New tank substrate base

[acers]

Hello Everyone

I have been reading for a while now and decided to take the plunge.

I have a gently used 24gl biocube that i tore down and cleaned up.

I have an initial question that I would welcome any additional advice on.

Should the substrate go in before the rock or after?  There seems to be a few schools of thought with the main argument being that placing the rock after the sand may lead to the possible sand dweller shifting enough stand to de-stabilize the rock column "oops".  I would like to avoid any "oops's"  however it does seem easier to landscape with the base providing some support.

Thanks ahead of time

Acers

[Dave and Diane]

The advice given to us was to place the base foundation rock in then the substrate.
This way it will avoid a accidental topple of your rock work by a substrate digging fish, I am glad that we followed the advice as the Blue spotted Watchman Goby did just that. But did not topple over the rock work.

Hope this helps.

[gerryo]

   I agree with Dave and Diane.  Some of your CUC will be doing it to your sand, and would cause a small landslide in your tank.  Broken glass is hard to clean up amid all that water. lol

[Severum]

I put the sand in first and then the rocks. For the bottom rocks I just pushed them deep into the sand so they are basically touching the bottom anyways. No rock slide in 2 years.

If you have your biggest rocks on the bottom some sand being cleared won't cause a problem unless its being done by somethin like an engineer goby.

[Malyon18]

I did the same as severum but in my cichlid tank and I have not had a rock slide since it's been running and that has been 3 years, and they are notorious little diggers in the sand.

[RossW]

I used egg crate, followed but substrate and rock pushed through to egg crate to make gentle contact.  The down fall of egg crate is that it "may" prevent dead spots which "may" lead to problems in a year or two.

[RossW]

I also reccomend styrofoam between then tank and stand.

[acers]

Thank you everyone