Living machine (LM) system is widely exploited as an ecological restoration technology in decentralized wastewater treatment. This is the first study reporting the influence of regular addition of mixed ore powder (maifanite, zeolite, oyster shell, and montmorillonite) on an open aerobic reactor of LM system for black water treatment. The maximum removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) achieved 50.74%, 25.18%, and 17.19%, respectively, after the mixed ore addition. Furthermore, the numbers and species of algae, zooplankton, and other aquatic animals considerably changed with the mixed ore addition. Compared with those in control system, the maximum increase of the relative abundances of Acinetobacter, Chryseobacterium, C39, Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Novosphingobium, Rhodoluna, Mycobacterium, and Malikia in the experimental system reached 28.82%, 18.00%, 12.39%, 15.12%, 13.67%, 6.65%, 11.78%, 7.83%, and 10.50%, respectively. Presence of Rhodoluna suggests that addition of the mixed ore powder may be benignant and beneficial for formation of a healthy ecological environment during black water treatment with LM system. Display omitted •It is the first time to report the influence of addition of ore on Living Machine.•The maximum increase of COD, TN, and TP removal achieved 10.42%, 3.04%, and 7.23%.•The numbers and species of algae and aquatic animals were significantly changed.•The relative abundances of the major bacterial groups were obviously increased.