Live Rock AquacultureMarine Aquaculture

Chris Haynes

What is Live Rock?Rock that is “alive” with organisms.Rock itself isnt aliveUsed in saltwater aquaria.Reef tanks or FOWLR tanks.Named for where it came from.

3 kindsDead Rock- Rock that has no living organisms

attachedBase Rock- Has some coralline growthLive Rock- has more growth on it, Coralline

alga, corals, polyps. etc

Why is Live Rock needed?Provides the necessary

jumpstartMedium for nitrifying

bacteriaDenitrifying bacteriaGreat biological filter Huge amount of surface

area/ very porousMade of calcareous

skeletons

Why is Live Rock needed?Great at stabilizing PHIs a buffer by releasing

calcium carbonateGreat substrate to affix

coralsDecorative Hosts multitude of

organisms

CultureHarvested directlyAquaculture projects- suspended in water

column for as little as 8 months up to 5 years

Little workSeeding

Harvest by hand Damages pre-existing reef structureHammer to break off chunks of rockBanned in Florida Other countries starting to shift towards

aquaculture

AquacultureSuspended in water column by raftsLet sit on bottomRock is left up to 5 years before harvestAllows time for colonies of growthOnly maintenance is picking off unwanted

algaeSpecial seeding facilities – Walt Smith Fiji

6 month

s1 year

18 months 2 years

It’s not ready yetStill have to remove dead matter

from transportContainer to completely cover rockSaltwater, thermometer at 76

degrees, powerheadScrub all dead matter off rock and

let it cure Frequent siphoning/water changesCould take a few days to a monthWhen water stops smelling you

can put into aquarium

Curing

Hitchhikers Can be a bad thingUnwanted

bristlewormsMantis shrimpSnailsAlgaeSponges Aiptasia