Not to hijack the thread, but does anyone have positive results from man made structure? Im talking structure ideas that are 100% artificial. I know placement could play a large role in success regardless of the structure.
Here's a few pics to prove our point
PVC habitat pics Cool pictures. Thanks. I hope to get some underwater photos this summer of fish around the artificial and natural habitat I put in my pond. It will be a trick though, as my visibility with algae bloom is maybe 18-24" at best. Will be a challenge.
I had the privilege to scuba dive a wreck that was purposely sunk off the coast of Puerto Morelos, Mexico (old Cutter turned Mexican ferry turned artificial reef). I first started diving it about six months after sinking, then dove it once or twice a year for about the next seven years. The first thing that colonized it was red stringy algae about six inches long. The sunken ship looked like a reddish green giant Chia pet. Somewhere I have photos of it including the insides and one of the two 10 cylinder Cooper Bessemer engines (still could read the nameplate information on the engines when it was first sunk). It was really interesting watching it over the years as different groups of critters colonized it. After the algae came the critters that lived on it, then the hard corals and sponges. Big rays in the surrounding sand and once smaller fish were there, baracuda and large snapper hung around. Really cool watching the (purposely sunk as an artificial reef) wreck "grow up" over the years.
I would suspect fresh water artificial habitat would follow a similar pattern only on a much advanced time line.
