Making an Oyster Reef Ball

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Making an Oyster Reef Ball
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• WHATS NEEDED FOR MAKING AN OYSTER REEF BALL
• A level site and space for storage
• Access to water and electricity
• Plastic tarp to protect floor
• Concrete mixing basin
• Two hoes
• Several shovels
• Several buckets
• Air compressor and extension cord
• Hammer
• Vegetable oil and small brushes
• Sand
• Screwdriver
• Rubber gloves
• Masking tape and duct tape
• 4 pencils (or long nails)
• Wooden dowel
• Wire hanger
• 120 lbs. concrete mix(with stone), 5 lbs.
  cement (mortar mix), film canister of Advo-Flo,
  micrasilicate (black powder substance)

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• NEED HELP? CONTACT THE MARYLAND SALTWATER
  FISHERMANS ASSOCIATION
• Mr. Bill Huppert 410-256-3733
• Mr. Joe Zinner 410-256-5641
• Mr. Bob Hall 410-256-0528

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Step 1 Brush the inside of all sections of the
mold with a coating of vegetable oil to keep
concrete from sticking to the surface.
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Step 2. Then assemble the mold and attach it to
the base with the with the bolts and wedges .
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Step 3 Spread sand (a couple of small buckets
worth) around the inside bottom edge of the mold
to prevent the concrete from leaking out.
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Step 4 Place the 4 large balls with tabs around
the outside of the mold. Secure them by
inserting the tabs through the holes in the mold.
Place a pencil or long nail through the hole in
each of the tabs.
?Pencil
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Step5 Insert the metal rod through one hole in
the top of the mold, thread the rod through the
inflatable bladder, and then pass the rod through
the other hole in the top of the mold to secure
the bladder in place. Then partially inflate the
bladder, just until the playground balls feel
secure.
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Step 6 Place 6-8 of the smaller balls around
the inside of mold as shown, making sure that
none of the small balls touch each other. All
balls should be placed below the neck of the mold.
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Step 7 Now inflate the bladder until the small
balls are secure by attaching the air compressor
to the valve near the top of the bladder. When
youve completed the inflation, cover the valve
with tape.
Valve with tape?
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Step 8 Check your setup. Use the wooden dowel
to gently poke around in the mold. Make sure
that no two balls are too close to each other and
that the reef ball walls are about the same
thickness all around. If anything needs to be
repositioned, deflate the bladder, make
adjustments and inflate again.
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Step 9 Prepare the concrete. Empty the
contents of two 60-lb. bags of concrete mix,
approx. 5-lb. of cement, and one package of
micrasilicate into the mixing basin. Pour low to
the basin to avoid creating dust and spills.
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Step 10 Add two gallons of water and mix
thoroughly using hoes. The concrete should be
moist throughout, but not watery. If it is too
dry, add small amounts of water slowly and in
increments.
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Step 11 Add one film canisters worth of Aqua
Flo to the concrete mixture. This helps to
create a softer, smoother mixture..
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Step 12 Break up the fiberglass threads and add
them to the concrete mixture. Mix thoroughly.
The fiberglass helps to strengthen the concrete
and is recommended but not critical.
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Step 13 Shovel the concrete mix into small
buckets and pour the concrete into the mold.
While pouring the concrete, tap around the
outside of the mold with the rubber hammer to
help the concrete settle in place.
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Step 14 Fill the mold to right below the neck,
making sure not to cover the valve in the
bladder. About an hours later, you should
release air from the bladder for ten seconds to
reduce pressure. This is because the heat
buildup in the concrete causes the bladder to
expand further.
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Step 15 Setup and Curing The concrete will need
to cure in the mold for at least 24 to 48 hours
or more before the mold can be removed. The time
will depend on how much moisture was in the
concrete, the temperature, humidity, and other
factors. Do not remove the mold if the concrete
is still soft. To remove the mold, release the
air pressure from the bladder. Then remove the
largest of the three sections of the mold. At
this point, you will be able to separate the mold
from the reef ball. Remove all plastic balls.
Lightly dab the surfaces of the reef ball with a
coarse brush to roughen up the surface. This
makes it easier for plant and animal life to
adhere. Do not move the reef ball to storage for
another 24 to 36 hours. After this time, the
reef balls can be stacked two high for storage
purposes. Congratulations! You are helping to
restore the oyster population of the Chesapeake
Bay. Your efforts are vital to the restoration of
this natural treasure.