The longer a project runs, the more corals will grow and be protected from future hot episodes. A project can have its power turned off at any time, but then the special advantages of growth, strength, self-repair, accelerated coral growth and survival will be lost. However, once the structure is sufficiently strong, the power can be reduced to maintenance levels.

To build a Biorock reef, an electrically conductive frame, usually made from readily available construction grade rebar or wire mesh, is welded together, submerged and anchored to the sea bottom. Sizes and configurations are infinite and are varied to fit the setting. A low voltage direct current is then applied. (Power sources can include chargers, windmills, solar panels or tidal current generators.

The structure is built from ordinary construction materials typically available almost anywhere in the world. This can include steel rods, pipe, or rebar. Other materials necessary for the project include electrical cables and epoxy or silicone sealants to protect the electric connections. While the main structure serves as the cathode, another electrode, the anode, is a special titanium mesh that does not corrode.

In most coral reef environments, structures sit on limestone bedrock where they eventually cement themselves solidly to the hard bottom. Usually structures are held in place against wave forces by their own weight or by filling them with rocks. In hurricane regions, where there is a tradeoff between how long it takes to get the structure solidly cemented to the bottom and when the first hurricane hits, we drill holes for vertical rebar supports; a couple of feet is usually adequate.

Normally we use shore based DC power sources (chargers, solar panels, windmills etc.) Because of voltage drops in the cable to the structure we prefer to work within 100 yards of the power source. But there is no problem going further if one is willing to boost the voltage at the source to compensate for voltage drops. We have a coral reef structure in the Maldives that is more than 400 meters from shore.

There is no limit to the depth. Normally we build structures in shallow water (5 to 25 feet bottom depth) because corals grow best in brightly lit shallow water, but we also try to have them deep enough that boats can't run into them.

We have vibrators still in operation, which were manufactured in 1973 and still operational. Providing the machines are used for their intended purposes and routine inspection is carried out to ensure correct functioning, we believe all our machines should be operational for a 25-year life span.

Currently, Altoona-testing of the Freightliner commercial bus chassis line places the lifespan of the MB-55 at 10 years or 350,000 miles. This rating is extremely favorable compared to gasoline-powered commercial bus chassis that typically rate a five-year lifespan.

The life cycle of a road depends on a number of factors, including traffic volumes, climate and maintenance. If a USAID road is properly maintained, the asphalt roads will last 10 years before requiring an overlay, while gravel roads need to be re-graveled every 5 years.

Answer: A healthy well-bred Keeshond can be expected to live between 12 and 15 years on the average. Unlike puppy millers and backyard breeders who primarily look upon breeding litters as a business venture designed to make money, a reputable breeder is breeding for himself. He/she is looking for that next great show or obedience prospect.

There are a number of things you can do to increase your healthy lifespan right now. These things are nothing compared to what we will be able to do when the available research and technology progress further, but they are the best we can do now, and may make it possible for you to make it to the time when more advanced therapies are available to keep you young. Some things you can do to increase your lifespan can be thought of as "stuff mom always said to do".

To power the mineral accretion process, a low DC voltage is necessary. The source of this current generally depends upon the environment near the reef. If a ready supply of electricity is available, cables can be attached to the structure. In more remote areas, solar collectors are usually the energy source. These panels will generally be set up on the shore to feed current to the Biorock reef via submerged cables.

Our divers never damage an existing, healthy reef to populate a Biorock structure. In all cases, we transplant broken fragments of live coral that have been damaged by waves, storms, anchors or by other means. These pieces would almost certainly die as the fragments roll over in heavy waves and become buried in sand.

Just as a gardener pulls up weeds that would overgrow the flowers, undesirable weedy organisms and certain sponges and algae that could overgrow corals are periodically removed. Organisms that kill corals, such as the crown of thorns starfish and certain coral-eating snails are eliminated. Biorock reefs also need to be periodically checked to ensure that cables and connections are intact.

In August 1999 the first of two pilot structures was placed in the reef of Sac Bajo, (next to Isla Mujeres, across from Cancun). Shaped like a triangular prism, the reef is approximately 3 meters long and 1.5 meters high. In March 2000 a second structure was placed at the same location, approximately 5 meters away from the first. This structure was named "El Doble Caracol" (twin snail shell), owing to its shape of a double spiral of steel construction mat.

There are many requests for mineral accretion projects from marine conservation groups around the world, but unfortunately there is little funding available from governments, international philanthropic agencies or private foundations. a result, most mineral accretion reefs are pilot projects that demonstrate the process. The results are so unexpectedly spectacular that one must see them directly to appreciate their value.

To oversimplify it, reefs are stable, rigid structures that provide a three-dimensional substrate for organisms to find food, shelter, and on which organisms may affix themselves.

Global warming has caused significant reef mortality around the world. The prognosis is that oceans will continue to warm until world leaders recognize the long-term consequences of turning a blind eye to the problem. A few governments have tried to address the problem by building sea walls out of concrete, steel, coral rubble or sand bags. But these materials soon rust, corrode, collapse and need to be rebuilt.

Artificial reefs are typically made from manmade materials like sunken ships, planes, cars, concrete, rubber tires and trash. On land, this material might be called junk. Although fish will hide behind or within any structure that provides shelter and although certain sponges and soft organisms will sometimes settle on these materials, they never turn into a true coral reef.

Coral larvae, which are millimeter-sized freely-swimming baby corals, will only settle and grow on clean limestone rock. This is why conventional artificial reefs made of tires or concrete rarely exhibit hard coral growth. But, when these coral larvae find a limestone surface, they attach themselves and start to grow skeletons. Mineral accretion is exactly what they are searching for. As a result, there are very high rates of natural coral settlement on Biorock structures.

Like an oasis in the desert, all forms of coral life are quickly attracted to Biorock reefs. Many forms of reef life have been observed to be attracted to the structures, and none repelled. However it is the organisms with limestone skeletons, such as corals, clams, oysters, barnacles, tube worms and sand-producing algae that are especially benefited, allowing them to outgrow weedy algae that often smothers and kills corals in polluted waters.

Corals grow at accelerated rates with mineral accretion because the electricity flowing through the structure creates chemical conditions (high pH) at the surface of the growing limestone crystals and at the surface of the coral's limestone skeleton, greatly speeding up their growth.

If unopened, the oil in its original packaging has a minimum life span of two years, provided it is not exposed to excessive temperatures and direct sunlight. Once opened, we suggest using it within 90 days.

The artificial reef is located east of the 59th Street Harbor in 25 ft of water. It is 800 ft long, oriented north-south, and rises an average of 7 ft off the bottom. GPS coordinates for the reef are N 41? 47.600 / W 87? 33.133 (north end) and N 41? 47.473 / W 87? 33.144 (south end).

The Global Coral Reef Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to growing, protecting and managing the most threatened of all marine ecosystems-coral reefs. We primarily focus on coral reef restoration, marine diseases and other issues caused by global climate change, environmental stress and pollution.

When coral reefs die, fish populations disappear; beaches and shorelines are damaged. Unprotected by breakwaters, fragile land areas become vulnerable to erosion, saltwater intrusion and destruction from waves. For an already damaged reef, regeneration is very slow taking several decades, even under ideal conditions.

Not enough is known about PDD to answer this question. The life span of a compromised bird depends on a wide range of variables, some of which are currently under study. It appears at this time that some birds live while carrying the disease - they are carriers that do not become symptomatic. While other birds lives may be reduced to a matter of months after exposure to PDD.

This question is actually harder to answer than most of you would think, because it is difficult to judge how long a kangaroo lives in the wild. We can make estimates judging by the state of their teeth. In good conditions, the larger kangaroos can live into their twenties.

Using the latest in colorfast ink and media technology, we estimate the lifespan of an un-coated image to be roughly 60 years for color images and 100-150 years for black and white images. All images from Pixel2Canvas are coated with a UV protectant which effectively doubles the colorfastness of our canvases. So you can expect these images to be proudly hung on the walls of your families homes (or space domiciles) for generations to come.