Live Rock

[dzammer]

Ok! couple of days away from being ready to add substrate and live rock. Any suggestions on type of rock (Fiji, Marshall, etc) and how much live sand should be added initially. Seems to be too many options. Tank size is 135g. Any help in this area would be appreciated.

[socal surfer]

For live rock amost people use about a pound a gallon. I personally like fiji rock, it always has a lot of cool shapes and good coraline growth. For sand if you are going t set up a DSB (deep sand bed) i would have the bed be about 4-6 inches deep, dont know how many pounds that would be. The sand that you buy does naot have to all be live sand either. You could buy "dead" sand add it to the tank and then add some live sand to seed the "dead" sand.

[Alice]

Hey dzammer,

Here's a link for calculating how much sand to put in your tank for your desired depth. You'll need the tank dimensions. Here

Alice

Welcome to The Reef Tank!

[Big Dave]

hey dz-

I have a 135 and put about 180 lbs of sand in it. I have about a 4" DSB. Using the calculator link from Alice it says I need 270 lbs, but I also have some rock IN the sand too, so that takes up space.

As far as rock goes, I have 150+ lbs of LR, and seems just about right - BUT - it is a personal taste on what looks good to you too. Some people like a more open look with coves and sandy areas compared too a rocky cliff look. Aquascaping can make a difference too. You can stack it to look like more, which the fish will love swimming in and out of all the little cracks and holes, or you can stack it tighter together. I would run through the tank specs and find posts with pics and see what style of aquascaping catches your eye! After all, you will be staring into many, many nights(don't worry it's normal - we all do it) hehe Also, maybe do a search for different threads on 'aquascaping'. HTH

-Big Dave

[Casey]

Zammer
I have a mixture Tonga.Fuji.Marshall,Caribean I like them all for different reasons plus I get more diverse life forms
thats why I got rock from all different places Casey

[dzammer]

Wow, thanks for all the feedback. I actually found that web site with the calculator on it. Thanks. I expect a large majority of it boils down to personal preference. It appears to me there doesn't seem to be any issue with mixing different kinds of Live Rock. I am assuming if I choose to have a DSB then the LR will be placed on top of the sand. I have heard different opinions on how that should be done. Also curious as to how well the mail order works for buying LR and Sand. Thanks agian to everyone for the feedback.

[Casey]

Well I cant tell ya about the live sand I always buy mine local but
with live rock mine has always shipped well priority overnite,and no there is no problem mixing rock in fact I prefer that way you can aquascape better because rocks from different places have different shapes like I always get some Tonga branch rock or shelf rock and I always place my rock on the dsb seems to work for me. hths

[digital_dragon]

Make sure you use aragonite carribean sand for your sand bed. Southdown Tropical Carribean Playsand if you can find it at your local Home Depot. As big as your tank is I would have them order you some as it will cost you around $7.00 a 50 lb bag which will be alot cheaper than Aragamax. Stay away from cilica sand. The carribean sand will be better for your tank. Then find a reefer local to you for a few cups of their established sandbed to seed it.

Earl

[Fishaholic]

If I am not too late, I would like to suggest aquacultured live rock so that your tank will have a minimal effect on reefs. when buying rock from the pacific it is not regulated and impossible to tell if it is causing reef destruction.

I use rock from two sources

www.tampabaysaltwater.com

www.gulf-view.com

The rock is great stuff, it is always kept submerged, pacific is not. This gives you more "life" for the money. Many people say it is heavier than pacific and it is but well worth it.

Here is a thread where I posted some pics of my 90 gallon reef, all the rock is from Tampa Bay Saltwater.

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...&threadid=5900


Another nice aspect of purchasing is that if you want a show piece in a specific size and shape they will pick up a piece that is the size and shape you want. All rock is mined on land and deposited in the gulf of mexico and then retrived, no impact on reefs.

[dzammer]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have not ordered my live rock yet. I will take a look at the sites you forwarded. Regards.

[Mrs Smith]

IMHO, the best live sand you can get is a scoop from a well-established tank. One or two cups will seed an entire bed, and the most diversity, the better. Ideally, you get scoops from several tanks, but just a little will go a long way. This is where knowing fellow reefers is helpful.

Check out IPSF - they have some great sandbed goodies.

Also, some people put their rock in/under the sandbed, and some build on top. It really depends on how much rock you have and what your preferences are.

Good luck,
Danielle

[dzammer]

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. The more information the better!