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Live rock is a major decorative element of the
saltwater aquarium and provides nescessary shelter for many marine
inhabitants. The different names of rock refer to the island
locations where the rock was collected from, such as Fiji live
rock, and Tonga live rock.
A live rocks shape such as branch rock and shelf or slab rock,
provide both a great look and handy holding locations to place
decorative corals on. Live rock is often used to build caves,
arches, overhangs, and other structures in the tank, an art known
as aquascaping.
For the aquarium trade live rock has replaced the old wet dry
filters we used to use with bioballs for the nitrifying bacteria.
Live rock has become the most effective biological filter we
have for the marine saltwater aquarium. Very quickly once placed
in the aquarium, usually within just a few weeks, biological
magic takes place and the live rock gains beneficial bacteria.
The rock hosts both aerobic and anaerobic nitrifying bacteria
required for the nitrogen cycle that processes waste. Live rock
becomes the main biological nitrification base or biological
filter of a saltwater aquarium. Additionally live rock has a
stablizing effect on the water chemistry, in particular on helping
to maintain constant pH by the release of calcium.
When talking about live rock it is wrong to think that the live
rock itself is alive, or that live rock can die. It isn't alive.
The aquarium rock itself is made up of the calcium carbonate
skeletons of long dead corals and broken ocean floor rock. What
makes aquarium live rock called live rock are the forms of good
bacteria and macroscopic life that form inside the rock and on
the surface of the rock.
Live rock is collected by divers on many islands in the pacific
and atlantic. The rock may sit for weeks in large piles on the
islands where collected, once sorted by size and type, it finally
makes its way by ship or air to the USA and other destinations,
then to the aquarium shops , and finally into your home aquarium.
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All of our competitors
place a box on a scale and start adding rock and packing materials.
Therefore you will recieve less rock then you actually ordered.
When you buy live rock from Aquatic Connection, you get the actual
live rock weight, measured on a legal for trade scale. We then
add the box, and packaging materials to get it to you safely. |
Aquatic Connection carries 12
different types of live rock, coming from many locations around
the world.
Differences in the live rock's physical make up from area to
area, make for different coraline algae colors to become the
dominant colors once the live rock matures in your tank.
For example, Fiji live rock is predominantly covered with a purple
coraline growth once matured, Tonga , and Carribbean live rock
is more rainbow colored, and Marshall Island live rock, has more
red coraline algae growth than the others once established.
Please note though, that these colors need a short period of
time to reappear on your rock. The curing and shipping process,does
diminish the coloration, but the chemistry of the particular
rock is whats important, and the incredible shapes at time of
purchase.
Give your tank the lighting and chemistry nescessary and you
will enjoy for years the results of your effort.
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The
Safe Way to Add Live Rock
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Live rock is of absolute paramount importance
in either fish only or coral reef eco-systems. In both instances,
the saltwater aquariums live
rock provides both the beneficial organisms for proper water
management and the longevity of delicate live stock species.
Although the benefits, make live rock a must in todays aquarium,
there still are precautions when additing live rock. Though your
live rock has been pre-cured, it is imperative to cure the rock
again upon receipt, before it is placed in the display aquarium
that contains fish, coral, or inverts since some normal die off
will occur during transit.
This is simple by either adding your live rock first with your
live sand, and waiting a 14 to 28 days till 0 ammonia shows upon
water testing; or you may place the live rock in a container
with saltwater and a small powerhead for water movement. Let
it stay in this container for 14 - 28 days till a water test
shows 0 ammonia. It is then ready to add to your live system...
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