Live Rock without proper lighting = problems ?

[mling]

Following the idea the the more live rock the better, for natural filteraton.

Will live rock placed in a sump, without proper lighting, cause problems ?

My main tank already has more than enought rock. My sump is a 40G breeder.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Following the idea the the more live rock the better, for natural filteraton.

Will live rock placed in a sump, without proper lighting, cause problems ?

My main tank already has more than enought rock. My sump is a 40G breeder.

 

I don't think LR needs light. I keep all my extra in the dark sump.

[Guest thefishman65]

I don't either. You might have some initial die off like algae, but it should eventually reach a stable state. I have read where lot of folks put rocks and rubble in unlit fuges.

[Chad]

^I concur. The only problem that I can think of is that LR in a sump has the potential to collect significant amounts of excess detritus and will need a little maintenance to ensure it doesnt accumulate to the point where it could cause problems. (I am of the mind that a little bit of detritus is ok... and occasionally using a power head and putting it in suspension is a good thing... from both a cleanup and general tank health point of view.)

 

 

[onux20]

In order to keep the filtration benefits of live rock, w/o "cluttering" the DT, a lot of folks, me included, add the rock to the sump. I think the it still serves its purpose. I have mine lit by a cheap shop light to grow chaeto, it also seems to be enough light to have a few patches of coraline also.

 

You should be fine.

 

Ron

[Coral Hind]

I think the rock will be more beneficial with no light. With light it becomes covered with coralline and other algae that seals off the small pores that allow the water to slowly enter into rock where the beneficial bacteria are located.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

I think the rock will be more beneficial with no light. With light it becomes covered with coralline and other algae that seals off the small pores that allow the water to slowly enter into rock where the beneficial bacteria are located.

 

That is a good point.

[Origami]

As Chad mentioned, the rock will slow water down in areas and collect detritus. As long as you perform proper maintenance and clean this up from time to time, the extra rock will provide benefit.

[mling]

Thanks for all the assurances...

I feel better now.

[treesprite]

I have some in my refugium (1/2 full 55g), which has sponges growing on it and some feather dusters... great filter feeders that wouldn't be there if the rock was in the unlit sump rather than a brightly lit refugium.

 

I neglect removing detritus in my refugium. I actually think it's mostly just "dirt" from the rocks, since my refugium is second after the water has already gone through the skimmer in the 29g sump and over the sump's overflow where detritus tends to get trapped if it hasn't already deposited in the bottom of the sump (I DO clean detritus from the sump). I don't think detritus hurts anything in the refugium anyway (as opposed to the sump), because the nutrients get processed out by the filter feeders, pods, and algae.

Edited August 16, 2011 by treesprite