Live Rock serves many beneficial functions to the aquarium hobbyist, the most significant of which is its role as the biological filtration for your tank. Aquariums are closed systems, all food put into the aquarium for your fish and other inhabitants must also exit the aquarium somehow. Live Rock facilitates the means by which the food is broken down and exited out of the tank. Biological filtration is extremely important for the health and longevity of your aquarium inhabitants. You may ask how in the world does a rock do that, I’ve never seen them move, let alone clean my tank. The process of breaking down food from entry to exit takes several steps and is part of the nitrogen cycle that is always occurring inside your aquarium.
On first pass, the small filter feeders and cleanup crews such as emerald crabs, spaghetti worms and other invertebrates living on and within the Live Rock consume the uneaten food portions and fish waste.
As the waste particles have now gotten smaller they will convert to ammonia, nitrite, and phosphate.
Live Rock will actively facilitate the conversion of these toxic chemicals into less harmful products such as nitrate.
Next, these nitrates can be quickly assimilated by the different algae and nitrifying bacteria (both aerobic and anaerobic) contained within the rocks.
Finally, the majority of these nitrates will convert to nitrogen gas and will exit the tank via the gas exchange at the water’s surface. If you have more waste in your tank than your Live Rock can keep up with, you may need to do periodic water changes or acquire more Live Rock.
Live Rock is a far more efficient filter than any powered aquarium filter which can not contain any anaerobic bacteria for waste conversion as this type of bacteria only resides in oxygen-less spaces such as inside the Live Rock and within deep sand beds. To get more information visit #live rock.
On first pass, the small filter feeders and cleanup crews such as emerald crabs, spaghetti worms and other invertebrates living on and within the Live Rock consume the uneaten food portions and fish waste.
As the waste particles have now gotten smaller they will convert to ammonia, nitrite, and phosphate.
Live Rock will actively facilitate the conversion of these toxic chemicals into less harmful products such as nitrate.
Next, these nitrates can be quickly assimilated by the different algae and nitrifying bacteria (both aerobic and anaerobic) contained within the rocks.
Finally, the majority of these nitrates will convert to nitrogen gas and will exit the tank via the gas exchange at the water’s surface. If you have more waste in your tank than your Live Rock can keep up with, you may need to do periodic water changes or acquire more Live Rock.
Live Rock is a far more efficient filter than any powered aquarium filter which can not contain any anaerobic bacteria for waste conversion as this type of bacteria only resides in oxygen-less spaces such as inside the Live Rock and within deep sand beds. To get more information visit #live rock.
No comments:
Post a Comment