Description
Real Reef Shelf Rock is our version of the shelf or slab rock that use to be imported from the Kingdom of Tonga for many years, before getting banned for destructive collection practices. Many have try tried to ship similar wild products from countries like Indonesia of Fiji, but fell short of the beauty and table top shape of the Tonga Shelf Live Rock. The Real Reef Team used Tonga Shelf as model to replicate and the results are so similar to the old Tonga Shelf that most think it is the real thing! If you always liked the look of true Tonga Shelf, without the environmental reef impact, than this is the rock for you! Works great for adding shelfs to your existing or planned aquascape. Great for creating shelfs to accommodate frags, clams and other marine life needing a flat surface. Made from the same all natural calcium based ingredients as Real Reef Rock and functions great as a natural filter or growing surface.
Real Reef is made of 100% natural eco friendly green materials. Materials composed of the same mineral building blocks as coral skeleton live rock, without the environmental damage to the World’s Coral reefs.
Real Reef is composed of several different types of mineral aggregates and sand. Some are very similar to high end media used in modern Calcium Reactor dosing systems.
Real Reef is high in Calcium Carbonate, with amounts in the 82-85% range. Unlike coral skeleton which is primarily Calcium Carbonate, Real Reef contains a variety of essential trace elements and minerals.
This remaining 15-18% consists of minerals and trace elements such as: Magnesium, Strontium and Iron.
It takes over 13 steps to manufacturer Real Reef Rock and every piece is unique and different, but not ugly! No two pieces are the same, just like Mother Nature! Real Reefs multiple ingredients are bonded together with natural calcium based binders; we do not use any chemical or synthetic epoxies or glue. It is through this labor intensive proprietary Patent Pending process that makes Real Reef mimic some of the best coral Live Rock shapes the aquarium industry has seen! Real Reef’s beautiful shades of Purple, Pink and Red come from a water based non-toxic natural pigment. These proprietary pigments are injected and applied through several techniques and processes. Every piece of Real Reef is hand made by our Artisans here at our U.S. facility with pride and creativity. Real Reef is made, grown in the U.S.A and always will be! Once the Real Reef Rocks are created, they go through a pre grow-out preparation. This pre grow-out freshwater curing process lasts for a minimum of 12 weeks. Once the rock has completed the curing process, it is then transferred to saltwater grow-out for a minimum of 12-16 weeks. Our marine grow-out facility consists of large 3,000 and 10,000 gallon fiberglass raceways in our climate controlled greenhouses. It is in these filtered closed system raceways that Real Reef becomes a biologically active aquarium rock. It is from these grow-out raceway systems that Real Reef is prepared, packed and shipped to distributors and retailers worldwide.
