medium.

Each specimens planted have 10 cm length.

Figure 5: Transplantation process.

4.4 Transplant Result

Result of the transplantation reported as consideration

for any stake holder to continue this research to save

coral reefs and create better sea environment.

Figure 6: Coral growth process 1.

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135

Figure7: Coral growth process 2.

5 CONCLUSION

Transplantation of coral was executed based on

characteristic of the coral reefs and environment. The

type of the coral used as specimen is Acropora,

planted in the artificial CACO3 mediums which are

hang in the main structure. From 89 mediums, 60

mediums have shown coral growth in healthy

condition. The main cause of the dead coral is

covered by sediment, sand that carried by sea current,

developed sediment in the coral body. To avoid this

happen in the future, continuous maintenance must be

carried out for at least 3 consecutive years to ensure

that no sediment developed in the transplanted coral.

REFERENCES

Ahmad, Masud, Nasib 2013. Terumbu Karang di

Situbondo, www. Info lingkungan Terumbu Karang.

Bengen, D.G., 2002. Sinopsis Ekosistem Sumberdaya

Alam Pesisir dan Laut serta Prinsip Pengelolaannya,

Bogor, Pusat Kajian Sumberdaya Pesisir dan

Lautan,Institut Pertanian Bogor.

Dahuri, R, 2003. Keanekragaman Hayati Laut, PT.

Gramedia Pustaka Utama, Jakarta.

Eko, 2011. Terumbu Karang Pantai Pasir Putih Rusak

Parah, Pustaka Agro.

Edwars A, Gomez E, 2007. Konsep dan Panduan Restorasi

Terumbu. Coral Reef Targeted Research dan Building

or management Program, United Kingdom.

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