I have said this so many times in trying to help new reefers:
"There are many differing opinions, even among the experts, so you should read as much as you can so that you can make your own informed choices"
There really aren't many absolute "absolutes"in this hobby. Just look at how some of the theories and "how to set up a saltwater aquarium" ideas have changed in the past few years. Temp. 77f and 1.023 S.G., for example! :
I certainly know very little compared to the Thiels, Moe's; Sprungs; Delbeeks; Verons; Tullocks; Shimeks; and so many others who have shared their knowledge with hobbyists and I have great respect for their opinions and findings. But, we must remember, they often disagree with one another! None are infallible and they also continue to learn.
As for Dr. Ron, I really appreciate the way he volunteers his time to answer questions from marine hobbyists. I respect his knowledge and consider him an excellent resource.
I can say the same thing about the dozens of experts who do the same thing on the boards, especially TRT which has several resident members who are highly respected in the scientific and reefing community. I won't mention their names because I don't want to leave anyone out but I really do appreciate you!
I'm definitely not going to bash anyone because they make a mistake or disagree with someone else. That's against my nature (and TRT's policies). I do question and compare and look for as many different opinions as I can find when I have a question.
Back to the original topic, I set my first tank up by adding all the sand and then pushing the bottom rocks down until they touched bottom. I read about pvc rings; eggcrate; rocks on top of the sand; and other suggested methods. These are all viable alternatives. I even considered a plenum but decided it was too much trouble.
I then made my own choice.
For the second tank, I decided to add an inch or so of sand, set the rocks, then add the rest of the sand. That worked just fine, too.
So, Brooke, consider the options and then do your LR/DSB the way you want to!!!!
Dick