"Types of Live Rock"

The different types of live rock for Reef and Fowlr aquariums
Live Rocks are fragments that have broken off a coral reef by natural means such as hurricanes and tropical storms. These pieces of rubble are called live rock because of all the living organisms that are found on and living within the holes and crevices' of the rock. Many types of algae, crabs, marine worms, small crustaceans, bacteria and other life forms make their homes on the reef structures found in the ocean and when you buy some saltwater live rock you'll very likely be getting a number of these organisms.There are different types of live rock you may come across:
Base Rock This is a little cheaper than the other types of rock because it has less or no living organisms and algae living on the surface. You can save a few dollars by using this as the base to the rock structure in your tank.
Pacific Rock - This is rock that comes from the Marshall Islands, Indonesia and other locations in the Pacific. It is very expensive This is the most popular choice for people because it is more porous than the other types of rock. It will also usually have more caves and holes in it. Some examples are:
Fiji Premium Rock. Colors - pink, purple and red. This rock is extremely porous and greatly aids biological filtration.
Caribbean Rock. Colors - green pink and purple. It is light in consistency and has many open areas conducive to growing various organisms. Usually consisting of old coral heads that have been repopulated with coralline algae, sponges, tunicates and macro algae.
Melanesian Rock. Colors Green, pink, purple, red, Orange and yellow. This is a very lightweight rock with a flattish appearance. It is often recognized by its covering of pink, purple and red coralline algae.
Nano Rock. This comes from Indonesia. Colors Green, pink, purple, red, yellow. A popular variety that is recognized by its many different shapes. It is often used in the smaller aquarium that require smaller rocks to give a more natural appearance.
Tonga Branch. Colors Green, pink, purple, red, orange and yellow. Semi dense, with a branching shape. Gives your tank a bit of dimension and aids circulation.Tonga Slab. A very porous rock that is very efficient at aiding biological filtration. It comes in many shapes and sizes and attracts large amounts of sea life such as macro algae, various sponges, encrusting hard corals, branching coralline algae and often showing recolonized head of old coral.
Atlantic Rock, Gulf Rock - This is rock that comes from each of these areas and is usually not as porous as the other types of rock and because of this would not be recommended to keep as the main type of live rock in your tank.
Aqua Cultured This is a type of environmentally friendly rock. This is porous rock that has been placed in the ocean and left for several years so that beneficial bacteria and other sea organisms can inhabit the surface.
There are numerous benefits from using this rock in your marine aquarium and it makes all the difference in establishing a more natural environment for your aquatic life, mainly because of the benefits of the biological filter and the food source. When they eventually become properly established they make a beautiful and interesting display that can be just as fascinating as the fish/corals in your tank. some examples:
Base Rock

Fiji Premium

Florida Coast /Gulf of Mexico

Melanesian

Tonga Branch

my live rock it's pretty much a mix of all of the above, it sat in this tub for a couple of months while I was getting the plumbing on the tank done. I had it in saltwater mixed @ 1.024 with a power head and heater its cold here in March.I also used a HOB filter to trap any decaying matter.

this is the rock in the tank it's approximately 325lbs. the above picture was about 125lbs that I got off a guy on craigslist for 100.00 if you go this route make sure to ask if the rock was ever exposed to copper better yet they sell copper test kits then you can test it yourself, copper will kill coral.


Happy Reefing!

That's really good stuff. Thank you so much!

Killing the SW MOD thing. Keep up the great work!

This is AWESOME info and the photos are a huge help! Thank you for sharing this!!!

I thought it might be a help to some people:)

Very good info, thanks. I've been thinking of doing a saltwater tank

KingBichir wrote:

Very good info, thanks. I've been thinking of doing a saltwater tank

great! when do you want to start? I'm ready:)

thanks, about ready to get my tank up... that helps alot.

cwhip wrote:

I thought it might be a help to some people:)

Most definitely!! ;)

Now, this leads me to yet another question:
If you have enough live rock, filtration (including protein skimmer), and ample water flow, how necessary is a sump/refugium?

Meredith wrote:

cwhip wrote:

I thought it might be a help to some people:)

Most definitely!! ;)

Now, this leads me to yet another question:
If you have enough live rock, filtration (including protein skimmer), and ample water flow, how necessary is a sump/refugium?

sump/fuge is nice to have but no nessasary.

Ah, thank you...again! I think I'm actually learning more here than I have by reading about it anywhere else!

Meredith wrote:

Ah, thank you...again! I think I'm actually learning more here than I have by reading about it anywhere else!

what size tank do you have? details please:) ie
substrate
live rock
filtration
flow
reef ready
skimmer etc...
we also love pics so feel free to show us your system.

Great info!Thanks for sharing.I will do a SW tank really soon I hope!

Great info Cindy!!

Seems like us salties are rubbing off on a few more members!!!

wildbeanerz wrote:

Great info Cindy!!

Seems like us salties are rubbing off on a few more members!!!

LOL I know!!! 98.9999999% will stay salties too... we will need a saltwater addicts section on the forum before too long

I know now that I crossed over I don't think I will ever go back...except that is for this little guppy bowl in my office.