Positioning of rock

fishkeeprian · 08/29/2016, 02:47 PM

Hi everyone!

I just wondered about the positioning of peoples rock alot of people seem to stack their rock at the back of their tanks, which im considering, but doing that i will not beable to get to the back glass to clean it will this be a problem?

My rock is central in my tank so i can get be hind it and give every thing a good clean, negatives and positives of stacking the back of tank with rock?

CarrieB · 08/29/2016, 02:51 PM

It's usually recommended that rock be far enough away from all glass that you can get a magnet cleaner through.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

homer1475 · 08/29/2016, 03:43 PM

I don't think I've ever cleaned my back glass. :s

DivingTheWorld · 08/29/2016, 03:53 PM

I would say that being able to clean your back glass is purely aesthetic. There is no tank health benefit and if anything, it provides food for snails. That said, I don't stack my rocks against the back of the tank.

The old style of tank decorating was to stack piles of rocks against the back of your tank to provide more bacterial surface area. Potential issues were rock slides and less whole tank flow, causing dead areas.

The newer style of tank decorating, especially on a coral tank is to use less rock and create islands on which to grow out corals. Islands also provide for more light getting to your corals and better flow.

So all that said, if you have a big rock, I'd place it in the middle, but not so you can better clean the back glass. But in the end the tank needs to look good for one person, you.

gunther13mt · 08/29/2016, 06:39 PM

This was my first attempt at rock work.

This is my,tank now

Sent from my VS880 using Tapatalk

oakengineer · 08/29/2016, 06:48 PM

I've got a tank that is visible on three sides, so I didn't like the "pile rocks against the back" method. I think what you've done looks fine. I'd highly recommend you get a skimmer and or a GFO reactor though. With how porous your rock looks, it will be tough to keep the hair algae down.

Ron Reefman · 08/30/2016, 04:56 AM

Ian, I never cleaned my back glass and even got magnetic rocks to hang on the side glass and quit cleaning the ends as well. Siv years, no issues. BTW, I did have plumbing down the back glass so the pointy edges of the rock weren't pressing against the glass.

scooter31707 · 08/30/2016, 07:00 AM

+1, I never clean my back glass. Just clean the 2 side and front panels.

08/29/2016, 02:47 PM	#1
fishkeeprian Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: England, Earl Shilton Posts: 1,452	Positioning of rock Hi everyone! I just wondered about the positioning of peoples rock alot of people seem to stack their rock at the back of their tanks, which im considering, but doing that i will not beable to get to the back glass to clean it will this be a problem? My rock is central in my tank so i can get be hind it and give every thing a good clean, negatives and positives of stacking the back of tank with rock?

08/29/2016, 03:43 PM	#3
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	I don't think I've ever cleaned my back glass. :s __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"

08/29/2016, 03:53 PM	#4
DivingTheWorld Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: San Ramon, CA Posts: 1,963	I would say that being able to clean your back glass is purely aesthetic. There is no tank health benefit and if anything, it provides food for snails. That said, I don't stack my rocks against the back of the tank. The old style of tank decorating was to stack piles of rocks against the back of your tank to provide more bacterial surface area. Potential issues were rock slides and less whole tank flow, causing dead areas. The newer style of tank decorating, especially on a coral tank is to use less rock and create islands on which to grow out corals. Islands also provide for more light getting to your corals and better flow. So all that said, if you have a big rock, I'd place it in the middle, but not so you can better clean the back glass. But in the end the tank needs to look good for one person, you. __________________ Current Tank Info: LeeMar Rimless (40x24x22), ATI 8x39 Dimmable w/Reefbrite XHO, 2x Vortech MP40w QD w/ Battery Backup, Apex Gold, Trigger Systems Ruby30S, Reef Octopus POV-DC1 w/Auto Waste Collector

08/29/2016, 06:39 PM	#5
gunther13mt Starting to help others Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: South Dakota Posts: 137	This was my first attempt at rock work. This is my,tank now Sent from my VS880 using Tapatalk __________________ 55 gal, salinity 1.024, temp 80.4-81, 2 True Clown, 1 Watchman Goby, 1 Engineer goby, 2 cleaner shrimp, 3 astrea snails, 3 nassruai snails, 4 emerald crabs,1 sand shifting sea star, 1 condy, 1 fire fi

08/30/2016, 04:56 AM	#7
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	Ian, I never cleaned my back glass and even got magnetic rocks to hang on the side glass and quit cleaning the ends as well. Siv years, no issues. BTW, I did have plumbing down the back glass so the pointy edges of the rock weren't pressing against the glass. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

08/29/2016, 02:51 PM	#2
CarrieB Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 526	It's usually recommended that rock be far enough away from all glass that you can get a magnet cleaner through. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

08/29/2016, 06:48 PM	#6
oakengineer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 234	I've got a tank that is visible on three sides, so I didn't like the "pile rocks against the back" method. I think what you've done looks fine. I'd highly recommend you get a skimmer and or a GFO reactor though. With how porous your rock looks, it will be tough to keep the hair algae down.

08/30/2016, 07:00 AM	#8
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	+1, I never clean my back glass. Just clean the 2 side and front panels.