Live Rock---How much do I need

mbrady · 03/11/2010, 08:42 AM

I have a 90 Gallon aquarium up and running for about two years. Orginally I put 80 LBS of live rock in the aquarium. I want to add more. It looks bare like there is not enough rock.

How many Lbs should I have? Is an additional 40 lbs to much.

Orginally, my thought process was FOLR acquarium but now I may want to play in the coral world.

Chris27 · 03/11/2010, 08:52 AM

Add enough rock to make it visually appeasing to YOU. You should have enough right now to take care of the bio-filter, so anything new you add can be hand selected to provide the look you want.

spw4949 · 03/11/2010, 09:24 AM

That should be fine, I am definately a fan of LR but you have to keep in mind all that rock will displace water & water voulme & LR are almost equally as important IMO, with that said you have a 90 gallon so you should be fine..........

CJO · 03/11/2010, 09:25 AM

There are usually minimum amounts recommended (around 1 lb / gal of Fiji rock or 2 lb / gal of Florida rock), but there is no maximum as long as your fish can swim around and there are no dead areas (no water circulation).

CJ

CJO · 03/11/2010, 09:25 AM

Hmmm... Guess that's what makes this hobby so interesting!

CJ

javimarino · 03/11/2010, 09:54 AM

from what i have read you should have about 1.5lbs per galon to probide good filtration, especially if using the berlin method. noobie so anyone cant correct me.

spw4949 · 03/11/2010, 10:11 AM

I think you can have too much but that's just my opinion, if you have so much LR that you start to displace a large quantity of water it almost becomes counter productive........because again I think that water volume is also super important in our systems......

Chiefsurfer · 03/11/2010, 10:24 AM

^Agree.

Mostly, from what I have experienced, once you go over 55 gallons, your rock can be closer to 1lb/gal, rather than below that, where I Would suggest closer to 2lb/gallon. If you already have 80, depending on your stock level, it could be fine, or it could be way too little. If it looks bare, but your stock level is very small, then just add what pleases you. If it looks bare, and you have a lot of load on the system, I would say you could add easily 40 lbs and still have decent room in a 90.

I would not go with more than 150lbs in a 90.

phenom5 · 03/11/2010, 10:30 AM

I prefer less rock.

IMO, less rock, with better flow throughout the tank is better than more rock that restricts flow to parts of the tank.

Also, with SPS lower rock structures are better because it leaves more room for growth.

Just my $0.02.

wooden_reefer · 03/11/2010, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenom5

I prefer less rock.

IMO, less rock, with better flow throughout the tank is better than more rock that restricts flow to parts of the tank.

Also, with SPS lower rock structures are better because it leaves more room for growth.

Just my $0.02.

IMO, more varied flow is better to promote different degrees of oxygenation. The rock need not be in the main but in the sump.

betoballer1 · 03/11/2010, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJO

There are usually minimum amounts recommended (around 1 lb / gal of Fiji rock or 2 lb / gal of Florida rock), but there is no maximum as long as your fish can swim around and there are no dead areas (no water circulation).

CJ

What's the diffrence between florida rock and figi?

lordofthereef · 03/11/2010, 06:11 PM

I think the recommendation varies depending on who you ask. IMO it also varies greatly depending on the porosity of your rock (assuming the original question is pertaining to how much rock is needed for proper biofiltration). Others will say to put it in your sump. Personally I am not a fan of this because of the potential detritus trap this can cause. There are ways around that as well, but inevitably I feel rock in the sump is just added work. Much of that also probably has to do with the fact that we don't achieve anywhere near the flow in our sumps that we get in our DTs.

Now that I have done nothing but dance around the OP's question... I have seen many tanks that had sometimes as little as .5lb/g and that worked well for them, especially going with the "minimalist" approach. That said, the tanks were also pretty lightly stocked as far as fish were concerned and I suspect water changes may have been upped a bit.

lordofthereef · 03/11/2010, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by betoballer1

What's the diffrence between florida rock and figi?

Where it comes from. DUH!

LOL I had to... In all seriousness I do believe the Fiji liverock tends to be more porous than the Florida LR. It also tends to be QUITE a bit more expensive.

03/11/2010, 08:42 AM	#1
mbrady Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 96	Live Rock---How much do I need I have a 90 Gallon aquarium up and running for about two years. Orginally I put 80 LBS of live rock in the aquarium. I want to add more. It looks bare like there is not enough rock. How many Lbs should I have? Is an additional 40 lbs to much. Orginally, my thought process was FOLR acquarium but now I may want to play in the coral world.

03/11/2010, 09:24 AM	#3
spw4949 Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Albany, N.Y. Posts: 1,594	That should be fine, I am definately a fan of LR but you have to keep in mind all that rock will displace water & water voulme & LR are almost equally as important IMO, with that said you have a 90 gallon so you should be fine.......... __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 46 gal bowfront, mixed reef, 2x250W current outer orbit w/4x39W T5 ,10 gal fuge....38 gallon aggressive FOWLR, 10 gallon sump.

03/11/2010, 10:11 AM	#7
spw4949 Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Albany, N.Y. Posts: 1,594	I think you can have too much but that's just my opinion, if you have so much LR that you start to displace a large quantity of water it almost becomes counter productive........because again I think that water volume is also super important in our systems...... __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 46 gal bowfront, mixed reef, 2x250W current outer orbit w/4x39W T5 ,10 gal fuge....38 gallon aggressive FOWLR, 10 gallon sump.

03/11/2010, 10:24 AM	#8
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	^Agree. Mostly, from what I have experienced, once you go over 55 gallons, your rock can be closer to 1lb/gal, rather than below that, where I Would suggest closer to 2lb/gallon. If you already have 80, depending on your stock level, it could be fine, or it could be way too little. If it looks bare, but your stock level is very small, then just add what pleases you. If it looks bare, and you have a lot of load on the system, I would say you could add easily 40 lbs and still have decent room in a 90. I would not go with more than 150lbs in a 90. __________________ Chief Current Tank: 20 Gallon tall, 4-bulb t5 HO, Eshopps psk75H, ac-70 fuge. So far, green clown goby, striped goby, more gorillas than I wish I had, 5 SPS frags, 3 LPS Frags, 1 Softee, Turkey Wing Clam. Plan for the future: 120 gallon 4ft glass tank. Current Tank Info: 20 gallon tall Reef Tank

03/11/2010, 10:30 AM	#9
phenom5 Unregistered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,096	I prefer less rock. IMO, less rock, with better flow throughout the tank is better than more rock that restricts flow to parts of the tank. Also, with SPS lower rock structures are better because it leaves more room for growth. Just my $0.02. __________________ Rob Current Tank Info: DSA 155 Pro \| ATI Sunpower \| ATB 840 v2 \| Apex \| Wav

03/11/2010, 08:52 AM	#2
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	Add enough rock to make it visually appeasing to YOU. You should have enough right now to take care of the bio-filter, so anything new you add can be hand selected to provide the look you want.

03/11/2010, 09:25 AM	#4
CJO Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 578	There are usually minimum amounts recommended (around 1 lb / gal of Fiji rock or 2 lb / gal of Florida rock), but there is no maximum as long as your fish can swim around and there are no dead areas (no water circulation). CJ

03/11/2010, 09:54 AM	#6
javimarino Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: San Juan, PR Posts: 262	from what i have read you should have about 1.5lbs per galon to probide good filtration, especially if using the berlin method. noobie so anyone cant correct me.

03/11/2010, 06:11 PM	#12
lordofthereef One reef to rule them all Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 5,299	I think the recommendation varies depending on who you ask. IMO it also varies greatly depending on the porosity of your rock (assuming the original question is pertaining to how much rock is needed for proper biofiltration). Others will say to put it in your sump. Personally I am not a fan of this because of the potential detritus trap this can cause. There are ways around that as well, but inevitably I feel rock in the sump is just added work. Much of that also probably has to do with the fact that we don't achieve anywhere near the flow in our sumps that we get in our DTs. Now that I have done nothing but dance around the OP's question... I have seen many tanks that had sometimes as little as .5lb/g and that worked well for them, especially going with the "minimalist" approach. That said, the tanks were also pretty lightly stocked as far as fish were concerned and I suspect water changes may have been upped a bit. __________________ "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself" ~ Josh Billings Visit My Home page for current build thread (click my user name and select "Visit LordoftheReef's Homepage" in the drop down menu!