About Live Rock
Top Of The Reef Live Rock (patent pending) can be 'mounted' onto a dry tank to create a reef-like back ground. (see pictures at bottom of this page). This live rock back ground will cycle with the development of your tank and develop biological material .... in order to magically create a reef environment Man made live rock manufactured by Top of the Reef was developed with a formula unique in ingredients and mixture. This artificial rock has the ability to hold and grow aerobic bacteria as well anaerobic bacteria to aid in the elimination of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates (which are fatal to fish, invertebrates and corals).
Top Of The Reef Live Rock (patent pending) is manufactured with materials both synthetic and natural. The live rock is unique in the sense that the formula uses a material that leaves voids internally and externally to allow maximum surface area to hold and colonize bacteria and natural biological organisms. We do not use a concrete aggregate so we do not have to leach out calcium hydroxide in to the ocean. Our man made live rock is safe for fish as well as invertebrates and can be use days after manufacturing it. Our live rock looks so real that even our creators of this beautiful rock have a hard time picking them out from real live rock.
The man made rock has no artificial colors, dyes or paints and is only colored by the growth of algae, sponges, plant material, and any natural occurring or growing organisms (which may include coralline and other algae). Each rock has been hand sculptured and every rock is unique in size, weight and shape. Our base rock offers a more sterile type of rock that allows you to only introduce the type of sea life that you want. Base live rock is shipped out dry with a starter solution that is used to help the rock jump start it's life giving property's.
Another goal in the development of this manufactured live rock is to save natural coral reefs from extinction by manufacturing a man made substitute.
In August 2008, international environmental agencies indicated the impact of harvesting live rock was becoming too detrimental to the ecosystem of the ocean. There is now a ban on any future harvesting of natural live rock in Tonga. As a result, our artificial rock has become even more important for the aquatic industry and in the future of the earth's 's coral reefs. Aquatic hobbiests can utilize the manufactured live rock as a cost effective alternative to the now difficult and costly to obtain natural live rock. Most importantly, the live rock may be used for future building of coral reef structures in the earth's oceans which would allow sponges, corals, and other life forms to flourish.
We can send you our manufactured Top Of The Reef Live Rock (patent pending) in various forms:
BASE rock with bottle of "start up solution A"
Base rock priced per piece
PREMIUM rock priced per piece
We also have real harvested Live Rock
BASE rock $6.99/lb
CULTURED premium $14.99/LB
Top Of The Reef can manufacture it's LIVE ROCK on to the back of your dry tank! This creates a unique and beautiful environment. Please see the pictures below.
This is one of our tanks at the store (Dec 2008)...yep...that's Top Of The Reef TM Live Rock on the back covered with coraline algae.
(August 2008) Mark & Erin's tank below was filled with RO/DI water, bacteria fed...and we were able to add live stock in just a few days! No long term curring!! You can see the development of beneficial algae on the back of the tank...we'll keep adding pictures as this tank develops!
Gorgeous at 2 months old! Oct 2008
Below is Mikel's 125g tank with Top Of The Reef Live Rock TM on the back. November 2008
One of our Coral Tanks with our Live Rock on the back.
