Live Rock?

Live Rock? Sounds like one of those oxymoron's we learned about in grammar class. Live rock is truly living rock and it is the heart of the reef aquarium. Live rock is actually ancient coral skeletons which have been inhabited by myriad organisms, such as worms, sponges, algae, crustaceans; and last but certainly not least, bacteria. Live rock is used to build the reef structure and as a place to attach corals to when creating the reef aquarium. Live rock is the single most important ingredient to a successful reef aquarium because it is essential to good water quality. Billions of bacteria and other tiny organisms help break down waste products (nitrates & phosphates) introduced by animals inhabiting the captive reef.

Live rock comes from many different sources and from many different areas of the world (where coral reefs exist). From time to time, large areas of coral rubble may be removed for various reasons on particular islands creating an opportunity for another shipment of "live rock". The rock is packed in damp newspaper and plastic and shipped direct to wholesalers around the world. Many wholesalers will leave the rock boxed up and try to sell it as fast as possible, although sometimes it sits for weeks before being sold! I have opened boxes where the noxious ammonia fumes nearly caused me to blackout! This is what I refer to as "dead and dying rock"! Some wholesalers will actually unpack the rock and place it in salt water as soon as possible. This is much preferred over the later because more of the beneficial organisms survive.

Much live rock is now aquacultured to prevent further destruction of natural coral reef rubble zones. Calcium carbonate rock of marine origin is removed from inland areas and placed in the ocean long enough for organisms to colonize it. The longer this rock is submerged the better. Sometimes rock is created using cement and molds, however, I do not recommend this method. It takes a very long time for the rock to become "alive" with microorganisms.

The bottom line is that the quality of the live rock you use to start your reef tank is crucial. Another way to get "live rock" is to buy it from another hobbyist who happens to be taking down his tank; but be careful here! Why is he taking down his reef aquarium? What does his tank look like? Is it an algae covered mess? Does he have a nasty pest infestation and perhaps too lazy to deal with it? (more about pests later). Pick your live rock wisely and you will have a trouble free reef aquariums for years.

Sexy shrimp in rock anemone (Phymanthus genus)

 

Starry Blennie & Purple Tonga mushrooms

 

Neon green sinularia, assorted mushroom disc anemones

 

Neon green sarcophyton, Tonga purple hairy mushrooms, "Purple people-eater" zooanthids, and metallic orange fungia

 

Cinaria species

Left side view

 

Right side view

 

My reef aquarium 1 year 9 months later

100 gallon reef aquarium 

What is a "Reef Aquarium"?

A reef aquarium is a saltwater aquarium which contains fish, invertibrates, live rock and living corals; much like a small piece of a coral reef in your home. These animals are either collected in the wild or captive raised in aquaculture facilities. Many corals are propagated and shared by hobbyists. A reef aquarium can range in size from one gallon to thousands of gallons. A small reef aquarium (typically 10 gallons or less) is commonly refered to as a "nano-reef". A miniature-reef is between 10 and 250 gallons. Anything bigger than 250 gallons is just a big honkin reef aquarium!

Zen and The Art of Miniature Reef Aquarium Keeping

By Keith Rowley

Hello World,

This is the beginnings of my book, "Zen and The Art of Miniature Reef Aquarium Keeping". I know that it will take me a while and I want to get as much feedback as possible while writing. My mission here is to help the average guy or gal get a good start in the reef aquarium hobby, that is, if that is what they really want to do. I have been keeping aquariums for over 30 years and I feel that there is a need for a good "down to earth" unbiased guide for setting up a trouble free reef aquarium. It has been estimated that 40-60% of the new hobbyist's leave the hobby within a year or two, undoubtedly frustrated and with a lot less money in their savings account! With the internet now a part of almost everyone's life, the beginning hobbyist is bombarded with tons of information, some good and most bad. Since the aquarium industry is , for the most part, not subject to government regulation, one can find all kinds of "miracle devices" and "elixirs", which claim to do everything but take out the trash. Having wasted my time and money on a lot of these, my goal is to keep the prospective hobbyist from making the same mistakes.

I don't claim to be an expert ichthyologist, but I do know the basics about selecting fish for a reef aquariums, and I can provide the best references for getting the right answers. It is important to remember that Local Fish Stores (LFS), are in the business of selling fish. I have personally experienced many occasions where they sold a "reef safe" fish, only to find out that it's main diet consists of live coral polyps! Not only will the fish devour your expensive corals, but it will quickly die of starvation when your corals are dead! I have also seen many species for sale which have no possible chance of surviving in a captive reef system. This is irresponsible and disrespectful business practice! Do your homework first, and save a fish or two (not to mention your hard-earned cash). If there is no demand for such animals the collectors will soon get the hint. The same goes with filtration equipment and additives. So many new hobbyists get "suckered" into buying stuff they don't need and paying way too much for it! What is it they say? "Buyer beware!"

I would also like to help those who are not sure if they have the "right stuff" to be a reef aquarist (or any aquarist). In my years of keeping and setting up reef tank displays, I have noticed one very obvious behavior. Any two people can come into a room with a beautiful display tank, and one will be immediately mesmerized and astonished, without noticing anything else in the room. The other person will behave as if it wasn't even there! Sure, they might glance at it, but it won't even come close to making their day. I am at a loss to explain this but it is a fact of life; there are fishy people and there are non-fishy folks. If you have always been attracted to aquariums, aquatic life, the sea, nature, etc, than you have one of the key behaviors needed for success. Do you have a green thumb? Are you an avid gardener? If you have a knack for keeping things alive and healthy, than you have another of the key behaviors. Are you a patient person? You will definitely need this virtue! Starting a reef tank the right way requires a lot of time and patience. If you are the kind of person that is always in a hurry to finish things, or often starts projects but never finishes what you started, you may want to consider another hobby. If you travel a lot, or think there is a good chance you will be moving soon, don't start a reef tank. It is much easier (and less expensive) to move or take down a fish only tank. Do you have budget constraints? The reef aquarium is the most expensive aquarium to own. Depending on the complexity and type of corals kept, a state-of-the-art 100 gallon reef display can set you back several thousand dollars. Also, don't forget the electricity and regular maintenance, i.e., equipment, food, additives. My 100 gallon reef set-up consumes 50 -65$ / month electricity alone (using California's exorbitant energy rates). The latter is the reason for so many hobbyists giving up or not even wanting to try it. Of course, this is the extreme case. I plan to discuss ways to set a trouble-free reef tank on a college student budget. There is no reason a college student could not have a small micro-reef tank in their dorm room (unless school rules prohibit this).

So if, after reading the above, you think you have the right stuff and you still want to get into the hobby, read on!

PLEASE BE PATIENT and Come back soon for more stuff.

Zen and The Art of Miniature Reef Aquarium Keeping

Copyright 2005, 2006, 2007 All rights reserved