set LR directly on glass???

addicted2 · 10/13/2006, 11:48 PM

Question??..when setting up tank, do you place LR directly on the glass and then add sand..or set rock on top of sand?....I am wondering because of thinking maybe rock directly on glass would scratch glass and weaken it with so much weight..opinions please??

markandkristen · 10/14/2006, 12:13 AM

most suggest to put the rock directly on the glass only because certain fish like gobies will move the sand around.
in that case you could have a avalanche

bertoni · 10/14/2006, 12:32 AM

If you're worried, you could support the rock on some PVC tubes, cut in half.

mattc183 · 10/14/2006, 01:17 AM

That's how I did it. I leaned some very large 15+lbs a piece rocks against the back wall, and so far no problems. My fish like to sleep back there, and my coral beauty spends pretty much all day back there.

mattc

jasert39 · 10/14/2006, 07:48 AM

if you mean the bottom glass people often lay the lighting egg crate looking stuff. Its available at Home depot of lowes in the lighting section down first then put the rock on top of that so thats in not directly on the glass.

hodsgod · 10/14/2006, 08:44 AM

No it is wrong, as a rule you shouldn't have live rock laying on the glass. It will create dead spots of water movement, inviting cyano to grow there.

Of course you can do it but it isn't ideal.

addicted2 · 10/14/2006, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hodsgod
No it is wrong, as a rule you shouldn't have live rock laying on the glass. It will create dead spots of water movement, inviting cyano to grow there.

Of course you can do it but it isn't ideal.

I am not sure what you mean is wrong. I really want to do it the right way..anyone else with opinions..how did everyone else do it?..please..comments welcome.

hodsgod · 10/14/2006, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by addicted2
I am not sure what you mean is wrong. I really want to do it the right way..anyone else with opinions..how did everyone else do it?..please..comments welcome.

It is wrong because the experts Bob Fenner, Anthony Calfo recommend not to lean it on glass because of the reasons I said.

I just checked a book called reef secrets, it says similar.

It is reasonable because circulation is a key factor. If you lean rock on the glass the water just stops at that point.

I would honestly advise you to read books as well as ask us amateurs for opinions.

Shagsbeard · 10/14/2006, 09:12 AM

Leaning it against the sides can cause problems with cleaning. Putting it on the bottom is fine. This "dead spot" stuff seems nonsense to me. You are going to have dead spots no matter what you do, unless you can get your rocks to hover. Don't worry about the glass on the bottom breaking... it's way stronger than that. You could fill your tank with live rock and it wouldn't bust. Scratching the bottom could weaken it, so using the eggcrate idea has some merit to prevent scratches.

What you really want to avoid is putting your rock on sand. Your rock will settle to the bottom anyway, and if you have a "digger" in your tank, they will undermine the rock causing major shifting or even a rock fall.

addicted2 · 10/14/2006, 09:21 AM

using the egg crate does make sense..that way there is sort of buffer under the rock..as for placing rock against sides?..I agree..I like a clean tank glass..so that is a must...gotta be able to scrape the glass! I have read books..and good info in them..but it doesn't hurt to get opinions from the *amateurs* too like you said..after all..what is better than putting a bunch of salty nut heads together! (((I can't believe I just said that)))

jgoodrich71 · 10/14/2006, 09:25 AM

Right now my tank is bare bottom. My rocks sit directly on the bottom. Back in the late 80s/early 90s, I ran my tank bare bottom, again with rocks sitting directly on the bottom with no problems.

Hodsgod, I would suggest you realize that there is no one way to do something, and blindly following "experts" because "they said so" would have gotten this hobby no where.

Tightrope · 10/14/2006, 12:36 PM

If you'd really like to set it on the glass, but are worried, buy a thin sheet of acrylic to set on the glass, then set the rocks on the acrylic. That way, the acrylic gets the pointy bit pressures, instead of the glass.

bertoni · 10/14/2006, 01:49 PM

I have a tank with live rock directly on the bottom pane, although it is an acrylic tank. No problem with dead spots that I can see.

cody-the-roo · 10/14/2006, 01:55 PM

I added a small amount of substrate to the bottom of the tank and "worked" my live rock into it. That way the rock wasn't necessarily on the bottom of the tank scratching glass, but there wasn't much substrate to dig up.

PJSEA · 10/14/2006, 02:04 PM

You may also want to consider putting a 1/4" thick piece of Marina Board on the bottom.
I bought from here but they don't display the larger sheets right now.
http://deepbluemarine.com/products-v...m?CategoryID=6

10/13/2006, 11:48 PM	#1
addicted2 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: central PA. Posts: 86	set LR directly on glass??? Question??..when setting up tank, do you place LR directly on the glass and then add sand..or set rock on top of sand?....I am wondering because of thinking maybe rock directly on glass would scratch glass and weaken it with so much weight..opinions please??

10/14/2006, 12:32 AM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If you're worried, you could support the rock on some PVC tubes, cut in half. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/14/2006, 01:17 AM	#4
mattc183 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: enid Posts: 100	That's how I did it. I leaned some very large 15+lbs a piece rocks against the back wall, and so far no problems. My fish like to sleep back there, and my coral beauty spends pretty much all day back there. mattc __________________ An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes, which can be made, in a very narrow field. - Niels Bohr Current Tank Info: 55+

10/14/2006, 07:48 AM	#5
jasert39 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: PA Posts: 759	if you mean the bottom glass people often lay the lighting egg crate looking stuff. Its available at Home depot of lowes in the lighting section down first then put the rock on top of that so thats in not directly on the glass. __________________ Trust the Process Current Tank Info: 75 gallon RR Display, 30 gallon sump, SRO INT1000, Jebao CP9's, Marsaqua LEDS.

10/14/2006, 09:25 AM	#11
jgoodrich71 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mobile, Alabama Posts: 849	Right now my tank is bare bottom. My rocks sit directly on the bottom. Back in the late 80s/early 90s, I ran my tank bare bottom, again with rocks sitting directly on the bottom with no problems. Hodsgod, I would suggest you realize that there is no one way to do something, and blindly following "experts" because "they said so" would have gotten this hobby no where. __________________ "For some reason I can't blow right." ~ crp "By the way Brian, nice colon." ~ Orchids Current Tank Info: 65 gal reef

10/14/2006, 12:13 AM	#2
markandkristen Moved On Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Winterhaven, fl Posts: 4,081	most suggest to put the rock directly on the glass only because certain fish like gobies will move the sand around. in that case you could have a avalanche

10/14/2006, 08:44 AM	#6
hodsgod Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Yokohama, Japan Posts: 155	No it is wrong, as a rule you shouldn't have live rock laying on the glass. It will create dead spots of water movement, inviting cyano to grow there. Of course you can do it but it isn't ideal.

10/14/2006, 09:12 AM	#9
Shagsbeard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Morro Bay, CA Posts: 2,143	Leaning it against the sides can cause problems with cleaning. Putting it on the bottom is fine. This "dead spot" stuff seems nonsense to me. You are going to have dead spots no matter what you do, unless you can get your rocks to hover. Don't worry about the glass on the bottom breaking... it's way stronger than that. You could fill your tank with live rock and it wouldn't bust. Scratching the bottom could weaken it, so using the eggcrate idea has some merit to prevent scratches. What you really want to avoid is putting your rock on sand. Your rock will settle to the bottom anyway, and if you have a "digger" in your tank, they will undermine the rock causing major shifting or even a rock fall.

10/14/2006, 09:21 AM	#10
addicted2 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: central PA. Posts: 86	using the egg crate does make sense..that way there is sort of buffer under the rock..as for placing rock against sides?..I agree..I like a clean tank glass..so that is a must...gotta be able to scrape the glass! I have read books..and good info in them..but it doesn't hurt to get opinions from the amateurs too like you said..after all..what is better than putting a bunch of salty nut heads together! (((I can't believe I just said that)))

10/14/2006, 12:36 PM	#12
Tightrope Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 44	If you'd really like to set it on the glass, but are worried, buy a thin sheet of acrylic to set on the glass, then set the rocks on the acrylic. That way, the acrylic gets the pointy bit pressures, instead of the glass. __________________ So new, I don't know my wrasse from my elbow. Current Tank Info: 125 gal. Tropheus/Petrochromis to be turned into saltwater, 10g saltwater, 20 gal South American cichlids

10/14/2006, 01:49 PM	#13
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I have a tank with live rock directly on the bottom pane, although it is an acrylic tank. No problem with dead spots that I can see. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/14/2006, 01:55 PM	#14
cody-the-roo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pleasanton Posts: 52	I added a small amount of substrate to the bottom of the tank and "worked" my live rock into it. That way the rock wasn't necessarily on the bottom of the tank scratching glass, but there wasn't much substrate to dig up.

10/14/2006, 02:04 PM	#15
PJSEA Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Pawleys Island, SC Posts: 295	You may also want to consider putting a 1/4" thick piece of Marina Board on the bottom. I bought from here but they don't display the larger sheets right now. http://deepbluemarine.com/products-v...m?CategoryID=6