How much live rock does one need?

[chefb_5]

Ok I have been going back and forth on putting more live rock in. I don't really like a lot of rock and the reason is, so my fish have room to swim (Tang, trigger, cromies) Then I find my self not having enough room for my corals to be mounted. Also I want to create as little dead spots or places for crap to build up.

 

[capysolo]

You could try the "mag-racks" or the like. Basically rocks you put on the walls of your tank that attach with magnets.

 

[Saltwatercoral]

I believe the general rull is to have about 1LB for every gallon of watter. Are your corals safe with a trigger fish?

 

[capysolo]

The problem with general rules is that they don't account for rock density, shape, or your personal taste. I'd say put in as much as you want. There are ways to get more space for corals (like i mentioned above), or you can try to rework your rock to get exactly what you want with as little rock as you want. Good luck!

 

[jedimasterben]

The problem with general rules is that they don't account for rock density, shape, or your personal taste. I'd say put in as much as you want. There are ways to get more space for corals (like i mentioned above), or you can try to rework your rock to get exactly what you want with as little rock as you want. Good luck!

This, this, and more this. I once had someone tell me when I had my 55g with about 30lbs of base rock (think Reefcleaners rock) that I needed to throw it away and purchase about 100lbs of live rock (it had to be live), and that if I didn't spend at least $800 in just rock that my reef would fail. I laughed it off and keep a successful reef. I still have that same rock today.

 

[chefb_5]

So It doesn't matter how much as long as the fish and coral and I are happy? lol Just to be safe SPS coral has to be mounted at a slant or straight up on your rock right? To get color all around you can't have the coral tips pointing towards the glass other wise the bottom of the sps will be faded?

 

[jedimasterben]

Add enough rock to fit your taste and no more. If you feel you need more biofilter surface area, get some Seachem Matrix, and if you want great denitrification and have a reactor you can put less than 50GPH of flow through, use Seachem deNitrate. I use 500mL of each in my tank, and I have never, ever seen an ammonia spike.

 

[capysolo]

So It doesn't matter how much as long as the fish and coral and I are happy? lol Just to be safe SPS coral has to be mounted at a slant or straight up on your rock right? To get color all around you can't have the coral tips pointing towards the glass other wise the bottom of the sps will be faded?

I've seen pictures from aquaculture facilities showing sps "balls". They suspend a frag on a string and it grows in a ball. I guess it just depends on your system...