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Aquarium live rock is pieces of dead coral skeletons which have been harvested from coral reef areas. In the wild, live rock harbors both flora and fauna as well as beneficial (biological) bacterium. In an aquarium, if decently cured, live rock will continue to house both flora, fauna and bacterium.
Aquarium live rock is a biological filter. Live rock itself is not actually live, it is just the skeletal remains of corals, but it does host many salutary bacteria that work with the nitrogen cycle in your aquarium to process waste. Aquarium live rocks also work well to beef up other levels in your aquarium as well. Live rock has salutary effects on the PH levels, by releasing calcium to maintain balance. You can also get live rock to act as caves and hiding places for the marinefish in your aquarium.
To begin, you should order your live rock when you are ordering the other components for your marine aquarium. It takes a while to cure live rock so it is a good idea to get it earlier on in the process. I will direction you in the best way to cure your aquarium live rock. Due to a natural breakdown in the organisms that make up live rock. Curing your aquarium live rock can start up in to 3 weeks. The add up to of time is determined by the types of aquarium live rock you have and the amount.
To cure your aquarium live rock you will do with the following supplies; a storage container of around 40 gallons, an aquarium heater that is submersible and can keep the water at around 70 degree temperature, a pump that will move the water, a brush to remove particles from the aquarium live rock surface, salt mix, and testing kits for saltwater and ammonia.
1. Mix the salt mix with sufficient water to altogether cover your aquarium live rock
2. Scrubbing your aquarium live rock gently to dislodge any particles.
3. Put the live rock in the water with the fish tank pumps and heater to create the moving water environment.
4. Remember that when you add live rock to an aquarium, the saltwater level will emergence. Only have the aquarium about one-half full of saltwater, and have lay in saltwater set apart to finish topping off the aquarium if needed once all the live rock has been added.
5. After live rock has been added to an saltwater fish tank, retain an eye out for any white filmy or black areas on the live rock and Out with them. These are dead or moribund organisms and can quickly pollute your water if not removed.
6. Test the saltwater to be sure there are no obvious ammonia levels and then your live rock is suitable for the aquarium.
7. Once up and in motion, additives such as kalkwasser (calcium), iodine and strontium will encourage the growth of pink and purple coraline algae, and contribute to the wellness of other forms of aquarium live rock growth as well.
If you resolve not to first cure the aquarium live rock, but intend to add the substrate and live rock to cycling the aquarium with, it is recommended to at least take the time to prewashing the live rocks before using them. This will help to eliminate some of the build-up of organic matter that will origin from die-off, and you can examine the live rocks for any undesirable critters that perhaps present and obliterate them.
Aquarium live rock is a great addition to the saltwater fish tank and I highly recommend you get it to assistance in the filtration of the aquarium. Adequate aquarium live rock can effectively take care of a gigantic bio load.
