Live rock lbs per gallons

[stardrop]

I've heard many suggestions as to how many lbs of live rock you should have per gallon of water.  Does this include live rock rubble that you have in your filter?  I"ve got a biocube 29 and about that amount of live rock in there counting the stuff in the back of the tank filter, there's really no where else to put more live rock in my tank 

[groan]

I'd say you are good to go, for a combo reef/fish.
The general rule is 1 lb per gallon, but over time you will likely add more rock while you add more corals.

I think the rule for fish only is more rock, but not sure exactly what...

I just found this site.
http://www.livestockusa.org/LIVEROCKFAQ.html

[Tsukiyomi-sakura]

Lots is good But I removed 10lbs from my 30 gallon to increase circulation, and man did -10lbs do a good job!

It really depends on what your going for some tank need more others less, over time you will find the right amount by tinkering with it

[bitterman]

I have about 70 Lbs for the 50 I'm setting up 

Bruce

[Tsukiyomi-sakura]

I had 30lbs in a 10 gallon and hardly took up any room, It all depends on ow dense it is.

[percula99]

I've heard many suggestions as to how many lbs of live rock you should have per gallon of water.  Does this include live rock rubble that you have in your filter?

To answer this question, as long as the rock or rubble is part of your total system, it counts. You can put it in your tank, your sump, you remote deep sand bed, wherever...as long as it is part of your system, it counts.

[Tyler.L]

i like the look of as much rock you can pack in there but it has to be tastful not just thrown in there but it all depends how it works for you....but 1-2 lbs per gallon is right

[FishPassion]

My opinion only; To be effective liverock should be porous and not just one chunk so it really depends on what kind of rock you are getting or allready have.You want the water to be able to be able toflow through some of the small holes and natural crevices in the rock rather than just flow over it for the filtration aspect of the rock. So by weight, rock can vary emmensely with the different types available but yes 1-1.5 pounds per gallon is the rule of thumb.

[kennyman]

My opinion only; To be effective liverock should be porous and not just one chunk so it really depends on what kind of rock you are getting or allready have.You want the water to be able to be able toflow through some of the small holes and natural crevices in the rock rather than just flow over it for the filtration aspect of the rock. So by weight, rock can vary emmensely with the different types available but yes 1-1.5 pounds per gallon is the rule of thumb.

Although systems designed to employ active sand beds require much less. This lbs/gal rule was imported from the bare bottom Berlin system and the jaubert system can do the same job with no rock. It utilizes a very deep sandbed and plenum for denitrification. As the collection of LR becomes less and less tolerated by governments the hobby may begin to move toward Jaubert's plenum, Addy's algal turf, RDSB's (remote deep sandbeds) And Fluidized sandbed filtration.


Jaubert
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/feature.htm

Algal scrubbers being developed
http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/m_lidster_100498.html

[stardrop]

Thanks for the replies 

I'm trying to make the tank pleasing to the eye as well as functional.  Here's what the rock work looks like now.


Would it be good to go higher in the middle?  It's so hard to find rock that piles nicely and won't tumble.

[FishPassion]

The look of your tank will change as you add and grow coral. You will most likely buy some coral down the road which is allready on a rock and start to change your rock work around again to suit the new piece. I think your off to a good start...

[groan]

Also you can always epoxy the rock together to make a more stable platform.
http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Epoxy_Putty_219.html
I believe you can get some from Pat.

[Hookup]

Sent you a PM with some ideas but check out this aquascaping style.  MY FAV!

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=11540863#post11540863

in the tread there are photos of how it was accomplished.

[groan]

Wow! That is awsome!

[audioslave_36]

Sent you a PM with some ideas but check out this aquascaping style.  MY FAV!

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=11540863#post11540863

in the tread there are photos of how it was accomplished.

That is SICK!!!!!

[Tsukiyomi-sakura]

Sent you a PM with some ideas but check out this aquascaping style.  MY FAV!

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=11540863#post11540863

in the tread there are photos of how it was accomplished.

Holy cow, I wish I could stack my rock like that (to round)

[Hookup]

Yeah, you have to hand pick a lot of rock to achieve that effect.  But to me the results are definitely worth the efforts and pains.  I'm a huge fan of that open-concept "bonsai" style tank... My next tank (which is in wife-debate-planning) is going to be a 6foot x 3foot x 2foot high tank and will only contain several pieces designed exactly like this, viewable on 2+ sides as an thru-wall system.

I also really like full grown-out corals.  The bigger and older the better.  This TOTM is by far my fav as it has achieved what very few tanks have ever done in the past...

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-07/totm/index.php

To me this is the best-of-the-best, full color, giant corals, amazing system!  However, imagine the quality of corals on aquascaping from the prior link.. damn, I'm getting kinda turned on just thinking about it... LOL...

[Tsukiyomi-sakura]

Whoa...That tank is breathtaking, and I didn't know my people were really into reef keeping, Maybe that is where I get it from  Now I'm going to be thinking about my rock structure more! wow.

[Hookup]

I have to admit, I look at those photos at least twice a week.  It is beyond compare.