“Tonga Branch” Rock—Made in California
via Real Reef Manufacturing, Inc.
San Diego-based Real Reef Manufacturing, founded in 2010, is one of a handful of companies advancing and refining the art of producing sustainable, man-made reef rock to take the place of wild-harvested live rock for reef aquariums. This past week, Real Reef revealed a new form of their man-made reef aquarium rock at AquaShella 2019 in Dallas, TX. The new form of branch rock takes on the appearance of large, intricately branching, weather-worn coral skeletons.
![An impressive formation of nooks and crannies makes for amazing habitat for fish and other animals requiring numerous bolt-holes and hideaways.](https://www.coralmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/55637115_2635260926487287_797984123070185472_n.jpg)
An impressive formation of nooks and crannies makes for amazing habitat for fish and other animals requiring numerous bolt holes and hideaways.
Real Reef CEO Gareth Scott noted that a slight change in the production process has completely elevated their ability to produce a diversity of shapes, and while the formulation of the artificial reef rock remains unchanged, it is now stronger than ever before. “Sizing and shape variations have gone from 15-20 to 150-200,” noted Scott, who also relayed that “of the boxes I shipped myself, I had maybe two little chips; we are employing new bubble wrap and more attention to detail, but fundamentally the rock is stronger with the new technique.”
![The latest iteration of Real Reef's Branch Rock allows for the creation of intricate designs at a scale not seen prior.](https://www.coralmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/56350760_2635260979820615_7458439291958460416_n.jpg)
The latest iteration of Real Reef’s Branch Rock allows for the creation of intricate designs at a scale not seen before.
Scott’s comments emphasize the hand-made, one-of-a-kind nature of each piece of Real Reef branch rock. “Credit goes to my employees for sure: their artistic side has gone bonkers in the last few months.” This creativity perhaps didn’t come out of nowhere: “Our manager Kelepi Mafi, who is from Tonga, is now recreating Tonga Branch in Southern California!”
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