20150217 Real Reef Rock

Many saltwater/reef hobbyist might not realize how devastating the removal of liverock from the ocean can be.
Liverock from the ocean is essentially the coral fossil in the ocean. When coral calcify and dies more coral grows onto it. The results of this layers upon layers of coral, clam, and oysters growing and forming calcium carbonate structure results in liverock, which all corals grow on today in the ocean.
Ever since I have learned of this, I have stopped purchasing liverock collected from the wild such as Fiji, Tuvalu, Tonga, etc. The fact is these liverock forms important foundation for coral and many reef dwellers to survive, by removing a cubic feet of liverock we are ripping as many possibility of corals to grow and thrive on it.
For this reason I have been purchasing rocks strictly from other hobbyists torn down tanks, as well as Florida dry rock- rock that has been dried and buried on land, not in ocean to be cultured into liverock.

Real Reef Rock artificial liverock with beneficial bacteria

A company called Real Reef Rock also provides a sensible, eco-friendly solution- they offer artificial rock that looks, and feels just like real liverock with the same porous structure. They have also packed these new pH balanced rock with beneficial bacteria to get your tank kick started in cycling without the nasty curing and dying off process of wild collected limericks!

The cross section of a real reef rock liverock showing the porous structure

Real Reef rock liverock comes in variety of size shape, and even coloration to fit your tank landscaping desire