Live Rock weight question

rowanpks · 09/22/2012, 04:21 AM

My LFS has a great piece of live Fiji. It is about 48 lbs. My question is can I put this piece in my 90 gallon tank or is it to much weight for single piece of rock in this size tank?

jdezek · 09/22/2012, 06:05 AM

I would think it would be fine. It shouldn't matter if its one rock weighing 48lbs or 5 rock piled up weighing that.

pmark · 09/22/2012, 09:23 AM

Sounds crazy, how much rock are you planning on putting in or are you just using that single rock? Its not about the weight of the rock but how porous it is. You might be better off with a bunch of smaller rocks for more surface area.

rowanpks · 09/22/2012, 10:26 AM

Thanks to both of you for the answers. I am going to have about 100lbs of rock all together. The one piece is only about 10 inches across, the rest is height and width.

pmark · 09/22/2012, 11:41 PM

Seems like its more dense than porous. I'd suggest going with smaller rock that will add more surface area. BRS dry rock is very light. Use that and seed with a few pounds of live rock from the LFS.

fyrfytr · 09/23/2012, 04:19 AM

+1 for the suggestion from pmark that is what my plan is when I am ready to put rock into my tank

usmc121581 · 09/23/2012, 05:43 AM

+1 with pmark if it's a very heavy 48lbs then chances are its solid and not very pours. If its not a solid feeling 48lbs then it's pours. You want a more porous rock so that the beneficial bacteria can get deep in the rock.

rowanpks · 09/23/2012, 05:49 AM

thanks everyone after all the posts I decided against the piece. I have 90lbs of live rock, biggest piece is around 12 lbs.

09/22/2012, 04:21 AM	#1
rowanpks Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: New Jersery Posts: 39	Live Rock weight question My LFS has a great piece of live Fiji. It is about 48 lbs. My question is can I put this piece in my 90 gallon tank or is it to much weight for single piece of rock in this size tank?

09/23/2012, 05:43 AM	#7
usmc121581 Where am I? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Abingdon, maryland Posts: 1,671 Blog Entries: 1	+1 with pmark if it's a very heavy 48lbs then chances are its solid and not very pours. If its not a solid feeling 48lbs then it's pours. You want a more porous rock so that the beneficial bacteria can get deep in the rock. __________________ I prefer not to think before I speak, I like to be just as surprised as everyone else by what comes out of my mouth. Current Tank Info: I have a 180 gal mostly LPS corals, it contains 1 Val. Tang, 1 yellow striped clown fish, 3 percula clownfish, a blood shrimp, cleaner shrimp and a sand shifting goby, 5 pajama cardinals, 1 green chromis. Also a 75 gal. sump/fug.

09/22/2012, 06:05 AM	#2
jdezek Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Savannah, GA Posts: 386	I would think it would be fine. It shouldn't matter if its one rock weighing 48lbs or 5 rock piled up weighing that.

09/22/2012, 09:23 AM	#3
pmark Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: NYC Posts: 170	Sounds crazy, how much rock are you planning on putting in or are you just using that single rock? Its not about the weight of the rock but how porous it is. You might be better off with a bunch of smaller rocks for more surface area.

09/22/2012, 10:26 AM	#4
rowanpks Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: New Jersery Posts: 39	Thanks to both of you for the answers. I am going to have about 100lbs of rock all together. The one piece is only about 10 inches across, the rest is height and width.

09/22/2012, 11:41 PM	#5
pmark Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: NYC Posts: 170	Seems like its more dense than porous. I'd suggest going with smaller rock that will add more surface area. BRS dry rock is very light. Use that and seed with a few pounds of live rock from the LFS.

09/23/2012, 04:19 AM	#6
fyrfytr Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 87	+1 for the suggestion from pmark that is what my plan is when I am ready to put rock into my tank

09/23/2012, 05:49 AM	#8
rowanpks Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: New Jersery Posts: 39	thanks everyone after all the posts I decided against the piece. I have 90lbs of live rock, biggest piece is around 12 lbs.