Silly question

[wrassehole]

as we all know, Live Rock isnt cheap. why would someone put live rock in their fuge where it cant be seen. how can it help more in the fuge than if it was in the display tank. Whats the diff? Plus, the lighting in a fuge is rarely as good as in the display. which wont really bring out the sponges or anything else coll livin on the rock. it seems kinda silly so there must be a reason i cant figure out.

 

[Scooterman]

I have left over lr in my sump, after aquascaping several times I just had some rubble & extra pieaces, I leave in the sump.

 

[wrassehole]

Hey scoot, i never thought of that. i actually hate small paices of live rock ion my main tank because it is easily toppled by snails and me brushing off the algae. what good reasons are there for having lr in the fuge?

 

[wrassehole]

other than for storage i mean

 

[Angelscrx]

More filtration, home for pods, seed the sump with coralline algae that would normally be scraped off the glass, storage, bases for frags, and there is probably some technical reason I don't know about but these are some of the ones I have heard and can think of.

 

[Scooterman]

well you get more filtration because of the extra surface area on the rocks, less waste collects on mine/ I find less bad algaes grow down there for some reason, so every now and then I can swap some out with the cleaner LR. I don't think it really is necessary but usually if your doing this long enough you'll just end up with more LR than what you want in the display, I have a few critters in my sump also, & yes pods all up in there so there are benefits.

 

[wrightme43]

PODS man PODS. The pods turn waste into more pods. The corals and fish turn the pods into corals and fish. As a side benie it helps with filtration (bio) and you paid for it who wants to waste it. Sneak up on a sump with live rock after lights out with a flashlight. Dinner is served. Steve

 

[soldefender]

With less light you get better coraline growth and the pods have a safe place to reproduce. Live rock kept under regular lighting seems to color up much brighter than under super bright lighting, but I have only had good lighting for 6 months.

 

[NaH2O]

the lighting in a fuge is rarely as good as in the display. which wont really bring out the sponges

The sponges actually like it in there - they can grow in the dark recesses of the rock. I have a ton of live rock in my fuge and sump for the reasons described above. Pod propagation and added biofiltration. Remember the LR in your fuges and sumps need to be blown off with a turkey baster now and then, as well.