Live rock.... Renewable resource???
- Thread starter oh_billy
- Start date
I don't think live rock is really a renewable resource if any of it is cultured in the ocean. Even if the rocks are dumped into the ocean, by taking them out of the ocean you are removing organisms from the wild. I think overall, the aquacultured rock is probably less destructive.
The longer I have been in the hobby, the less live rock I have bought whenever I start up my tanks.
My current 60 gallon tank was set up again only using 5 pounds of live aquacultured rock. The rest was made out of a portland cement mixture. Surprisingly, it actually looks really good.
The longer I have been in the hobby, the less live rock I have bought whenever I start up my tanks.
My current 60 gallon tank was set up again only using 5 pounds of live aquacultured rock. The rest was made out of a portland cement mixture. Surprisingly, it actually looks really good.
wayne in norway
New member
The rate of formation of live rock is pretty high, so effectively it is a renewable resource. It is also a pretty good earner for the native islanders compared to grinding it up and selling it for 60 dollars a ton, or wahtever the going rate is, for making concrete to support the tourist trade. I would rather a native of a small island make his 5000 dollars a year moving live rock for the aquarium trade than almost any of the (more damaging )alternatives I can think of.
A trip to any tourist resort in a location with reefs will convinve you a few tons of live rock being removed for the aquarium trade is the least of a reefs problems. I recall seeing a new seawall that had been made with some thousands of tons of reef dredged limestone.
If you really want to kill the reefs give them no commercial value. People protect things they have a reson to protect.
A trip to any tourist resort in a location with reefs will convinve you a few tons of live rock being removed for the aquarium trade is the least of a reefs problems. I recall seeing a new seawall that had been made with some thousands of tons of reef dredged limestone.
If you really want to kill the reefs give them no commercial value. People protect things they have a reson to protect.
oceanarium
New member
Read this in a report the other day
“Reef-building corals precipit up to 6 tons CaCO3/(km2⋅day).†(Dr Arnfried Antonius, University of Vienna)
Both collecting wild rock and making cement rocks have impacts in there own ways.
The local cement factory collects its lime by dredging sand from next to sensitive sea grass comunities. Some cement lime companies get there lime from ancient sea beds. Then the argument can be mounted this is not renewable?
Sensible collected live rock is storm debris often piled meters thick in rubble zones at the reef back edge. These areas are demolished frequently during hurricanes, all the rock burried or just ground around till buger all is left alive. Its desined to become reef sand one day.
Sensible use of the product needs to be promoted. though things are better these days as many understand that much of the filtration processes can be achieved in sand beds. Once the mentality was to cram in rock for nitrification.
A balence needs to be found. I only use as little as rock as required and look after it. I dont bury good quality LR under the reef wall, cement rocks work well here.
“Reef-building corals precipit up to 6 tons CaCO3/(km2⋅day).†(Dr Arnfried Antonius, University of Vienna)
Both collecting wild rock and making cement rocks have impacts in there own ways.
The local cement factory collects its lime by dredging sand from next to sensitive sea grass comunities. Some cement lime companies get there lime from ancient sea beds. Then the argument can be mounted this is not renewable?
Sensible collected live rock is storm debris often piled meters thick in rubble zones at the reef back edge. These areas are demolished frequently during hurricanes, all the rock burried or just ground around till buger all is left alive. Its desined to become reef sand one day.
Sensible use of the product needs to be promoted. though things are better these days as many understand that much of the filtration processes can be achieved in sand beds. Once the mentality was to cram in rock for nitrification.
A balence needs to be found. I only use as little as rock as required and look after it. I dont bury good quality LR under the reef wall, cement rocks work well here.
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