Live Rock Placement

[FishBoyNB]

Hello all -

I have finally, after about 9 months of planning (and spending), got my 55 set up with everything running and the SG set.

After wandering about Blue Sierra this afternoon contemplating a live rock purchase, I got to thinking about placement of rock.

What is the general concensus out there on putting down live rock in a new tank. Just lay the base rock on the bare bottom? Put in on a platform of some sort? Put the sand in, then the live rock? The last I most likey won't do because of what I've heard about dead spots.

Any opinions are most welcome.

Dan

 

[bri7969]

good ? I would like to know too

 

[Elmo18]

Hi, I'll chime in with my opinion.

I'm going to guess you will be getting cured rock, and by cured i mean it's been at the LFS holding tank, doesn't smell of decaying stuff, free of dead sponges, etc.

If you are going barebottom, I would place the rocks directly, and then place the substrate (IF ANY), around the rock.

If you are going deep sand bed, there are a couple things you can consider. First, you can use PVC fittings and make a frame for your rocks to "fit into". Another approach is to take eggcrates and place them on the bottom so rocks will rest on them instead of the sandbed. I would try to maximize uncovered sand area, so a method would be to place eggcrate in past the desired height of your sandbed. Pour the sand into the eggcrates, and set the rocks on the eggcrates.

For uncured rock, i usually just place the rocks in the tank water/tank itself and just let it cure. After its cured, i siphon off detritus, do a major water change, take out the rocks into holding containers (garbage bin, etc), and decide what type of system i'd like to make before placing the rocks in.

- Elmo

 

[bri7969]

ok what about uncured live rock

 

[bri7969]

sorry i stop reading

 

[Dr B]

Placing liverock can be a very important part of tank sucess.

Wether the tank is barebottom, shallow sandbed, or a deepsandbed you want minimal contact with the rock and the bottom of the tank or sand. You want to get good flow through and under your rock.
You also want to stack your rock loosely, and not like building blocks. Try to make the whole reefstructure as loose as possible with lots of holes, crevices, etc.

It is especially important with a dsb to cover as little sand as possible.

If you want to go through the hassle of making a PVC rack that would help you stack your rock properly but will take some extra time and patience.

 

[bri7969]

thanks DR.B

 

[NaH2O]

Good posts! I'll toss in an idea I found when I was going to make my tank a DSB. Instead of making a rack, you can stick pieces of cut PVC into the sand....kind of like pylons. The PVC should be a height just above the sand and have holes drilled into them. Place them all around where the LR will sit, and this will be your support.

You can use zip ties and tie some pieces of live rock together to help create nice aquascaping (without avalanche), some drill their live rock adding acrylic rods for stability, while others use a type of epoxy, as well.

Take a look at the People's Reef section in the ID Gallery, and check out the Show Me Your Full Tank Shots and Show Me your tanks threads - for aquascaping ideas.

One thing that wasn't mentioned - be sure to have some form of underneath stability for your rock if you plan on keeping any inhabitants that like to burrow into the sand (if you plan on a substrate). Whether that's using egg crate, PVC racks, PVC pylons, or stacking your rock right on the bottom of the tank.

 

[FishBoyNB]

Thanks for the feedback.

If using egg crate has anyone experienced deadspots in the cells of the egg crate? I would'nt imagine there would be a lot of water movement in the cells that are covered up by the rock?? Am I thinking about this too much?

I am considering getting a couple of sheets of acrylic and gluing acrylic dowels of varying heights (1/2" - 1 1/2") onto the acrylic sheets and placing them in the tank bottom for supports. Has anyone seen this done?

Thanks,

Dan

Where does one purchase egg crate?

 

[NaH2O]

You can get egg crate at your home improvement store in the lighting section.

 

[szidls]

Thanks for the feedback.

If using egg crate has anyone experienced deadspots in the cells of the egg crate? I would'nt imagine there would be a lot of water movement in the cells that are covered up by the rock?? Am I thinking about this too much?

I am considering getting a couple of sheets of acrylic and gluing acrylic dowels of varying heights (1/2" - 1 1/2") onto the acrylic sheets and placing them in the tank bottom for supports. Has anyone seen this done?

Thanks,

Dan

Where does one purchase egg crate?

Hey Dan, I tryed the exact thing you were talking about. I cut a piece of acrylic to fit the bottom of a hex tank. I basically mounted dowles every 3"x3". What I thought was a good Idea turned out to be a hastle. Couldn't get rock work to sit the way I wanted. Lots of pegs were visible. I ended up taking the whole thing out. Now the rock is on the bb with small covering of substrate around sides of tank.
As for you, I might try and use the eggcrate on top of short pvc legs. Or Maybe glue acrylic rods to an 1 1/2" square acrylic blanks and place them strategically under rock for support.
Whatever you do make your rock stable so you don't have corals damaged by tumbling rock while doing tank maint.
Just another 2 cents.........
Scott