However the Aquaroche is used in addition to live rock , in fact it takes a seed source , the aquaroches containing no microorganism or invertebrates of any kind whatsoever.
30% of living rock is enough to inoculate the rest of the decor consists of aquaroches , and once this is done the aquaroches play their role to perfection living stones.

Trade text :
Living stones are used in aquariums to make the sea living things , microorganisms and bacteria, necessary for the proper functioning of the aquarium.
These rocks are taken from the natural environment ( coral reefs) and are transported by air.
An ecological approach , Aquaroche created ceramic rocks , once colonized , act as living stones .
Aquaroches rocks are not only a decoration but also a complete ecosystem , with their porosity studied
The ceramic -based materials are frequently used for their natural porosity as a carrier of bacteria in the aquarium filters .
Aquaroche has made decorations and especially designed and optimized porosity of its rocks ensuring get open heart cells.
So, what is the mass of the scenery is as filtration and support / shelter microorganisms.
This is what makes the difference between a setting resin , a compact natural rock , a reconstituted from pumice or perlite ( closed cell ) and a rock " Aquaroche " which over the months will be settled and will become "alive" .
Porosity and purifying bacteria : how does it work?
The nitrogen cycle
At first , the goal is the degradation of ammonia in fish waste and the reduction of ammonia to nitrite and finally nitrites into nitrates which are absorbed by algae and plants but also eventually accumulate.
This is what we find in the filters of freshwater aquariums and marine fish aquariums.
Is operated by bacteria that live in oxygen-rich environment and are fixed on the surface of the filter material more or less porous .
These bacteria are naturally led by living plants and parts of the aquarium or are introduced with specific products start trading.
Nitrates are less toxic , but in reef aquariums where some corals are very sensitive to nitrate levels close to zero is desired.
Other families of bacteria can then reduce the nitrates to nitrogen gas ( which naturally escapes from the tank ) . These bacteria live in highly depleted oxygen ( anaerobic) for example the bottom of a thick bed of sand or rocks inside thick .
rocks
The qualities required in these rocks are slightly contradictory because it takes a maximum open porosity for high capacity degradation and at the same time it must be a closed environment to limit oxygen.
Type ideal natural rocks : some very good live rock which consist of superposed layers of porous material .
It is with a model structure of these stones we particularly studied and optimized porosity of the latest generation of our products that we have grouped under the label Aquaroche Function LiVe Rock ® :
What porosity to be effective ? Porosity Aquaroche = LiVe Rock ® Function
To be precise , the purifying bacteria have a size of between 1.2 and 1.5 μ . For maximum colonization , they need to open pores, conveniently a bottle , of a size of 20 to 100 μ .
We worked our porosity rocks in this direction, so that they have a maximum of these open pores interconnected and powered by a network of channels or cracks 100 μ few millimeters in which can develop a whole microfauna . To approximate a hair has a thickness of 60 to 100 μ .
This porosity , controlled and steady , is active on the surface and on the first few millimeters of material, but also within the rocks, like the best live rock .
The picture shows a partial section of rock with different channels , cracks and pores.
Note that on the reef eco flat rocks , pores are oriented so as to lengthen the path of oxygen and to ensure an anaerobic zone in heart
Colonization of active bacteria : reef aquarium
Aquarium récifalLa very good living stone we are looking for a reef aquarium should be colonized by many microorganisms, bacteria and algae present but above all the ideal porosity.
One covered with coralline solid rock is not the purifying qualities of a porous rock .
Our rock porosity studied can be colonized in contact with living stones wild by aquarists , but you can also find on the market , already settled in conditions of controlled breeding ( in large facilities to great wealth and diversity of organisms. )
With these rocks , regular and optimized quality is obtained with acclimated organisms.
Back and experience scale : write
Many reef aquaria " rotate " properly for years in private with much of stacking rocks Ceramic Aquaroche .
But all visible example is the large reef tank Océanopolis Brest installed in 2001. The result is obtained with 70% of new rocks ( ceramic stack ) and 30% of natural live rock for an aquarium of 60 m3 .
Note that the Ceramic stacking has since benefited from our research on the porosity and that it has improved product delivered from 2005.