Ben A November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 I have always read that 1-1.5 lbs per gallon of live rock should be in a reef tank. I look at all the tank build threads and see other people's very successful reef tanks and it looks like they have a much smaller amount then the ratio suggests. Am I missing something, is there a better rule of thumb? Thanks, Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 It's personal preference...and good husbandry techniques that really decide how much you have... I personally like alot of rock...bit I want it to look interesting, not just a huge pile along the back... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 Just make sure your fish have swim room open area but enough rock so that all the fish have their own hide spot and territory. Rock filters and hosts bacteria that cleanses water of fish poop etc so it is nice to have enough. 1.5lb does seem to be too much I wonder if fish stores made up that number to sell more. It doesn't hurt to have extra dry rock to swap out if one has a bad aptasia outbreak etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 Plus...if you have a sump you can have some live rock down there....I moved 75 lbs from my small tank to my new tank, plus 50 lbs of dry rock and 2 cerameco structures...then there's about 30lbs of rock in my sump for my Copepods and amphipods to live in (along with my huge starfish) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XxTech MoneyxX November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 I guess I will comment on this... I too had this question when I started my tank up... I currently have roughly 35-40lbs in my 36g, which looks like a little bit and it seems to be doing pretty good, 8 months strong. I know, I know the tank is still young but, for what it's worth I have had my share of Cyano, algae blooms…etc, and have bounced back! I also don’t have a sump. My ammonia levels are always zero, and nitrate levels stay very low lol for the time being. I personally think that each tank differs due to the bio load. Also, the skimmer probably has something to do with it to. If you have a good skimmer, well those bad things don’t have time to break down in your system, therefore the bacteria doesn’t have to work as hard… Ah anyway, that’s my story, thought I would share lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridetheducati November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 (edited) With Prodibio and a good skimmer, live rock is not required. Prodibio is a highly effective bacteria driven filtration system designed to manage nutrients. There are numerous products readily available to satisfy your goals. Edited November 18, 2013 by ridetheducati Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 One important thing is to make sure you have enough rock to provide ample sleeping spaces and dens. With limited places for a fish to call home they can fight over the few spaces you have. I personally think that each tank differs due to the bio load. Also, the skimmer probably has something to do with it to. If you have a good skimmer, well those bad things don’t have time to break down in your system, therefore the bacteria doesn’t have to work as hard… I agree, every tank is different. My concern on less rock with a bigger skimmer is that you can run into big issues if the skimmer is out of operation. I recently broke the skimmer cup on ASM G6 and because I have limited rock with high load I had major water issues for the week it took to get a replacement cup. If you rely on a bigger skimmer just make sure you have a back up skimmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RW09903 November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 (edited) U'll be surprised with how heavy some of the rocks are as well. My current 120g tank has 150lbs live rock. I still feel like I have room to add more. My base rocks are dense and not a course as some of the other live rocks in my tank. Edited November 18, 2013 by RW09903 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 The less dense the rock the better it will be for the tank (more surface area for this bacteria to grow on) and usually more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RW09903 November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 My base rock sits directly on the tank bottom covered with a DSB (Not sure how I can get much more bacteria gorwing on that surface). As far as the rest of the live rock, yes; the less dense the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XxTech MoneyxX November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 One important thing is to make sure you have enough rock to provide ample sleeping spaces and dens. With limited places for a fish to call home they can fight over the few spaces you have. I agree, every tank is different. My concern on less rock with a bigger skimmer is that you can run into big issues if the skimmer is out of operation. I recently broke the skimmer cup on ASM G6 and because I have limited rock with high load I had major water issues for the week it took to get a replacement cup. If you rely on a bigger skimmer just make sure you have a back up skimmer. Very clear and understandable point! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami November 18, 2013 Share November 18, 2013 The vast majority of bacteria in your system colonize surfaces, whether it's on the glass, sand grains, equipment, or the surfaces and pores of live rock. Some are also present in the water column, but not at the same density as on the surfaces. Because surface area does not always correlate well with density (and therefore, weight) of live rock, the guideline of 1-1.5 pounds per gallon is misleading. For example, some rock from the Gulf of Mexico has a high weight to surface area ratio. Therefore, you may find yourself needing more than this guideline to get the same population of bacteria than with a lighter, more porous rock. Skimmer effectiveness definitely plays into nutrient removal. Be careful with guidelines like this, inches-of-fish per gallon, and the old watts per gallon for lighting. They can be either outdated, highly variable, or both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wangspeed November 22, 2013 Share November 22, 2013 It also depends on the density of the rock, as folks have already alluded to. Stuff like pukani will require less lb/gallon than something dense like shelf rocks. I have about 40 lbs pukani and 50 lbs reef saver rock, if you want to take a look at my pics for an idea. Ultimately, it's a personal choice, assuming there is enough flow to support whatever you decide to go with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b November 22, 2013 Share November 22, 2013 Put in as much rock as you can leaving some room to see the fish! I personally don't like tanks that are so filled with rock that you can't see the fish 90% of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 November 22, 2013 Share November 22, 2013 My tank has arguably too much rock. They have room to swim in the back but don't use it when I'm in the room. Why not? They don't wAnt to miss seeing me put the food in the tank. I do hAve a goby that never comes out unless there is food in the tank. That's just his personality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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