How much live rock do i need

The amount of live rock and livestock included. If you have a gallon tank, following the rule you should have between 75 and pounds of live rock.

Your tank dimensions will play a role as well. If you have a custom tank and the dimensions are taller than wider, you may only need pounds of live rock to be set up the way you like. Another option is to have some live rock inside your sump tank. I have seen many saltwater tanks with a small amount of rock in the display and a majority of it sitting in the sump. Personal preference, rock size, and tank dimensions play a role. Another factor being your budget. But there are times when having 1 or 2 pounds per gallon just is not possible or desirable.

You can get away with much less and have a very healthy tank. Here is an example of my 32 Gallon Biocube tank. I only used about 20 pounds of live rock in this setup. My gallon reef tank only has 70 pounds. There are other ways you can supplement the biological filtration function of live rock as well. There are many different media you can use to house biological bacteria. How much live rock per gallon.

Common aquarium sizes and suggested live rock amounts. How much live rock for a 5-gallon aquarium? How much live rock for a gallon aquarium? How to add and set up live rock in a saltwater tank? Fill your tank with properly mixed saltwater and aim for a specific gravity of at least 1. Take a bucket of saltwater preferably from the same supply that you are using for the display tank and rinse your live rock pieces. As the pieces are sufficiently rinsed, you can begin to add them to your display tank.

Keeping lighting off or dim to prevent algae growth during this process. Remove waste and other organic matter from the rock with a brush every few days. You will want to do water changes of at least 50 percent of the water weekly for the first few weeks. You will need to collect any other waste material that may be left in the tank with a siphon. Keep up with your water quality measurements and keep a log of the records.

Additional Note - Live Rock Hitchhikers. Can you put too much live rock in an aquarium? Do you need live rock to start a saltwater tank? Does the rock need a light source? Why do I need live rock? How much is live rock? How long does the rock last? Final thoughts. Did you find this article helpful? Recent Posts. Staff Writer November 4, Staff Writer October 21, Staff Writer September 19, Staff Writer September 7, Staff Writer August 30, Staff Writer August 27, Frag Tank Setup Complete Guide.

Staff Writer August 13, I think i'm going to order something like lbs of reef saver from BRS. If you're looking to minimize your live rock reef saver is the poorest choice. Now the sources of rock are so varied as to make any such rules of thumb essentially useless. I think the best approach is to add as much rock as you need for your desired aquascape.

Then simply keep an eye on ammonia, nitrite, etc. I have about pounds in my heavily stocked and have never had any problems. Also remember that any sand will supplement the bio filter. Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! I really think it depends on how much you will want to be doing water changes.

And will you be okay with levels much above zero. The more sand and live rock you have the more stable your numbers can be without to much input on your part. Originally Posted by laeelin. You don't need live rock or sand in your DT, however you do need to provide some type of filtration in your sump. I like the minimalist look. Check this out. Find More Posts by mikeatjac. Actual "live rock" just 1lb, dry rock is another story. Several QTs.

I like the look of reef saver, and how well the pieces fit together. That's why I decided to go with them. The idea isn't "How few lbs of live rock can I use. Thanks for the link to Matrix, I think that I'll be adding it to the sump. Reason: Oops. Originally Posted by chefbill. The people negotiating our meat contract are doing one hell of a job. Mods please remove. That was a text to someone. I would think the lbs of live rock needed would be impossible to say.

There are just far too many variables between tanks. The stocking rates of fish in a tank vary almost 10 fold. Then the amount of food people give their fish varies tremendously. Also the rock itself varies. Some rock is dense having relatively little surface area and some rock is quite porous. Also remember that a lb of dry rock does mp or include the water weight that live rock has.

If you think this might be an issue, just monitor your ammonia levels until you have enough data to give you comfort. You could easily buy an ammonia alert badge and slap it on your tank for your initial year.

David A. Crandall, M. Fatherree, M. Ken Feldman Jon E. Shimek, Ph.