Adding live rocks to the reef aquarium is a great way to include more nitrifying bacteria to the reef aquarium and improve the aquarium biodiversity. But choosing the right live rock could be a problem as the expected result may not be the result.
One of the best rocks on the market is the Florida Live rock. While many are handpicked and deposited at choice locations in the Gulf of Mexico and other parts of the North Atlantic ocean, some are directly selected from the ocean bed.
Check out this review for the a-z about Florida Live rocks, their prices, shipping options, and other important things to know about Florida live rocks. This article also discusses the benefit of Florida Live Rocks in your aquarium.
Check it out to be on top of your aquarium game!
Florida Live Rock
Florida live rocks are beautiful mariculture live rocks filled with nitrifying bacteria fauna for your reef aquarium setup. These live rocks, with their encrusted pores, are usually packed with microalga and other natural biodiversity to help create a natural mini ocean in your reef aquarium.
Unlike the artificial and controlled cultivation of microbes in rocks placed in reef tanks by many fish stores, many Florida live rock suppliers select the rocks and place them on the ocean bottom at their specially selected spots in the ocean.
They usually position these rocks in certain areas in the ocean where they will have a better chance of housing microalgae and some beneficial hitchhikers for your reef aquarium.
These places include the Gulf of Mexico and part of the North Atlantic Ocean.
It is typically shipped via boat and air. Other shipping methods include USPS and FedEx, but airline shipping is best.
The Price of Florida Live Rocks
A lot of factors affect the price of Florida Live Rocks. These factors include who your live rock supplier is and your mode of delivery.
It would be best to order from a direct supplier to get the best prices. Prices are usually unreasonably high when you order from your local fish stores.
These fish stores usually order from suppliers in the Pacific and sell to you after making a profit.
So, the best thing to do is to order from a direct supplier that has a specific reef location and ships directly from the ocean to you.
Prices are, however, determined by the weight of the live rocks you order, which will naturally depend on the size of your reef aquarium. Another factor that may determine the price of your Florida Live Rock is the shipping option.
Prices range from about $32 for a 5lb live rock to as much as $1300 for a 200lbs live rock. This price range is usually for the local pick-up option. Prices for airline shipping options depend on whether it is a merged or a moist shipping option. You can get live rocks for as low as $165 for a moist delivery and $185 for a submerged delivery of about 20 lbs of live rock (shipping fee included).
Prices range to as high as $1,650 for a moist delivery and $1,850 for a submerged delivery of about 200 lbs.
Many direct suppliers offer discounts and free shipping for rocks above a set weight limit.
Tip: Always request express delivery. It will lower the rate of die-offs.
Is It Good For Your Aquarium?
Florida live rocks are great for your reef aquarium. But why exactly are they good for your aquarium? Check out the reasons below.
Biodiversity Improvement In your Reef Aquarium
Introducing Florida live rocks to your aquarium can help you improve the biodiversity of your reef aquarium by adding some other smaller critters to the marine ecosystem of your reef tank.
Many Florida live rocks come with many beneficial hitchhikers from the ocean floor. The pores in these rocks also provide shelter for smaller forms of life, such as Brittle worms, Spaghetti worms, sponges, snails, and some fascinating marine algae.
Some of these good hitchhikers will become valued members of your marine ecosystem and even recurring live food sources for the fish species you are keeping.
These diverse forms of marine life will provide a solid foundation for your reef aquarium. They will also help your wild-caught species to instantly settle into their new home faster and reduce the chances of stress from the sudden change in the environment.
You also want to remember that live rocks are a great way to seed dead or dry rock whenever it is required.
Water Chemistry Stability
Florida Live Rocks help stabilize your water chemistry. It is usually made of aragonite, a carbonate mineral. Usually, when these live rocks are introduced to the aquarium, as calcified skeletons of dead corals, they leach calcium into the aquarium water. The slow release of calcium into the water is a natural way of stabilizing the water pH and maintaining a stable level of water hardness.
Florida live rocks also offer excellent biological filtration. It usually hosts a lot of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. When introduced to your reef aquarium, these bacteria help to reduce the amount of ammonia in your tank and perform other filtration tasks.
In many cases, this typically reduces the time it takes to cycle a tank by some days. So, it would be best to get only quality live rocks as the more beneficial bacteria you have, the better your water quality.
You also want to remember that these rocks are usually massive, with lots of pores for these beneficial bacteria to colonize as they help process harmful chemical compounds in your aquarium water.
Excellent and Natural Aquascaping for Your Reef Aquarium
Apart from improving the biodiversity of your reef aquarium and ensuring stable water chemistry, Florida live rocks are a great piece of decoration for your aquarium. If you are looking for a way to give your reef aquarium a natural look, adding a few Florida live rocks is the first step.
In time, the hitchhikers in the rock and other life forms will multiply in your tank to give you the perfect saltwater aquarium you desire.
You can use the live rocks to improve the quality of life for your fish and other marine life in your reef aquarium. Since the rocks usually have holes and crevices large enough for hiding, you can use them to create hiding places for your fish and other inhabitants in your tank.
It also helps them feel safe as they have a place to feel safe. If you have more sensitive fish, this is a great way to also help them feel safe and exhibit their natural behavior.
They are also a great way to control lighting, especially for nocturnal fish. Nocturnal fish usually hide in the rocks until nighttime when they come out for feeding and exploring.
Aside from offering them a natural environment to help them exhibit their natural traits, the Florida live rocks also give your reef aquarium a natural and more attractive look.
If you also introduce a new fish to your aquarium, the presence of the live rocks and all the life within will help your new addition adapt to your reef tank faster.
Finally, the live rocks also give the aesthetic touch that your tank needs for display.
NOTE
There may be a need to cure the live rock, but this generally depends on how long the rocks are exposed to air, variations in the holding water temperatures, and the nature of marine life on the rocks.
You need to consider all these factors to decide how much curing needs to be done.
Final Thoughts
Florida live rocks are the way to go for a more natural reef aquarium. While there are many other alternatives, Florida live rocks stand out for many reasons, including their Coraline, their colors, porous nature, and price.
But if you want to order some, ensure to use an expedient means of delivery. Airline cargo delivery is usually the best as the die-off rate is very low.
You also want to keep a few tips in mind as you add the live rocks to your aquarium. First, you want to ensure that your reef aquarium is set to the appropriate water flow. You need a high water flow if you want the marine life on the rock to survive a long time in your tank.
Second, you need to set the lighting in your aquarium, keeping in mind the needs of the different marine life on the live rock.
And finally, it is recommended that you do not use harsh chemicals if you notice some bad hitchhikers in your tank. Using chemicals, medications, or any type of dip to rid the tank of pests could also cause harm for the good hitchhikers.
You want to carefully remove the bad hitchhikers and expel them from the tank. You can use nets and other safe means. These tips will help you get the most out of your Florida live rocks.
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