Is it possible to have too much Live Rock?

[FutureBoyGenius]

I know people say not to use bioballs in the sump and LR in the display because it cultivates too much denitrifying bacteria. Well, after a month of slowly removing my bioballs I replaced the compartment with LR and filled it completely full. Will this create the same problem as the balls? Why or why not?

I would give you an estimate of how much LR is in the system but I don't think my estimate would be nearly accurate enough. It is my 90 Gallon tank I am talking about.

Thanks

[jthao]

depends on what you wanna keep. too much lr and you can't keep a lot of fish. too little live rock and you won't have enough for biological filtration. I have a lot of fish so I keep about 1lb per gal in my main tank, in the refugium compartment I have maybe 30lb of lr.

[Sk8r]

in the place of bioballs, fine: no problems. You could also add cheato and sand in that section and have a fuge.


The bacteria at home in rock and sand break detritus down with the help of bristleworms and such until it is nothing but nitrogen gas, which floats up and out of the tank. It does not stop at the nitrate stage.

[tmz]

You can have as much live rock as you wan't and need to achieve negligible nitrates.However, you need to keep the aquascape in the display open enough for swimming fish and for water circulation to prevent dead spots and detrius accumulation which will give you phosphate issues even if you have no nitrate.Many use tubs of rock plumbed in to their systems for this extra source .

The environment in which you place any media is important. Fast flowing water over media with a lot of surface area and no porosity or depth is a great environment for denitrifiers of ammonia and nitritre since they get lots of oxygen in these environs. They produce nitrate and with no anoxic (oxygen poor or free zones)the bacteria to break nitrate down will not thrive. These bacteria live in the sand bed and rock in areas where the water that seeps in laden with nitrate has been stripped of most of it's oxygen.

So I think live rock in an environment of rapid flow may or may not produce free nitrogen as opposed to nitrate depending upon wether or not the rock has enough depth to have anoxic areas. Big chunks should work fine. Will rubble work? I don't know but it seems not.

[SeaRobbin]

I have a 150 gal with over 200lbs of live rock. I think i'm at the point I have more rock then water.You need to keep your rock "LIVE".Test your water Keep your Cal and Alk at good levels and your LIVE rock will do its job.A good pet shop will sell a good 2 part mix for your Cal and Alk.Plus keep your Mag level up also.Bioballs are for NERDS

[rkelman]

I don't believe there is a difference. LR or Bioballs. If its going to trap debris etc. What does it matter what its made of? Depending on the setup as well. Submerged bioballs will build up debris. Submerged tightly packed LR will as well. A trickle type bioball or LR setup won't as much.

[Saltz Creep]

Originally posted by FutureBoyGenius
I know people say not to use bioballs in the sump and LR in the display because it cultivates too much denitrifying bacteria.

Bioballs contrary to popular belief do not create an overabundance of nitrates. LR creates as much nitrate as Bioballs, but LR will export that nitrate via the anaerobic bacteria deep inside. Given a choice LR is better, however Bioballs are economical and will work if you can export nitrates via another method. To answer your original question, no. you cannot have too much LR. The more the better.