Steps to Follow When Introducing Live Rock to a Saltwater Aquarium

Live rock is a must for any saltwater or reef aquarium. It contains a great deal of beneficial bacteria which helps break down organic waste. Live rock often houses colonies of copepods and amphipods which are eaten by the inhabitants of your tank. Whether you purchase collected live rock or the more environmentally friendly aquacultured live rock, there are a few steps you should take to ensure the safety of your marine tank.

  1. Cure Your Live Rock

    • During collection and transportation, many marine organisms living in live rock die, leaving the rock slimy and smelly. You need to remove all dead and dying organisms before placing live rock in your aquarium. Generally, this is accomplished by rinsing the rock thoroughly in saltwater while scrubbing off dead organisms with a toothbrush, then letting the rocks sit in well-oxygenated saltwater of approximately the same temperature and pH as in your aquarium. The rocks need to sit for at least a week, with one to two water changes during that time. During water changes, and once again before placing in your aquarium, scrub the rocks with a toothbrush, rinsing in saltwater.

    Aquascape Your Live Rock

    • First, you must start with a base, which can be either base rock or PVC pipe structures. PVC bases reduce the need for base rock, so you can create more open areas, caves and overhangs, adding a natural look to your aquarium and plenty of places for your fish to hide. As you move higher up in the tank, you can drill holes in live rock and stack it on PVC pipes or other rigid tubing. Or, you can use coral-safe adhesives, which are sold in fish stores, usually in the form of either a glue or a putty. Whatever you decide, you will want to lay out your plan before beginning to put the rock in the tank. Stack the rock with plenty of spaces in between. This allows water circulation through the live rock. Otherwise, you risk "dead spots" that lead to algae blooms.

    Add Your Live Rock

    • Add new live rock slowly to your aquarium. Start with a just a few pieces, wait two weeks, then add a few more. This will assure that any remaining die-off from the rock will not pollute your aquarium, and will also keep any new life forms on the rocks from overloading your system via a sudden increase in "bioload."