Notice: Test mode is enabled. While in test mode no live donations are processed.
Somerset’s first coral propagation and research facility is operational in 2026. It was built before we applied for a single grant. Our founding directors invested nearly £20,000 of their own money — in cash and equipment — to make it real. Over 1,000 litres of live coral research capacity, running in Somerset right now.
This is not a proposal. It is not a concept. It is a working facility, and what you see described below is what currently exists.
30% of all Phase 1 donations are allocated to research infrastructure — expanding our tank systems, maintaining our equipment and funding the consumables and monitoring supplies that keep the facility operational and our science credible.
Our coral research and propagation system was commissioned in 2026 and is fully operational. Here is exactly what it includes:
Acclimation and quarantine tanks. Before any coral enters our propagation system, it passes through dedicated acclimation tanks and a full quarantine protocol. This is the responsible way to introduce coral to a new research environment — allowing animals to adjust to new water chemistry, temperature and lighting conditions before being placed under research conditions. It protects the integrity of our propagation data and reflects our commitment to coral welfare from day one.
Propagation tanks. Two propagation tanks housing living coral colonies in controlled conditions. Water chemistry, temperature, flow rate and lighting are continuously monitored. These are our primary research environment — where we observe coral behaviour, test husbandry protocols, record growth and health indicators, and develop the methods that future conservation work will require.
Deep-water system (in development). A third propagation tank requiring greater depth is in active development. This will allow us to study coral species and life stages that require different depth conditions — expanding the range and scientific depth of our research programme.
Our complete system includes:
- Acclimation tanks — responsible introduction and health assessment of new coral.
- Quarantine system — biosecurity protocols protecting propagation data integrity
- Two operational propagation tanks with living coral colonies.
- Continuous environmental monitoring — temperature, salinity, pH, alkalinity, nutrients and flow.
- Deep-water tank system in development.
- Full filtration, sump and water management infrastructure.
- Total operational capacity: over 1,000 litres.
The history of reef restoration contains too many examples of projects that moved too quickly — transplanting coral without understanding local conditions, scaling methods before they were validated, announcing conservation milestones while the reefs they worked on continued to decline. We are building a different kind of foundation.
Our current research questions are the ones our facility allows us to answer with integrity:
Acclimation protocols. How should coral be responsibly introduced to a new propagation environment? What parameters matter most — and in what sequence? What handling and transition timelines are appropriate for different species and health states?
Husbandry best practice. What water chemistry parameters, lighting regimes, flow rates and feeding schedules produce the best outcomes for the coral species in our collection? How do we reliably detect early signs of stress before they become damage?
Propagation methods. How do coral fragments respond to being separated from parent colonies? What conditions promote healthy fragment recovery and regrowth? What does early propagule health look like, and how do we measure it consistently?
Open documentation. Every protocol we develop, every observation we make and every outcome we record is written up in a format intended for open sharing. We do not hoard what we learn. Our methods will be published so that other organisations can build on them.
As our evidence base grows, we anticipate extending our research into coral genetics and climate resilience, academic research partnerships, and — in the longer term — contributions to international coral gene banking efforts. These are future goals, clearly named as such. The foundational science comes first.
Phase 1 research funding target: £4,500 (30% of Phase 1 total)
To support the full campaign: [Donate to Phase 1 →]
For research partnership enquiries: info@coralfuturesresearch.org