| When starting a saltwater aquarium you have a | | | | become home for thousands upon thousands of |
| number of options as to the look, feel, and even the | | | | natural oceanic life. When the proper time comes |
| natural foundations that your aquarium will have. You, | | | | these implanted rocks are harvested. The are kept in |
| as the saltwater aquarist, have the opportunity to | | | | a constant flow of natural sea water and cured to |
| introduce "live rocks" into your saltwater aquarium, | | | | ensure their quality. This process takes dead material |
| which bring a natural feel to your saltwater aquarium. | | | | and harmful bacteria off of the "live rock" so when it |
| As opposed to artificial corals and stones "Live rocks" | | | | is introduced into a saltwater aquarium it will not harm |
| are rocks that can possibly contain a number of | | | | the system. As mentioned before these aquacultured |
| different marine life forms which are all found | | | | "live rocks" are teaming with a number of different |
| naturally in the saltwater environment. These "rocks | | | | life forms. Each of these creatures creates an even |
| can contain life in the form of coral, crustaceans, | | | | more natural environment for your saltwater |
| algae, and many others. | | | | aquarium. |
| You must realize that the rock itself is not alive but | | | | Not only are the aquacultured live rocks a great |
| the rock is teaming with life on its surface. These live | | | | source of natural beauty for your saltwater aquarium, |
| rocks contain life in the same way that you would | | | | but they can also provide your system with natural |
| find life on the surface of rocks taken from the wild. | | | | filtration and nitrate control. The flora and fauna |
| However aquacultured rocks are not harvested from | | | | contained within aquacultured rocks are mostly filter |
| the natural environment. These rocks are raised to | | | | feeders which strain the saltwater within your |
| contain the life that you find on them now. Taking | | | | aquarium and remove excess food and pollutants. |
| rock directly from the sea floor would cause | | | | While these creatures can be of great help in |
| immense damage to our fragile ocean ecosystem. | | | | maintaining the proper nutrient levels in your |
| Therefore aquacultured rocks are "grown" in the | | | | saltwater aquarium, they cannot be solely depended |
| same type of environment but in very eco-friendly | | | | on for filtration. They can however, prove to be an |
| ways. | | | | incredible natural monitoring system for the health of |
| The process begins when rocks, or in some cases | | | | your saltwater aquarium. These creatures will clearly |
| dead coral, are taken and placed on stretches of the | | | | display how healthy your system is by their growth. |
| sea floor. As time progresses the natural inhabitants | | | | In particular, if the algae on an aquacultured "live |
| in the ocean environment begin to dwell within the | | | | rock" grows significantly, you can be almost certain |
| implanted rock. Over a number of years these rocks | | | | that you have high nitrate levels within your system. |