Live Rock Maintenance Tips

Live rock, or rock and coral inhabited by colonies of micro-organisms, is an important part of saltwater reef aquariums. It acts as a biological filtration system, looks attractive and helps create the kind of natural ecosystem that many reef species need to survive. According to Fish Lore, live rock is also the most expensive part of most reef aquariums, and it can be extremely fragile. Fortunately, with the correct care, live rock can stay healthy and keep the rest of the tank functioning properly.

  1. Curing

    • Most live rock must be cured before it can be placed in a reef tank. The process of collecting and shipping the rock causes attached organisms to die off. These plants, animals and other organisms produce ammonia as they decay, which can poison the waters in the main tank. Live rock should be cured, or quarantined, in a separate tank with good water quality for 2 weeks or more. Aquarium owners should scrape off obvious dead animals periodically to speed up the process. Once ammonia levels are close to zero and the rock no longer smells of decay, it may be placed in the main tank. Using live rock without curing it is unwise and could cause the death of both the rock and other animals in the tank.

    Quantity

    • Maintaining the correct ratio of live rock to water can make maintaining a reef tank easier. If a piece of rock dies, it may be necessary to replace it with more. Algone recommends 1.3 to 1.5 pounds of live rock per gallon of water, with a minimum of 1 pound of rock per gallon. A tank should never have more than 1.75 pounds of rock per gallon, since it may not be able to provide enough nutrients for the organisms in the rock to survive.

    Water Quality

    • Live rock does best in places with strong water circulation. This can be created in a tank using wave makers, power heads or dedicated water pumps. According to Live Rock, Inc, 5 to 10 percent of the tank water should be changed every week to maintain appropriate water quality. Also, avoid any significant changes in phosphate, calcium or salinity levels in the water. Reef tanks should have a pH of 8.2 to 8.4 and should be kept at a consistent temperature to maintain live rock successfully.