Importance of Live Rock

Live Rock is considered to be “live” due to the bacteria and marine life that live on and inside of it. The rock itself is made up of the calcium carbonate skeletons of long dead corals, or other calcareous organisms that have broken off from the coral reef itself and become worn down and mineralized over time. Over time, this rock is colonized by bacteria, algae, sponges, etc.  These organisms are capable of  boring deep into the rock and can live in the innermost portions within the rock

Live rock is the building blocks of a successful reef aquarium and performs a variety of tasks

Live Rock is constructed by tiny colonial coral animals and is extremely porous and full of irregular shapes and sizes. This gives it an extremely high surface area for bacteria to colonise. This makes it a fantastic substrate for biological filtration. Live Rock is the main biological nitrification base or biological filter of a saltwater aquarium. The bacteria, invertebrates and algae which colonise and live in and on the rock help contribute to the overall water quality of the aquarium. Waste products such as ammonia, nitrate and phosphate are readily assimilated by algae and invertebrates which inhabit the rock. Bacteria living on and within the rock can also readily convert ammonia into nitrate which is, in turn, absorbed by the invertebrates and algae or further denitrified by the bacteria.

As well as biological filtration, live rock enhances the look of the aquarium and provides shelter for the inhabitants. Many fish require caves and places to hide, while corals and algae require a base to inhabit and adhere to.

When you first purchase and receive live rock it is essential that it is effectively “cured”. Almost all live rock is harvested from the ocean and shipped moist to the dealer or hobbyist uncured. As a result, many of the organisms living in/on the rock die off. If placed directly into your aquarium, dead and decaying sponges, invertebrates and algae will create an ammonia spike and water quality and tank health will suffer.

Once this die off has ceased and the organisms have stabilized, this rock is considered cured.
Before placing Live Rock into your aquarium you should remove any detritus and dead organisms by rinsing in a saltwater bath. Dead organisms can be removed with a pair of forceps or tweezers. These are usually apparent by their white colour, limp structure or offensive smell. Consider removing any sponges even if they appear alive. Sponges die slowly if exposed to air and can then cause serious long term water

fouling. Over time, if your water quality is maintained, you will have sponges appear which are ideally suited to life in an aquarium.

Whilst curing live rock, strong water flow is essential. This helps keep any detritus from settling. Lighting levels should be kept low to deter algal blooms which can result from excessive nutrients. A good protein skimmer is also helpful to skim the dead material and aerate the water.