Biorock reef restoration. Marine biologist attaching coral fragments to a Biorock reef restoration structure. The Biorock process was developed by Thomas Goreau and Wolf Hilbertz in the 1970's. Electricity is used to promote the deposition of calcium carbonate, which builds up on the surface of the structure giving hard corals a base to bond to. The process is thought to accelerate coral growth by up to four times - however, it has been suggested that simple wire meshes are just as effective. The resulting 'reef' of hard coral soon attracts other inhabitants and the process has been touted as a way to rehabilitate reefs in all tropical areas. Photographed in Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia.