Kinds of Saltwater Live Rock

Saltwater live rock is a piece of coral reef that has broken off of the main reef structure due to natural occurrences, such as a storm. It is called live rock because of all the living organisms that are contained inside of it, like algae, worms and crustaceans, to name a few. Live rock is a biological filter that helps saltwater fish owners maintain successful saltwater aquariums. There are several varieties of live rock that can be purchased in one of two ways.

  1. Cured or Uncured

    • Live rock can be bought in one of two ways, either cured or uncured. The process of curing involves trying to kill off as many of the dead or dying organisms attached to the rock as possible, after its initial shipment. Many live rock retailers offer cured rock--which sits in a special tank for weeks--at an increased price compared to uncured rock. Uncured rock is shipped to its end-user without the curing process being performed. Curing rock isn't difficult, per se, however it is a time consuming and messy process. Each variety of live rock can be cured or left uncured. Varieties of live rock are usually categorized by place of origin.

    Fiji Live Rock

    • Fiji live rock is, not surprisingly, from the coral reefs of Fiji. Some retailers will promise that their live rocks are hand-picked to ensure they are selling only the best pieces of broken reef to customers. Fiji live rock is arguably the most common and popular type of live rock used in aquariums.

    Base Rock

    • Base rock is categorized by how it is collected and found. It is usually the least expensive type of live rock, and it is found under other types of reef debris. This type of rock has less living organisms and algae in it than other types of live rock. Base rock can be used as an inexpensive base for your aquarium's rock structure.

    Pacific Rock

    • In general, this type of rock comes from areas of the Pacific Ocean, which includes parts of Fiji, the Marshall Islands and Indonesia. This type of rock is more porous than other types of rock, allowing for more breatheability and organisms. Often, Pacific rock is the most expensive type of rock.

    Mid-Range Live Rocks

    • If base rock is the bottom of the tier and Fiji and Pacific rock are at the top, the middle is occupied by a few different varieties. Atlantic, Gulf and Caribbean rock is of a higher quality than base, but is not as porous as the Pacific and Fiji varieties.