Aquaforest Rock Gen 2 – New generation rocks that promote healthy living in your reef.

As you know, I'm working on my new reef tank build this year. And step by step, choosing parts of this new reef tank. And today is no different!

Have you been so excited about something that you spend hours on it? That's where this project has taken me. I can spend several hours looking for the best equipment for my reef tank.

It totally takes over me, and before I realize it's already midnight. I go to sleep, and I even dream about the new tank sometimes. I don't believe in rushing into things. I am sure you have all noticed how carefully I've considered each and every step of the way. I don't count the hours that I have been spending on trying to find equipment; I take it instead as learning lessons about the pros and cons of different brands and models. I also don't feel like I am in a place to pass on this knowledge unless I have studied it thoroughly. And I want to thank you for all your e-mails and also messages on Facebook with suggestions for this project; it's very helpful to read them and see what you're using in your reefs. One more time, thank you for that!

But you must be curious already about the next step. How did I end up choosing the rocks?

I will give you a very detailed explanation this time as it happened to be one product that I spent a bit more time on while searching for the right one. Why is that? Maybe because there are quite a lot of options, and we know more about the benefits of good rocks than we knew ever before. 

Aquaforest - Built on the Rock of Passion and Knowledge.

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the company itself. Aquaforest have been in the market since 1995. We see their products in many commercial aquariums and zoos. They are able to produce perfectly balanced products for even the most demanding corals. Their reputation truly speaks for itself, and the work has always been carried out with true passion. And you all know, as a passionate professional myself, I need to feel that same commitment in the products that I use too. 

I have used Aquaforest products before and have always been very satisfied with them. It wasn't my only option, though when choosing rocks, I did go through some other manufacturers too. But when I heard about Aquaforest bringing a new generation to it's AF rocks, I must say I got a little bit excited and decided to look into them. And that turned out to be an excellent decision!

Carefully Designed And Naturally Produced.

So what makes these rocks so special? Rocks have always been a significant part of the coral reef tanks. I have had my share of bad experiences, too, and I am sure everyone who has gone through this project has had them. Especially live rocks can carry harmful parasites and other unwanted algae, that can put your whole tank life in danger. Keeping the rock healthy was a big part of the work before, but with all this new technology, it shouldn't be such a big issue anymore. 

Aquaforest rocks are made from entirely natural ingredients. The manufacturing process itself is hand made and highly aesthetic. We all want our tanks to look beautiful after all, and rocks can bring a nice view to that. 

AF Rocks Gen 2 - Cocktail of Beauty and Science.

What makes these rocks also very interesting is that they promote the good health of the aquarium. Aquaforest has managed to make them not only beautiful, but also act as bio media, which means that they don't only serve as simple rocks, but they have a very working filtration mechanism. The well-designed porosity is the key to this. The rocks support life in the tank. And I'm a big fan of the large surface for the bacterial population; it's playing a massive role in the ref tanks in my opinion.

The composition of the rocks is designed in a way that fully supports the life and development of the marine tank. The rocks has an ideal medium for bacteria settlement. That settlement is the very foundation that supports biochemical processes and guarantees biological balance in the tank. And not only for a short time but for continuously. The rocks can be cut open and combined again with ASF Stone Fix. I will tell you a bit more about it later as I go further with my personal experience with the rocks. They are very low weight too compared to ordinary rocks and therefore easy to handle. The rocks do not release any unwanted material in the water, and this has been tested and proven through several laboratory tests. It has the ability to stabilize the Ph and KH of water, which will allow faster growth of corals, which will, in return, build stronger and healthier skeletons. 

Lastly, I must mention how it also facilitates the settlement of beneficial microorganisms and is able to shorten the maturation process of the tank significantly. I am always very curious about the biological aspect of the equipment that I choose for my tank. I love to read about the science behind every product. I also believe that by doing that, I can go a bit deeper when explaining to you the products that I have chosen. 

After all, tanks are a combination of many factors. All these equipment and different materials need to support each other. Even if I have the best filtration system, but the rocks still produce harmful bacteria, it doesn't make my tank healthy. Always remember to look at the project as a whole. It's important not to rush into it, but read and spend time on your research. By doing that, you can't go wrong. 

Aquaforest AF Rocks Gen 2 - A touch of colour to brighten up my tank.

So, let me tell you a bit more about my personal experience with the rocks. I went on and ordered them online from CoralVue. Please bear in mind that these are the generation 2 rocks, which have all the improved advantages. I ordered five boxes of them. The company does mention that there might be some small damage during the shipping. This is because they are so light and porous. I only found a few broken pieces, so that wasn't a problem at all. I always used to glue pieces back together with a safe superglue for aquascaping. But this time, I wanted to try the Stone Fix as it was reasonably priced and recommended for use with the rocks. I also like the fact that I can easily break them and shape them back together with Stone Fix as I desire them to be. I actually heard some outstanding experiences about the Stone Fix from some friends who had tried it out already and some people from in the Aquaforest Facebook Group.

The rocks look absolutely wonderful! You can really tell that the aesthetics were carefully considered also. I also like the fact that they are so light. I would say a perfect weight to volume ratio. Everything else I have used before has been much heavier, which makes them also harder to work with. These ones have a lovely natural look, and I already see how they are going to look so nice in the tank. 

The rocks have some pigments in them, which make them look beautiful and colorful. It takes years for a rock to develop to a natural-looking coral, so these little pigments give them a nice color to start with and make the tank look more lively since day one.  

Different Shapes And Sizes - What Is In The Box?

I think I got a quite well-balanced mix with different shapes and styles of rocks in my order. There were also different sizes varying from small to large, enough of each size. The only thing that I wish there would have been more pre-made shapes like caves, bridges, and arches. Of course, I can make them later myself, but it would have been nice to see them in the box already so that I won't have to create them myself. I saw a video about the product, and I saw so many pre-made shapes there, so I guess I was also assuming to get something more similar to that. It can also be just a random factor and sure doesn't affect the overall function of the rocks at all. 

I am very excited and very eager to get the rocks living in my tank. I know that I have chosen one of the best available products on the market right now. And I'm happy to recommend them to you, and you won't regret it if you go the same way for sure.