Atlantic Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) Project

Survey Equipment Construction

Kenneth Marks and Judith Lang Revision: 2012-10-01

Tools needed for equipment construction

hacksaw drill and assorted bits (e.g., 5 mm / 3/16; 6 mm / 1/4) clipper pliers screwdriver soldering iron metric measuring tape (or use metric fish survey tape reel)

Needed for each benthos surveyor

PVC tubing, inch internal diameter ( ID) ~2m female threaded connector, ID 1 male threaded connector, ID 1 90 elbow, ID 4 PVC cement < 100 gm / 4 oz. braided 3/16 diameter leadcore rope at least 10.2 m braided nylon cord at least 1 m black vinyl electrical tape ~3m large cable ties ~ 15 (11 black) smaller colored cable ties 90 (preferably 2 colors, with 45 of one and 45 of the other) carabiner (or other secure clip) 1 clipboard (or slate of similar size) 1 rubber bands up to 12 braided nylon string (alternative for some rubber bands) ~ 75 cm appropriate UW-BENTHOS datasheet 1 / dive pencil at least 2

+ needed for each detailed benthos and coral surveyor

flexible, 15 cm plastic ruler (or equivalent) 1

Benthos Survey Equipment

meter pole 25 25 cm quadrat 10 m transect line UW BENTHOS datasheet

clipboard

Measuring Pole Construction

Will consist of two, marked poles.

The two halves combine to make a 1-meter long measuring pole.

PVC tube, ID

Use PVC cement to glue one end of a ID PVC tube to a threaded female connector. When the glue has set, measure and cut the tube for a total length of exactly 50 cm from the outer end of the connector.

female connector

50 cm total length

(Shown after addition of the 10-cm interval marks.)

Glue a second PVC tube (must be at least 50 cm long) into a male threaded connector. Thread the male connector into the female connector (should be firm, but not overly tight). When the glue has set, measure and cut the second PVC tube so the overall length of the combined pole is exactly 100 cm. male connector female connector

threaded firmly together

Starting at the female connector end, wrap the tubes with black vinyl electrical tape to make alternating 10-cm bands. Add smaller 5-cm bands at each end of the meter pole. 5-cm

female connector = black

male connector = unmarked

10-cm

5-cm

When combined, both halves join to create a full 1-meter pole. The pole half with the female connector is exactly 50 cm in total length. The other half pole is slightly longer due to the protruding threads on the male connector. 50 cm

female connector

1 meter total length

If desired, a cable tie can be looped through a hole drilled in one end of the meter pole for attachment to a buoyancy compensator (BC).

cable tie

Quadrat Construction
Cut four pieces of ID PVC tube so the inner dimension of the quadrat will be 25 cm 25 cm. Glue all joints of 90 elbows. Try to make sure quadrat remains relatively flat while gluing together.

25 cm

25 cm

Drill several holes through the sides to allow water penetration (otherwise quadrat will float).

Attach a carabiner (or other style of clip) through one of the holes with several cable ties. Cut off the cable tie tails as short as possible with clippers.

drilled hole

clipped cable ties

Transect Line Construction

300 ft spool of 3/16 braided, leadcore rope, used for transect lines, may be sourced from commercial fishing supply companies such as http://www.nylonnet.com (stock number: 20S).

Start by unspooling and accurately measuring the actual length of the line (usually a little over 91 m / 300 ft). Each transect line needs to be 10 m plus enough extra to form an eyelet at each end (minimally around 10.2 m). If there is enough line, divide the total length by 9 (otherwise divide by 8) to calculate the length of each transect line. First mark the proposed cut points with tape bands to verify the measurements before making any cuts to avoid errors. (Alternatively, sequentially cut 8 11 meter segments.)

Form a small eyelet at each end of the transect line and secure it with several, very tight cable ties. Tighten cable ties with a pair of pliers and clip off the tails. Cut pieces of braided nylon cord (each about 50 cm long) and tie their ends together to form a loop. Secure to each end of the transect line as shown.

clipped cable ties

braided nylon cord

These loops will be useful for securing the transect line to the substratum by looping over a protuberance (not live coral).

loop of braided nylon cord

eyelet at end of transect line

Loop a large black cable tie for the 0-m mark at one end of the transect line.

Measure out and add additional black ties every meter up to the final 10-m mark near the other end of the transect line (for a total of 11 cable ties).
Tighten each cable tie with pliers to secure its location, and clip its tail.

clipped cable tie meter mark

Measure out, and add smaller, colored cable ties every 10 cm between the 11 black meter marks (for a total of 90 colored cable ties). If possible, use two colors that alternate every meter for ease of use underwater. Tighten all colored cable ties with pliers and clip their tails. When possible, melt the clipped ends of the cable ties with a soldering iron (or equivalent) to remove sharp edges that can otherwise scratch or cut surveyors. meter mark clipped cable tie 10-cm mark

10 cm

braided cord loops at each end of transect line

0m
10 cm
20 cm 30 cm 40 cm 50 cm 60 cm 70 cm 80 cm 90 cm

1m

2m 3m

4m

6m

small colored cable ties at 10-cm intervals, when possible two colors that alternate every meter for convenience of benthic surveyors.

5m

7m

8m 9m

10 m

unusually long tail

large black cable ties at 1-meter intervals

Attach the loop at one end of the transect line to the carabiner.

venthole holes vent

loop clipped to caribiner

(Note vent holes drilled in quadrat to keep it from floating.)

Wind the transect line around the quadrat to keep it from tangling.

Secure the free end of the transect line with a simple looping knot.

loop knot

Clipboard Example
Either attach 2 mechanical pencils with rubber bands or braided nylon string to a metal or plastic clipboard (or slate of about 23 cm 30 cm 9 12), or attach one pencil and carry a spare in a secure location (BC pocket or tucked into wetsuit).
Detailed benthic surveys: attach a flexible, 15 cm plastic ruler (from Fisher Scientific) with its tip cut into a point at the 0 cm mark. Secure the appropriate UW BENTHOS datasheet to the clipboard with rubber bands.

Slide clipboard and meter stick between transect line loops for ease of transport.

TIP: Surveyors should wear spare rubber bands around their wrists to replace any that break during a dive. And dont forget the spare pencils!

Coral Survey Equipment

Same as the detailed benthos survey equipment, except that the transect line only needs marking with black cable ties at every meter. If funds permit, marking all transect lines with both black and colored cable ties allows each line to be used interchangeably for benthic or corals surveys.

Substitute the appropriate UW CORAL datasheet!

Needed for each fish surveyor

PVC tubing, inch internal diameter ( ID) ~1.6 m T-connector, ID 1 45 elbow, ID 1 PVC cement < 100 gm / 4 oz. braided nylon cord at least 40 cm / 15 black vinyl electrical tape ~ 400 cm / 150 fiberglass tape reel, 30 m / 100 ft 1 diving weight, 0.5-1 kilo / 1-2 lb 1 large cable ties at least 4 carabiner (or other secure clip) 1 REEF slate (or any ~ 15 cm 23 cm 6 9 slate) 1 stainless steel pan-head Phillips drive machine screws 2 of each and nylon insert lock nuts, 4 mm 40 mm / # 8-32 1 stainless steel washers to fit the screws at least 4 rubber bands ~ 4-6 appropriate UW FISH datasheet 1-2 / dive (varies with number of transects for each surveyor) pencil at least 2 D-ring or clamp (attached to BC or weight belt) 1

Fish Survey Equipment

1 meter total width Marked off in alternating 10-cm T-bar bands with black vinyl electrical tape.

slate with
UW- FISH

datasheet

transect tape

Fish T-Bar Construction

Glue the base of a T-connector to one end of a ID PVC tube that is about 60-cm long (will become the center bar).
Insert a piece of PVC tube that is > 50 cm long into each side of the T-connector (will become the arms). DO NOT GLUE! Measure and cut each arm to a length of exactly 50 cm from the center of the connector. Wrap side arms and part of the T-connector with black vinyl electrical tape to make alternating 10-cm bands.

T-connector

electrical tape

50-cm side arm

center bar

Drill a hole at the inner end of each side arm.

Push the end of a reel of braided nylon cord (or at least ~40 cm / 15) through one of the side arm holes. (If a loose piece, secure with a knot.) Pull the cord from the end of this side arm and then push it through the T-connector. Using a loop of monofilament fishing line or other string inserted through the hole in the second arm will help in fishing the cord out through the second hole. Cut the cord to length, allowing the side arms to hang beside the center bar, and secure the loose end(s) of the cord with a knot. T-connector glued to center bar

braided cord

knot hole

Glue a 45 elbow to the base of the center bar to make a more comfortable handle than just the cut end of the PVC tube.

handle (upper side)

handle (lower side)

Drills holes about 1 cm from the top and bottom edges along the midline of a REEF slate (or any 15 cm 23 cm 6 9 slate) large enough to insert 4 mm / # 8-32 pan-head Phillips drive machine screws. Position the slate with its bottom edge ~ 7.5 cm / 3 above the 45 elbow on the handle and use the holes drilled in the slate to mark the placement of holes to drill through the top and bottom of the center bar. Attachment Hardware Side View head end of a pan-head Phillips drive machine screw

washers nylon insert lock nut

Position the slate on top of the center bar and insert the pan-head Phillips drive machine screws through the holes drilled in the slate and through the PVC tube. Using washers will help prevent the slate from cracking at the attachment points. Top View

REEF slate pan-head of a Phillips drive machine screw and two washers ~ 7.5 cm / 3

handle

Secure each screw with a matching nylon insert lock nut on the underside of the center bar, and tighten with a screwdriver. Note: Cable ties (not shown) can be used to attach the slate to the center bar if stainless hardware is difficult to obtain. Wrap several rubber bands around the slate to hold survey sheets.

Bottom View
nylon insert lock nuts

rubber bands

Top View

The appropriate FISH-UW datasheets (when folded) fit perfectly on a REEF slate (or one of equivalent size). Tuck at least as many data sheets as needed to conduct one survey under rubber bands. Use as many rubber bands as needed to secure the sheets top and bottom.

TIP: Wear spare rubber bands around your wrist to replace any that break during a dive.
rubber band

Pull the side arms out of the T-connector, fold them down along center bar, and tuck them under the rubber bands for convenience in transit and storage. The side arms can be quickly released and inserted into the T-connector at the start of a survey dive.

Fish Transect Line Construction

30 m / 100 ft fiberglass surveyor tape reels are available at most large home improvement or hardware stores.

Attach a small 0.5-1 kilo / 1-2 lb diving weight to the end of the tape using several cable ties. Tighten and clip the cable ties.

weight

clipped cable ties

Attach a clip or carabiner to the handle of the tape reel with several cable ties that are tightened and clipped.
This will allow the tape reel to be clipped to a D-ring or clamp on a BC or weight belt, allowing hands-free unreeling of the tape.

clipped cable ties

brass clip

Detailed Fish Surveys: Use a permanent marker to place a band on both sides of the tape at the six points where the Max. Relief measurements will be made along the transect line. The tape will twist underwater so marking both sides will make sure the point is always visible. On metric tapes, put bands by the 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 m marks. On imperial marked tapes, put bands by the 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 ft marks. Note: marking all transect tapes allows each to be used interchangeably for both basic and detailed fish surveys.