Live Rock to Dry Rock ratio

BigRedNole · 12/12/2010, 11:46 AM

Due to unexpected circumstances, I will not be setting my system up until next week. With that being said, I am not going to use the LR the guy gave me. Almost all pieces are smaller than my palm. There are only about 4-5 pieces that are bigger than my hand.

With that being said, I will be getting LR that I like and the rest dry rock. For a 90g tank, what ratio of LR to dry rock is recommended. I am thinking 50Lbs of LR and 50Lbs of dry rock.

Misled · 12/12/2010, 12:05 PM

The ratio really doesn't matter that much. The less live will just make things take a little longer for the tank to be ready add inhabitants. When I started mine 95% of my rock was dry.

Sk8r · 12/12/2010, 12:25 PM

What I found was 95% dry meant an 8 week cycle; 100% live meant a 4 week cycle. The difference in cost---huge! As in enough dollars to afford the ro/di filter you need! And less environmental impact.

Misled · 12/12/2010, 01:36 PM

Give it a couple years and no one will ever know!!!!

BigRedNole · 12/12/2010, 02:24 PM

Thanks for the replies. Another questions based on this info. I know it takes longer to cycle. Is that because it takes the LR that much longer to spread/acclimate?

If I go with say 20Lbs of live rock and 80Lbs of dry rock, how long does it take the live rock to spread?

Misled · 12/12/2010, 02:39 PM

The word spread or seed is what I would use. Doing it this way, I wouldn't want to be in a hurry to add anything. I'll gather a few pics later, but the bacteria, organisms and other things have to be given the chance to grow to meet the proportions of the system. It takes time. If you add too much, it makes things change too much, and the system doesn't yet have the ability to handle it. Run the lights and skimmer. Carbon helps through this also. When I set mine up, I probably waited 3 months, and added things very slowly.

BigRedNole · 12/12/2010, 02:41 PM

I plan on taking it slowly. The plan is to get the all the rock setup and established properly. About the only thing that would go in is probably a single damsel when the conditions are right until it is established.

Misled · 12/12/2010, 02:53 PM

I would pick a different fish. Damsels can be pretty nasty and also can be very difficult to remove once everything's established. Pick something hardy and something you plan on keeping long term.

Dustin1300 · 12/12/2010, 05:55 PM

I'd say keep at least 20% of the rock live just to keep the seeding time a little lower. I have about 75-80 pounds of live rock and wish I would have saved the $5/lb and bought a good portion of dry rock. Planning on a 200+ gallon tank upgrade in the next year and plan on having my rock now and ~150 pounds of dry BRS rock depending on the tank I end up going with

dixiedog · 12/12/2010, 09:33 PM

Quality over quantity with the seed rock.

BigRedNole · 12/12/2010, 09:55 PM

Thank you for all of the advice. I too think quality over quantity is the way to go as well. That is the reason I sold off the garbage the guy gave me with the system. I did not like it much and most of it was very small pieces. There were about 60 pieces weighing about 75Lbs. Once I got through the top layer of LR in the barrel, the other stuff had no growth on it. It was supposed to be 4 year old LR. since he threw it in free, I can't complain. I sold it for $100 and paid $600 for the entire setup.

Now, I need to find good quality LR that is available. I don't like what my LFS has. I will get the dry rock from Marco Rock probably. Any ideas on quality LR online?

Dustin1300 · 12/13/2010, 04:54 AM

Where you located?

BigRedNole · 12/13/2010, 07:03 AM

I am in Raleigh, NC.

12/12/2010, 11:46 AM	#1
BigRedNole Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 161	Live Rock to Dry Rock ratio Due to unexpected circumstances, I will not be setting my system up until next week. With that being said, I am not going to use the LR the guy gave me. Almost all pieces are smaller than my palm. There are only about 4-5 pieces that are bigger than my hand. With that being said, I will be getting LR that I like and the rest dry rock. For a 90g tank, what ratio of LR to dry rock is recommended. I am thinking 50Lbs of LR and 50Lbs of dry rock.

12/12/2010, 12:05 PM	#2
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	The ratio really doesn't matter that much. The less live will just make things take a little longer for the tank to be ready add inhabitants. When I started mine 95% of my rock was dry. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

12/12/2010, 12:25 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	What I found was 95% dry meant an 8 week cycle; 100% live meant a 4 week cycle. The difference in cost---huge! As in enough dollars to afford the ro/di filter you need! And less environmental impact. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

12/12/2010, 01:36 PM	#4
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	Give it a couple years and no one will ever know!!!! __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

12/12/2010, 02:39 PM	#6
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	The word spread or seed is what I would use. Doing it this way, I wouldn't want to be in a hurry to add anything. I'll gather a few pics later, but the bacteria, organisms and other things have to be given the chance to grow to meet the proportions of the system. It takes time. If you add too much, it makes things change too much, and the system doesn't yet have the ability to handle it. Run the lights and skimmer. Carbon helps through this also. When I set mine up, I probably waited 3 months, and added things very slowly. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

12/12/2010, 02:24 PM	#5
BigRedNole Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 161	Thanks for the replies. Another questions based on this info. I know it takes longer to cycle. Is that because it takes the LR that much longer to spread/acclimate? If I go with say 20Lbs of live rock and 80Lbs of dry rock, how long does it take the live rock to spread?

12/12/2010, 02:41 PM	#7
BigRedNole Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 161	I plan on taking it slowly. The plan is to get the all the rock setup and established properly. About the only thing that would go in is probably a single damsel when the conditions are right until it is established.

12/12/2010, 02:53 PM	#8
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	I would pick a different fish. Damsels can be pretty nasty and also can be very difficult to remove once everything's established. Pick something hardy and something you plan on keeping long term. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

12/12/2010, 05:55 PM	#9
Dustin1300 Reefaholic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Carmel, IN Posts: 5,135	I'd say keep at least 20% of the rock live just to keep the seeding time a little lower. I have about 75-80 pounds of live rock and wish I would have saved the $5/lb and bought a good portion of dry rock. Planning on a 200+ gallon tank upgrade in the next year and plan on having my rock now and ~150 pounds of dry BRS rock depending on the tank I end up going with __________________ INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT

12/12/2010, 09:33 PM	#10
dixiedog Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Gainesville, Florida Posts: 1,626	Quality over quantity with the seed rock.

12/12/2010, 09:55 PM	#11
BigRedNole Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 161	Thank you for all of the advice. I too think quality over quantity is the way to go as well. That is the reason I sold off the garbage the guy gave me with the system. I did not like it much and most of it was very small pieces. There were about 60 pieces weighing about 75Lbs. Once I got through the top layer of LR in the barrel, the other stuff had no growth on it. It was supposed to be 4 year old LR. since he threw it in free, I can't complain. I sold it for $100 and paid $600 for the entire setup. Now, I need to find good quality LR that is available. I don't like what my LFS has. I will get the dry rock from Marco Rock probably. Any ideas on quality LR online?

12/13/2010, 04:54 AM	#12
Dustin1300 Reefaholic Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Carmel, IN Posts: 5,135	Where you located? __________________ INDMAS President Check out my tank in the Large Tank Forums, "A Reefaholic's 1000+ Gallon Mixed Reef System Build"! Current Tank Info: 600 Gallon DT, 140 Gallon Grow Out Tank, 125 Gallon Sump, 90 Gallon Fuge, 200 Gallon Fish QT, 15 Gallon Frag QT

12/13/2010, 07:03 AM	#13
BigRedNole Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 161	I am in Raleigh, NC.

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