The initial inhabitants of the reef were algae and coral. After about one or two months came small shrimp and crabs, followed by bigger fish, making the reef into a bustling little village.
「水泥屋不久就變花園洋房啦」，水試所的蔡萬生隔個把月就下海瞧瞧，最初水泥礁附著了茂密多色彩的水藻與珊瑚，再過一、兩個月，小蝦、小蟹來了，大魚也不甘落後，一擁而上。