157:. Live rock becomes the main biological nitrification base or biological filter of a saltwater aquarium. Harmful elements dissolved in the water of the aquarium, including ammonia, phosphates, and nitrates, are processed with the help of the organisms that are introduced from the live rock into the aquarium's ecosystem. Excess ammonia, nitrate, and phosphates are eliminated with the help of the algae and corals growing on the live rock's surface, while other bacteria supplement the process and restore balance in the water chemistry. Additionally, live rocks have a stabilizing effect on the water chemistry, in particular on helping to maintain constant
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aquarium contains various types of bacteria, algae and corals, waste products such as ammonia, nitrate and phosphate can have a number of fates. Ammonia, nitrate and phosphate are readily assimilated by algae and photosynthetic corals growing on and in the rock. Ammonia can also be quickly converted into nitrate by the bacteria on and in the rock. This nitrate can be either absorbed by the algae and corals, or it can be denitrified by bacteria in close proximity to the nitrate-producing bacteria."
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165:. Lastly, live rock, especially when encrusted with multiple species of coralline algae (producing differing colors), becomes a major decorative element of the aquarium and provides shelter for the inhabitants. It is often used to build caves, arches, overhangs, or other structures in the tank, a practice known as
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Live rock must however be cured prior to aquarium installation. Many of the organisms that previously lived in the rock would have died off during the harvesting and transportation process posing a risk to an immature aquarium of rapid ammonia production due to the dead organisms decomposing. To
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The use of live rock immediately introduces into the aquarium numerous algae, bacteria and small invertebrates all of which contribute to the overall quality of the aquarium water. Live rock has just as much, if not more, surface area for bacteria than a trickle filter. Since live rock in the
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Base rock, or dry rock, is a generic term for aragonite rock that has no organisms growing in or on the rock. Base rock is often used as filler rock in the aquarium as it is much cheaper to purchase than live rock. In time, base rock will become colonized by living organisms.
254:. After allowing the cement to dry, the pieces are sometimes acid washed to counteract the high pH of the materials, and then allowed to soak in clean water for one or more months. They generally tend to be heavier and less attractive when compared to natural base rock.
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Recently base rock that is mined from inland ancient reefs has become a popular way to keep the aquarium trade going sustainably. This rock is either maricultured and sold as live rock, or can be purchased and grown in the home aquarium.
226:. Each has its own distinct qualities that make it preferable to certain reef aquarists. For instance, live rock from the Fiji region is often porous and large, and rock from the Tonga region is often dense and elongated.
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combat this a curing process must be carried out involving leaving the rock to sit in water for up to several weeks to ensure all dead organisms have decomposed and no longer pose a threat to water quality.
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and inhabited by a multitude of marine organisms. The many forms of micro and macroscopic marine life that live on and inside of the rock, which acts as an ideal habitat, give it the name "live rock".
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There are many different types of live rock. Each is named after the area from which it originated. A large amount of live rock comes from the
Southern Pacific region, in areas such as
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Live rock is highly valued in the aquarium trade. It introduces a diverse array of bacteria, algae, and invertebrates to the closed marine environment and functions as a superior
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Live rock is harvested for use in the aquarium from reefs, either from natural or human breakage. It may also be "seeded" from small coralline rocks by an
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60:. The name sometimes leads to misunderstandings, as the "live rock" itself is not actually alive, but rather is simply made from the
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130:, when they are collected. Corals added to the aquarium later will often become attached to the rock.
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266:(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) banned the collection of live rock from
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Bleached coral skeletons, which can be inhabited by micro- and macro-organisms to form live rock
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297:"How to Choose the Right Aquarium Rocks and Substrate for Saltwater and Freshwater Tanks"
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Base rock can also be made from artificial rock called aragocrete, which is a hand made
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in warm ocean water, to be harvested later. Live rock can also be seeded by adding
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335:"Your First Reef aquarium: How to Create a Miniature Coral Reef System at Home"
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that already has live rock. Live rock harbors a wide variety of corals,
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72:. When taken from the ocean it is usually encrusted with
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Rock from the ocean introduced into a saltwater aquarium
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371:. Aquaristmagazine.com. Archived from
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323:in 1994, under the Live Rock section
333:Delbeek, J. Charles (2009-04-27) .
91:live rock formed by planting mined
27:, well encrusted with a variety of
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246:from combining crushed aragonite,
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142:that hosts aerobic and anaerobic
973:Aquarium fish by scientific name
180:In J. Charles Delbeek's article
45:that has been introduced into a
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886:Aquarium Fish International
628:Fish terms / types
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978:Freshwater aquarium fish
860:Charles Haskins Townsend
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182:Your First Reef Aquarium
922:Drs. Foster & Smith
865:Jeanne Villepreux-Power
64:skeletons of long dead
1012:Brackish aquarium fish
901:Tropical Fish Hobbyist
222:, as well as from the
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23:Mature live rock in a
896:Practical Fishkeeping
354:University of Hawaiʻi
262:As of August 4, 2008
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999:Marine aquarium fish
952:Zoo Med Laboratories
840:William Alford Lloyd
369:"What is live rock?"
295:Richy (2020-08-20).
741:Artificial seawater
830:Philip Henry Gosse
805:Herbert R. Axelrod
424:2012-08-30 at the
398:2011-09-28 at the
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47:saltwater aquarium
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968:Aquarium diseases
835:Sven O. Kullander
815:Pierre Carbonnier
784:Water conditioner
393:What is Live Rock
163:calcium carbonate
149:required for the
140:biological filter
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870:Robert Warington
810:Leonhard Baldner
779:Spawning trigger
731:Aquarium fishery
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341:. Archived from
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220:Marshall Islands
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555:Calcium reactor
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428:and its purpose
426:Wayback Machine
419:About Live Rock
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367:Steven Caller.
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108:aquaculturalist
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74:coralline algae
29:coralline algae
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541:Berlin Method
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523:and equipment
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375:on 2012-10-08
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114:to an active
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683:Brine shrimp
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377:. Retrieved
373:the original
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352:– via
347:. Retrieved
343:the original
339:Aquarium USA
338:
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321:Aquarium USA
320:
315:
304:. Retrieved
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276:Cook Islands
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126:, and other
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89:Aquacultured
34:
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1041:Fishkeeping
855:Anna Thynne
736:Aquascaping
693:Feeder fish
635:Algae eater
575:Fish feeder
467:fishkeeping
167:aquascaping
70:coral reefs
982:amphibians
845:Paul Matte
761:Macquarium
708:Shrimp mix
481:Freshwater
379:2012-10-09
349:2012-10-09
306:2020-08-30
282:References
274:, and the
218:, and the
144:nitrifying
97:lease site
910:Companies
879:Magazines
774:Reef safe
703:Infusoria
675:Fish food
645:Coldwater
614:Substrate
599:Powerhead
594:Live sand
590:Live rock
550:Driftwood
506:Community
463:Aquariums
404:About.com
230:Base rock
224:Caribbean
112:base rock
93:limestone
62:aragonite
51:live sand
41:from the
35:Live rock
1035:Category
917:Dennerle
766:Project
665:Tropical
609:Refugium
585:Lighting
546:Bog-wood
531:Airstone
422:Archived
396:Archived
244:concrete
147:bacteria
58:hobbyist
55:aquarium
947:Wardley
688:Daphnia
660:Painted
570:Fishcam
511:Biotope
134:Purpose
124:sponges
99:in the
1020:plants
1007:plants
990:plants
927:Hikari
793:People
650:Dither
580:Heater
565:Filter
491:Public
486:Marine
270:, the
250:, and
80:Origin
66:corals
994:algae
961:Lists
942:Tetra
932:Hagen
768:Piaba
655:Hardy
268:Tonga
264:CITES
216:Tonga
198:Types
155:waste
120:algae
95:on a
43:ocean
937:Sera
619:Sump
496:Reef
465:and
248:sand
212:Fiji
39:rock
891:Koi
402:in
37:is
1037::
337:.
299:.
214:,
169:.
159:pH
122:,
455:e
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