In a reef aquarium, live rock is the foundation of your ecosystem. It plays an important role in the nitrogen cycle and it houses micro-life that can help to keep your tank clean and livable for its inhabitants. 

 Live rock is made up of minerals and fossilized coral skeletons. 

 Live rock is a great source of minerals and trace elements to your aquarium. The most important mineral in live rock is calcium, which contributes to the formation of coral skeletons. Live rock also contains magnesium, iodine, and other trace elements required for proper coral growth. In addition to providing these essential minerals, live rock provides food for corals by providing a habitat for small invertebrates such as amphipods (crustaceans) and copepods (not crustaceans). These tiny creatures can then be consumed by larger marine life like snails or fish that are looking for an easy meal. 

 The bacteria that live in live rock play an important role in the nitrogen cycle. 

 The nitrogen cycle is one of the most important processes in a reef aquarium. It's also one of the most misunderstood, but it's crucial to understand how it works so you can take better care of your aquarium. The nitrogen cycle impacts everything from coral growth to algae growth on live rock, and understanding how this process works allows you to keep your aquarium healthy and thriving. 

Nitrogen exists naturally in the water as well as within corals and animals such as fish that live in the ocean. When an animal dies or leaves behind waste material such as fecal matter (poop), bacteria break down these organic materials into ammonia, which can then be used by other living creatures for food. This breakdown process occurs when ammonia is converted into nitrite by Nitrosomonas bacteria, then again into nitrate by Nitrobacter bacteria. In turn, these two types of aerobic (oxygen-using) bacteria are consumed by aerobic heterotrophic denitrifiers who convert them back into nitrogen gas so they no longer cause problems for coral life or other inhabitants of an aquarium system like fish tanks with live rock additions 

Live rock harbors micro-life as well, from amphipods and copepods to bristle worms. 

Live rock is a rich source of food, shelter and mates for many marine invertebrates. 

• Copepods and amphipods are tiny animals that make up an important part of the diet of many fish. These small crustaceans live on the surface of live rock and are an essential part of the diet in reef aquariums. 
• Brittle stars live in crevices in the live rock. They feed on slow-moving creatures such as snails and clams by latching onto them with their long arms and pulling them into their mouths. 
• Crabs often find homes among the rocks where they can hide from predators while they hunt for food. 

If you want to keep corals, live rock is essential because most corals require proper water chemistry. If you want to keep corals, live rock is essential because most corals require proper water chemistry. 

Corals are animals that feed on microorganisms in the water and also need calcium, magnesium, strontium and iodine in order to thrive. Live rock is a great source of these minerals, as well as other nutrients that help corals grow. 

Live rock also provides food for corals by providing a place where they can find it easily. The algae and other microorganisms growing on the surface of the rock will eventually be consumed by your coral if it has something to hold onto like an encrusting or branching variety that needs a surface area from which to extract nutrients from what's available around them. Live rocks provide shelter for small invertebrates such as shrimps or snails or even juvenile fish who eat those things off your reef aquarium floor while they're growing up into adult size! 

Corals tend to thrive better when there are higher levels of naturally produced iodine in the water. 

 If you've ever tried to grow corals in an aquarium that has not been cycled, you know how hard it is for them. Many beginners struggle with keeping things alive for long enough to get their tanks cycled, and even once a tank is cycled, it can be difficult to keep the levels of iodine high enough for the corals and other invertebrates in the aquarium. 

Iodine is essential for coral growth and coloration, as well as providing essential nutrients needed by both corals and fish alike. It's produced by bacteria within your live rock or sand substrate and also comes from seaweed that you add to your tank (or use as part of your filtration system). 

This trace element can be added directly into the water through a natural process called "reverse osmosis," which filters out impurities like nitrates while leaving behind beneficial elements like iodine so they are available at all times -- there's no need to worry about running out! 

Live rock helps keep your reef aquarium clean and livable for its inhabitants. Live rock is the ideal substrate for any saltwater aquarium. 

Live rock not only provides a place for micro life to live, but it also helps to keep the tank clean and livable for its inhabitants 

•  Live Rock Helps To Keep The Tank Clean 

The most obvious benefit of having live rock in your reef aquarium is that it will help to keep your tank clean by providing food and shelter for fish, invertebrates and microorganisms that require detritus from dying corals or dead fish. These critters will remove waste material from the water column, keeping unwanted debris under control. In addition to this, many types of algae will grow on your live rock which can serve as an additional source of food for some species of fish (which is why it’s important not to treat with copper).

 Conclusion 

The benefits of live rock for your reef aquarium are numerous and varied. It can help keep your water clean, provide food for some of the organisms in it (like corals), and make the aquarium an overall better place to be. If you're thinking about buying live rock for your reef tank, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, don't buy any pieces that look like they have been damaged or broken off from another piece because these pieces will not be able to provide all their benefits while living in your tank; they may also introduce unwanted pests into this environment too!