Brett’s Reef

    The most daunting task for a beginner saltwater aquarium owner is choosing the right live rock to use in their aquarium.  There are many different choices between the origin of the live rock, the size, porosity and price.  Many beginning reef keepers are confused by the concept of using live reef rock as filtration for the marine aquarium and for may aquarists the concept is still shrouded in mystery.

So what is live rock anyway? 

  Live rock is merely rock that is collected in a natural reef or aquacultured from “seeded” rock in a plot in the ocean.  This rock is generally dead coral skeletons that have broken off there mother colonies in storms or other natural and unnatural events.  If this broken colony cannot support itself from the mother colony then it slowly dies and leaves behind a coral skeleton. This coral skeleton over time will become part of the reef and will become a host for beneficial nitrifying bacteria, other corals and anything else that wishes to inhabit it.  Aquacultured Live rock is usually porous rock collected from a land area and is dropped in the ocean.  Over time this aquacultured rock will become home to many different types of organisms and beneficial bacteria, this rock is usually collected after several months to a year and is sold to reefers world wide.  Although it can be debated, aquacultured live rock is generally less porous then its natural counterpart and therefore more heavier.

How does the bacteria help my saltwater aquarium?

  Live rock as I mentioned above is porous therefor creating deep holes in the rocks structure.  These holes are home to nitrifying bacteria that create natural filtration for the saltwater aquarium.  This nitrifying bacteria breaks down ammonia into nitrites and then breaks it down further into nitrate.  The “die-off” from bacteria, plants and animals from shipping and exposure from air create a nitrite cycle. Once the live rock is placed into the aquarium the bacteria will start to regrow and will convert the present ammonia and nitrite.

The many types of live rock.

  Naturally collect reef rock comes mainly from the southern pacific, places such as marshal islands, Tonga and Fiji currently prevail as live rock providers although the Caribbean is making a stronger presence in the live rock arena.  There are many names for live rock grades and shapes.  Tonga is known for its shelf, branch and ultra grade live rock, each name describes its characteristics.  Ultra grade Tonga is generally live rock that has a very good amount of organisms and coralline algae on it.  Branching Tonga live rock is just that, it looks like branches.  Shelf live rock is merely slabs of rock that look similar to slate slabs.  To better know your live rock it helps to know the corals that are indigenous to the area that the rock is found in, after all these corals made the rock to begin with.

 How do I choose the right rock for my saltwater aquarium?

  While some people will tell you that one live rock is better then another it simply is not true.  All live rock are created equal with the exception of the shipper.  Choosing the right live rock for your aquarium is merely a matter of taste and preference.  for instance I prefer to have Fiji rock in my aquarium, I prefer the softball sized rock over all others because of its ease to move around and to create little niches for my fish to hide in.  I have seen many beautiful Tonga branch aquariums and stunning saltwater displays with Tonga branch.   But my preference for Fiji live rock has not stopped me from purchasing marshal island and Tonga branch pieces,  after all bio-diversity is a key element for any reef aquarium.

              What are Hitchhikers?

  Hitchhikers is a term coined by reefkeepers referring to live organisms other then bacteria, that arrive on the rock once it has been received by the reefkeeper.  These hitchhikers can be just about anything that lived in the area where the live rock has been collected and can be good or bad.  Some common hitchhikers can be worms such as bristleworms, peanut worms and spaghetti worms.  You could also get crabs, corals, and fish as hitchhikers while these may be a little bit more uncommon and they may not live through the shipping and cycling process they are definitely eye openers for the reefkeeper. 

Here are some pictures of Mystic Aquarium’s Clam Tank, The tank was not very big in fact I would say it probably did not go over 75 gallons but it hosted a whole bunch of tropical marine reef clams from maxima’s and croaceas to Squamosa clams. It also had a very nice gorgonian as well as a ton of mushroom corals.

I just came back from my brothers wedding up in conneticut and while I was there I had the oppurtunity to check out the Mystic aquarium. For the next few blogs I will be posting video along with pictures of there awsome saltwater reef tanks and there various sea creatures. This video is of red jellyfish.

  The Algae Codium Fragile as pictured above and below is a species of algae that we sometimes come across in our marine reef tanks.  There are other names for this type of algae such as dead man’s hands or dead man’s fingers.  This is a slow growing algae in my reef tank and it only shows up when the water conditions are very good.  When I see this algae start to grow I can tell that my other algae’s such as Halimeda will soon sprout and grow as well.  Right now I am letting this algae grow even though it is considered a nuisance algae becouse there is a galaxy coral right on top of it.  Nether the galaxy coral or the codium fragile seem to be effected by one another.  I would assume that this would make a good algae to have in a refuge because of its slow growing nature and its “hairy” tentacles may appeal to pods.

  
  Before choosing a salt water tank or tanks there are many things to consider.  The variety of the building material, designs, sizes and price range are somewhat intimidating at first.  Most if not all reef aquarium owners would say to buy the biggest one you can afford and in some respect they are right.

  Owning a big salt water tank is a risky venture for the beginning reef aquarist.  The initial expense is huge and to maintain a large salt water tank takes patience and a well thought out plan.  Many beginning reefers should read and study the hobby before making such a purchase.  So then why do the more experienced reef keepers suggest that the beginners buy larger salt water tanks?  The answer is simple, because bad things will happen slower to a bigger reef tank thus allowing the reefkeeper to make proper adjustments before the tank crashes, such as water quality issues.

  One could go the smaller route and own a very nice nano-reef aquarium.  These smaller salt water tanks are extremely difficult to maintain. Water quality, temperature and nutrients could go out of hand very fast resulting in a tank crash and the loss of the aquarium.

  So know that you consider the size of your salt water tank, you need to take into consideration the material and design of the salt water tank.  As of right now you could go with a glass aquarium or an acrylic aquarium.  The decision is up to the reefkeeper, but lets take a look at some of the pros and cons of these two salt water tanks.

The Glass Aquarium:

1. Generally cheaper then the acrylic aquarium.

2. Glass Aquariums are more resistant to scratches then acrylic aquariums.

3. Glass is heavy, a pain to move if its really big and needs a well constructed stand to handle its weight.

The Acrylic Aquarium:

1.  Weighs less then glass, which then in turn helps with shipping if purchased online.

2.  Less resistant to breaks.

3.  Can be made into nearly any shape if you find the right aquarium maker.

  After you choose what material you want your salt water tank to be you need to figure out if you want to have a bowfront, a regular box or another shape you can think of.  Proper planning and research of your reef’s fish and corals will help you choose what size salt water tank and its design.

  If you are new to salt water tanks and reef aquariums then I suggest you read this article on How to Set up a Marine Reef Aquarium.