V-Corals brought a key concept to AcquariaItalia: to save corals, you must start from the base. Literally. The young Israeli startup presented innovative solutions for coral growth, both in aquariums and in nature: The Future of Corals.
For the first edition of AcquariaItalia, V-Corals decided to focus on the “basics”: how to ensure optimal coral growth in our tanks, beginning with a topic that is often overlooked or underestimated—frags! I had the pleasure of having two long conversations with Gideon Zohar of V-Corals, who explained their innovative perspective on how to save coral reefs.
Who is V-Corals
V-Corals is a startup founded in 2021 by Shachar Damari and Shahar Meshoulam, based in Eilat, Israel. From the very beginning, it distinguished itself with an original approach aimed at achieving two ambitious goals:
- Repopulating coral reefs
- Sustainably populating our marine aquariums
Contrary to what one might think, these two goals are not in conflict. Intensive and sustainable farming can reduce the need for wild collection, thus helping both the environment and our hobby.
The V-Corals Stand Video at AcquariaItalia with Interview to Gideon Zohar
During the show, we had the honor of interviewing Gideon Zohar, who shared the philosophy behind V-Corals, the development of their farm, and all of their products. A very interesting interview we highly recommend you don’t miss.
In practice
When we talk about coral growth, we usually discuss water parameters, supplements, feeding, brands, protocols, lighting… all undeniably important things, of course. But often, we forget the foundation. Corals cannot grow on just any surface. In addition to providing energy, we must also provide the right substrate where they can anchor and grow.
This is exactly what V-Corals has been studying—developing a series of products specifically designed for this purpose, as Gideon clearly explained in our interview.
Let’s Start with V-Media
V-Media is V-Corals’ filtration media. It is 100% natural and made from fossilized coral remains and other highly porous fossils. V-Media has the advantage of being completely biocompatible and, most importantly, free from the risk of releasing harmful substances into the aquarium (which, unfortunately, can happen with less carefully crafted competitor products).
I took the time to analyze it closely, since I usually frown upon biological substrates other than live rock—but I was pleasantly surprised by the lightness and microporosity of this material. Gideon kindly gave me a sample, which I will be testing soon.
Maintenance is practically nonexistent. They recommend placing it under the water flow in the sump and rotating the bag every three months. I would also suggest giving it a quick rinse in aquarium water periodically.
V-Media comes in two versions:
- V-Media Dry Media: The dry version, let’s call it sterile. Ready to be placed in the aquarium but completely free of any life forms.
- V-Media Live Media: The “live” version, pre-inoculated with bacteria and stabilized in natural seawater. In addition to the bacterial substrate, it will also introduce beneficial microfauna into the aquarium.
V-Coral Flexi Plug
When I say V-Corals is revolutionizing things by starting from the basics, the Flexi Plugs are, in my opinion, their most innovative and unique idea on the market. These plugs are made from plastics with a flexible base (the white part you see in the pictures). At any moment, you can bend it slightly to detach the frag without damaging it.
Currently, with standard plugs, you usually need to cut the coral to remove it, and then the plug is discarded. These, however, are reusable—another huge plus.
V-Corals V-Plug
The V-Plugs are more traditional coral plugs, made of rough ceramic to allow the coral to encrust and firmly attach. Their uniqueness lies in the concentric rings, which let you monitor coral growth over time, essentially acting as a growth gauge.
Conclusions
V-Corals proves to be a highly innovative startup, offering a fresh perspective on how we can help our beloved corals through frags, stabilized synthetic rock, and bio-media.
In my opinion, their real strength today is not just in their products (which, as I said, I liked a lot) but in their point of view. Everyone talks about how to feed corals, how to provide the best light, and so on—but it’s useless to have the most powerful engine if your tires are bald. I am confident that they will surprise us with even more innovative and groundbreaking ideas and products, quickly becoming a recognized and established name in the reefkeeping industry.
Now, I can reveal a little secret: alongside their products, since they also run a coral farm in Israel, they were supposed to bring their beautiful corals to the show. Unfortunately, due to CITES issues, they weren’t able to import them. That was a real pity—but I’m certain that next year, they’ll show us what they’re truly capable of.
This article has also been featured on reefs.com, one of the leading international reefkeeping portals.
References
To learn more about V-Corals, we recommend visiting their Official Website, or checking out their Facebook page and Instagram profile.
We also suggest reading our editorial dedicated to the show, where you’ll find links to all the articles we published on the exhibitors, or watching our video documentary, which tells the story of this amazing first edition of AcquariaItalia.
Have you tried V-Corals’ products? Were you impressed by their ideas? Share your experience with us in the comments or on our social media channels — TELEGRAM, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TWITTER and YOUTUBE. Follow us on your favorite platform to stay updated with news, articles, reviews, and reports. And if you need advice or support, don’t forget you can always find us on our forum!
