Where should I start? The term itself is a bit awkward, which leads to some of the confusion. Technically speaking, live rock is not alive. The living part of the rock is not the rock itself, but rather the tiny invertebrates, algae, and bacteria that live in and on it. These bacteria, algae, and invertebrates colonize the rock naturally. While traditional live rock tends to be calcareous and porous, just about any rock that has been in a reef tank or the ocean for more than a few weeks could also technically consider itself if it was alive to be a live rock.
Oh, by the way, calcareous is just a fancy word for calcium carbonate based—the same stuff that coral reefs are made from. Being porous is an important feature in live rock because it makes these rocks lighter than other less porous rocks—and since they are generally shipped great distances, and is also sold by the pound, this cuts down on shipping and acquisition costs. Porosity also has the added benefit of creating additional surface area nooks and crannies , which means more places for that marine life to grow.
If you ever count yours, please be sure to leave a comment below and let us know how many bacteria you found on your rock. One type of bacteria turns toxic ammonia waste produced by your fishes, corals and excess food into nitrite. Another turns that nitrite into nitrate. The colonization of these beneficial bacteria and the establishment of a healthy biological filter is one of the most important steps in reef keeping.
Live rock is like a box of chocolates—crawling with worms, bacteria, algae and other invertebrates. Perhaps the coolest benefit is all the stuff growing on it that makes it live rock. These critters add to the biodiversity of your tank. They are tiny gifts you will discover over and over again, which adds an interesting dimension to your tank and gives you something new to discover and watch.
Tiny hitchhikers, living in and on the rock take a ride across the Pacific Ocean and make their way into your tank and bring starfish, snails, bristle worms, copepods, amphipods and other cool little critters into your tank. Many of them are also beneficial, cleaning up extra food particles, or eating detritus, etc. Live rock is expensive. You could end up spending hundreds of dollars…on rocks! Your non-aquarium-loving family members might think your head is full of rocks when they find out how much money you spent on them.
While beneficial liverock hitchhikers are one of the coolest benefits, dangerous or deadly hitchhikers are one of the biggest potential drawbacks. Mantis shrimp, aiptasia anemones , problem algae, hydra, and even saltwater ich cysts can find their way into your tank via a live rock bus and wreak some havoc. Because of these potential drawbacks, many aquarium owners prefer to use dry rock as the base rock for most of their reef structure and supplement it with just a small amount of artificial, aquaculture or traditional rock.
Learn more about live rock hitchhikers here. Live rock rubble is the way less cool cousin of that. When small pieces of rock fall apart due to rough handling, shipping, being stepped on by snorkelers, wave action or storms,, those small pieces roll or fall down to the bottom.
When you see signs of stress in your fish, you can then take steps to identify the source of that stress and then to resolve it before it becomes a major issue. There are several different types of saltwater aquariums to choose from and each has its benefits and drawbacks. Preparing Saltwater for your Marine Tank. Setting up and maintaining a marine tank can be a challenging experience and preparing your saltwater correctly is one of the most important tasks. When the sun sets and the moon rises, the reef doesn't go silent - a whole new group of inhabitants comes out to play.
Saltwater versus Freshwater Aquariums. Learn the arguments for choosing to set-up either a freshwater or saltwater aquarium. Stocking a Brackish Aquarium.
A brackish aquarium is an exciting challenge for the aquarium hobbyist. Cultivating a saltwater aquarium is a hobby full of exciting challenges, but sometimes those challenges can get the better of you.
Saltwater Aquariums. Handy Aquarium Accessories and Devices. There are many accessories and handy devices which can make your life as an aquarium hobbyist easier. How to Start a Brackish Tank. If you are looking for a new challenge as an aquarium hobbyist, try cultivating a brackish tank. Getting The Tank Ready. There is nothing as heart-breaking as losing a fish but it can be even more devastating when the fish simply disappears.
The pH level in your saltwater tank is incredibly important for the health and vitality of your tank. Choosing the Correct Temperature for a Marine Aquarium. One of the most important things you must to do ensure the health of your marine tank is to achieve and maintain the ideal temperature.
The Benefits of Algae in Saltwater Tanks. Many aquarium hobbyists assume that algae in the aquarium can only be bad. Salinity Requirements in a Saltwater Aquarium. The key to maintaining a healthy saltwater aquarium is to strike the right balance in the salinity of your tank water.
Maintaining proper water quality in your tank is essential but many aquarium hobbyists overlook one important aspect - pH. Fungal spores are present in all aquariums but, if you are not careful, they can become a problem in the saltwater tank. Water quality is extremely important in maintaining a saltwater tank.
Dealing with Hard Water in the Saltwater Tank. When it comes to maintaining a healthy saltwater tank, water quality is extremely important. In this article you will receive an overview of what mantis shrimp are, how they can impact your saltwater aquarium, and how to remove them properly.
Cultivating a thriving reef tank can be a challenge with all of the requirements you must meet. Maintenance Schedule for Reef Tanks. Maintaining a reef tank can be a challenge but as long as you keep up with your routine maintenance tasks, you should have no problem.
Learn what "not" to do when starting out with your saltwater fish or reef tank. Saltwater and Reef Tank Cycling. Cultivating a thriving saltwater tank can be a challenge but it is also incredibly rewarding.
Maintaining Your Saltwater Tank. Kalkwasser for the Marine Tank. Maintaining proper calcium levels is an important part of keeping your marine tank healthy. Keeping corals in a saltwater aquarium can be challenging but these low-light species are perfect for beginners. With more than 2, different species of coral out there, how do you choose the right option for your tank?
Types of Coral for Reef Tanks. Stocking a reef tank can be a challenge because there are so many different types of coral to choose from. Building a beautiful saltwater tank landscape out of rock is a challenge but with some helpful tips you can make it work.
What is a Nano Reef? Whether you are looking for a new challenge as a saltwater aquarium enthusiast or you are trying your hand at a reef tank for the first time, a nano reef is a great way to go.
How to Care for Marine Blue Sponges. If you want to keep your saltwater or reef tank healthy, you need to learn the basics of feeding corals. Set-up Guide for a Reef Tank. If you have ever considered starting a reef tank, read this setup guide to make sure you start your reef tank off right. Reef Aquariums. Cultivating a reef tank is an exciting but challenging task - learn more about choosing the right size for your reef tank.
Bristle Worms in the Marine Tank. Dealing with pests is an inescapable part of cultivating a marine tank. Recommended Species for Nano Tanks. Cultivating a nano tank can be an exciting challenge but unless you choose the right fish for your tank, you may be in trouble. UV Sterilizers for Reef Aquariums.
A UV sterilizer is a valuable piece of equipment to add to your reef tank or fish-only saltwater aquarium. Tips for Lighting a Reef Tank. When it comes to maintaining a thriving reef tank the type of lighting system you choose is incredibly important. Saltwater Aquarium Lighting and Heating. Saltwater Aquarium Filtration. The type of filtration system you choose for your saltwater aquarium is incredibly important. Very dense which reduces the variety of life that can live within it.
Interesting shapes and good for building vertically in the tank. Can make a nice addition to other rock but not recommended as the only type of Live Rock in the tank. This is a fairly new type of live rock that comes from Fiji. It is porous and lightweight. It has nice shapes and is usually shipped in slightly larger pieces.
It is shipped via boat and air. Air shipping is the only recommended method but even air freight takes over a week to clear customs and reach its final destination. All Live Rock originating from Fiji requires curing. Pukani Rock is well known for leaching phosphates back into the tank. Curing Pukani Live and Dry Rock can take over 6 months.
Elevated PO4 levels can lead to battling nuisance algae like hair algae for as long as several years in time. Using lanthanum chloride may help shorten curing times but is not recommended as the rock has been reported to absorb the chemical and leach it back later in time. Considered the most environmentally friendly option by far.
Most countries including the United States, the Bahamas, the Marshall Islands, along with an ever-growing list of nations have banned the destructive practice of breaking apart coral reefs and exporting the reef as Live Rock. Aquacultured Live Rock is sourced from inside the earth, usually calcium carbonate and placed in the ocean to spawn new life on and within it. Aquacultured Live Rock varies in size, shape, and density with each individual farm.
The most experienced producers will choose only the highest quality source rocks that are low in density, interestingly shaped, and very porous. The location where the seed rocks are placed also matters greatly on the final product. Gulf-rock will have more plant-based life such as macro-algae. Live Rock that is aquacultured in the Atlantic Ocean, known as Ocean Live Rock or Caribbean Live Rock will have more types of coral growth due to the lower levels of sediment and higher par levels.
Here are our most popular types:. They have the highest yield of beneficial bacteria and coralline algae on them. They have a minimum of 2 years of growth and almost always contain corals, sponges, filter feeders, and some amazingly cool invertebrates as well.
Our Premium Live Rock never disappoints. They have between 1 and 2 years of growth on them. Every rock is hand selected from our quarry to be porous and uniquely shaped. Man-made or synthetic Live Rock is a new product category and has its full range of pros and cons. It is sustainable and environmentally friendly, the same as aquacultured Live Rock. Depending on the company and version, they can look fake and artificial.
Man-made Live Rock will lack the diversity of life that is so desirable for your closed system tank. The paint or dye used to color the Live Rocks negatively impact the rocks by clogging the pores of the rock on a microscopic level. This will reduce the biological effectiveness of Live Rock. They are made from aggregates and paste. The aggregates are sand and gravel or crushed stone; the paste is water and portland cement.
Each manufacturer will have their own formula but they will all need to be cured before placing in your aquarium.
This curing process is not for dead organics to be removed as in the case for real live rock, this curing process is for the leeching of hydrates. Freshly made Live Rock has high alkalinity with a pH reading of which is even a higher pH than Clorox bleach.
The PH level typically drops with the carbonation of the concrete. Unfortunately, not all live rock is beneficial to our marine ecosystems. Most commonly available live rock is harvested directly from living coral reefs in Fiji and other small island nations in the indo-pacific. Destructive practices such as using dynamite and crowbars to break up these rocks into smaller pieces have decimated reef systems all around the globe. Many nations including the United States and the Bahamas have banned this practice many years ago, but the U.
Live Rock Curing is the removal of dead and decaying matter from on and within the rocks. If there is no dead or dying organic matter than your rocks do not need to be cured. You can test this in two ways. The first is the rather unscientific method. Hold your nose up near the rock and smell it. If it smells like the ocean or a jetty at low tide your good to go, if it smells strongly like rotten fish it will need to be cured. The more scientific approach is to place your new live rocks in a container of salt water for hours, then test for ammonia.
If the ammonia level is high your rocks will need to be cured. If the level is at 0 ppm or barely detectable than no curing is required. Typically all Live Rock from Fiji and the Indo-Pacific will need to be cured due to their long transport duration. Not much life can survive that long out of the water. Aquacultured Live Rock that is harvested here in the U. Temperature extremes will always be an influencing factor. If your Live Rocks failed both the smell test and the ammonia test than they will need to be cured.
If this is a brand new tank with no inhabitants in it yet, the rocks can be cured in your main display tank. If your tank is already established with fish and corals in it then you will need a separate tank. The larger the water volume the better. Important notes: Do not light your live rocks with full spectrum or full intensity lighting during the curing process as this may cause an algae bloom.
Light them with either actinic lighting or natural lighting by having them in a room that gets ample indirect sunlight. If using actinic lighting, the photo-period should be no more then hours per day. If you notice any sponges on your rocks, it is recommended to remove them, as they rarely survive. The curing process can be quite a smelly endeavor, you might want to give a little warning to your significant other, otherwise, you may be sleeping with your rocks for a few nights!
Remember not all Live Rock needs to be cured, if you purchased aquacultured Live Rock harvested in the U. It pays to do your research first, and avoid the hassle of curing entirely. For more information on curing, visit our Live Rock Curing Guide. There is a negative stigma attached to the words Live Rock Hitchhikers, but the majority of all the hitchhikers that will come on live rock will be good and with only very few exceptions are there some bad or questionable hitchhikers.
Lets first dive into the good ones. There is no better method of increasing the biodiversity and life of any aquarium than to introduce Live Rock into your closed system.
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