How to Set up Live Rocks in a Saltwater Aquarium

Displaying a saltwater tank in your home or office is an excellent way to bring nature into the area while creating a serene atmosphere. The addition of live rocks to the aquarium further enhances the beauty of colorful saltwater fish while providing an appealing aesthetic. Live rocks assist visually and contribute to the function and maintenance of the tank by providing a place for your fish to frolic and hide; they also play an important role in the ecosystem of the aquarium by supplying food and acting as a biological filter for your system. Incorporating these rocks into your aquarium is an easy task, though it does require some planning.

Things You'll Need

  • Mineral balanced aquarium (pH, Calcium and Alkalinity)
  • Sand
  • Cured live rocks
  • Pencil
  • Paper
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Instructions

    • 1

      Design your live rock layout beforehand. By mapping your design on paper you will be able to display your rock in an interesting way and limit the shuffling once in place.

    • 2

      Begin with an empty clean tank. This can be accomplished by scooping the fish and placing them in plastic bags with the water from the tank. By placing them in their same water this will reduce shocking their system by abruptly changing their water temperature. Plastic bags should be secured at the top with enough air to last the fish for approximately three hours; one to three inches of air space is advisable.

    • 3

      Clean the aquarium thoroughly. Inquire at your local pet store about aquarium cleaning kits.

    • 4

      Place live cured rock directly on the glass at the bottom on your tank. This will allow the sand to be poured around the rock base, thus securing it to the floor of the aquarium.

    • 5

      Select the aquarium sand you would like to use. There are many available; consider grain size in your choice and how it will look and behave in your tank. Fishlore suggests using sand with a grain size of 1 or 2 mm in a shallow sand bed. Using this size will prevent trapped debris from acclimating and contributing to organic build-up and will also allow gases and grains to escape. This grain size is also visually appealing in saltwater aquariums.