TBS "The Package". Too much rock?

[BetterJake]

Getting my list together for my soon to be delivered Reefer 250.

I'd like to go with live rock and sand from TBS. I like the idea of their package, but the recommendation for a 54 gallon tank, it 108 pounds of rock and 54 pounds of sand. I feel like 2 pounds per gallon would make it very crowded in the tank. Thoughts?

 

[Bucs20fan]

The rule of thumb varies between 1 and 2 lbs per gallon. I have 1 per gallon in both of my tanks and works out great. Especially with tbs rock 1 lb per gallon would be just fine. Now the sand id take all 55 lbs of that if I were you.

 

[ScubaFish802]

Getting my list together for my soon to be delivered Reefer 250.

I'd like to go with live rock and sand from TBS. I like the idea of their package, but the recommendation for a 54 gallon tank, it 108 pounds of rock and 54 pounds of sand. I feel like 2 pounds per gallon would make it very crowded in the tank. Thoughts?

As someone who also has a reefer 250, you could cut back down on the rock by 50% or more even, and you probably wont need more than 40lbs of sand or so - but 54 gives you enough to play with.

Also, TBS is an excellent company and ships some beautiful rock - but there are a ton of posts (myself included) who are seeing large numbers of cirolanid isopods in Florida live rock recently, so be sure to thoroughly QT your new rock before putting directly in the new tank.

 

[BetterJake]

As someone who also has a reefer 250, you could cut back down on the rock by 50% or more even, and you probably wont need more than 40lbs of sand or so - but 54 gives you enough to play with.

Also, TBS is an excellent company and ships some beautiful rock - but there are a ton of posts (myself included) who are seeing large numbers of cirolanid isopods in Florida live rock recently, so be sure to thoroughly QT your new rock before putting directly in the new tank.

Thanks for the comment and tips! Any resource or article you recommend to teach me how to properly inspect the rock and bad hitchhikers to look out for?

 

[Blue Cheese]

As someone who also has a reefer 250, you could cut back down on the rock by 50% or more even, and you probably wont need more than 40lbs of sand or so - but 54 gives you enough to play with.

Also, TBS is an excellent company and ships some beautiful rock - but there are a ton of posts (myself included) who are seeing large numbers of cirolanid isopods in Florida live rock recently, so be sure to thoroughly QT your new rock before putting directly in the new tank.

I as well had an isopod,quarantine the rock and be aware to actively search for them

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

108 lbs sounds Way Way overkill for a RSR250.

My last order of 60lbs from KP would have been Plenty.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

In addition to the advice posted above, I'll add that using 100% live rock/sand is not necessary. I would order a smaller amount and use other rock and cheaper sand for the remainder. (Other rock being dry or pieces you choose from an LFS, etc). This will allow you to build a nice scape without worrying about having to sacrifice any of the live rock because it doesn't fit or because you need to cement pieces together...

 

[BetterJake]

108 lbs sounds Way Way overkill for a RSR250.

My last order of 60lbs from KP would have been Plenty.

My thoughts as well. Not sure why the package calculator recommends that much.

 

[xabo]

Thanks for the comment and tips! Any resource or article you recommend to teach me how to properly inspect the rock and bad hitchhikers to look out for?

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/bp/index.php

 

[Bucs20fan]

+1 to Buying 20 lbs or so of their live rock, and the rest dry rock to make the scape you want. You will still get the same benefit, just at a fraction of the cost.

 

[Duncan62]

Getting my list together for my soon to be delivered Reefer 250.

I'd like to go with live rock and sand from TBS. I like the idea of their package, but the recommendation for a 54 gallon tank, it 108 pounds of rock and 54 pounds of sand. I feel like 2 pounds per gallon would make it very crowded in the tank. Thoughts?

I started a new 75 in Jan with uncured rock from KPaquatics and tbs. 30 lbs of each. The kp is more porous but has fewer macros and corals. The mix is perfect. I could put more but I wanted some bottom for trachys and the like. The hitchhikers from both are great. Good luck with your new tank.

 

[Bucs20fan]

If you are interested you can, at least most of the time, find aussie live rock from unique corals. I bought 10 lbs of that and couldnt be happier.

 

[mckinney0171]

108 lbs. sounds like the old school pile of rock we used to do in the 90's.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

+1 to Buying 20 lbs or so of their live rock, and the rest dry rock to make the scape you want. You will still get the same benefit, just at a fraction of the cost.

This is TECHNICALLY true, but you're missing the fact that all of that fake rock will still have to age, will still go through the uglies.

I can understand is someone needed 200lb of rock, it may make more sense but for the quantity actually needed for a shallow 54g display, I don't see the benefit.

 

[Duncan62]

108 lbs. sounds like the old school pile of rock we used to do in the 90's.

I tried a Berlin tank in the 80s. More rock that water the only filtration was powerheads circulating around and thru the rock. It was not for me.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

If you are interested you can, at least most of the time, find aussie live rock from unique corals. I bought 10 lbs of that and couldnt be happier.

Their Aussie LR is also more than double the price per pound than KP or TB.

 

[BetterJake]

Their Aussie LR is also more than double the price per pound than KP or TB.

Yeah just checked out their site, would be about $1400+ for 55 pounds shipped to my door. That's a bit too high vs TB

 

[BetterJake]

This is TECHNICALLY true, but you're missing the fact that all of that fake rock will still have to age, will still go through the uglies.

I can understand is someone needed 200lb of rock, it may make more sense but for the quantity actually needed for a shallow 54g display, I don't see the benefit.

Yeah I'm just going to go for all live. 55 pounds of their base rock + 40 lbs of live sand is about $450 before shipping

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yeah I'm just going to go for all live. 55 pounds of their base rock + 40 lbs of live sand is about $450 before shipping

Using mostly base rock is a good plan... Then you won't need to worry about how you place the rock/scape

Please post pics of the rock when you get it!

 

[kenchilada]

In my 220G, I did half TBS rock and half dry rock. Put all of it together in a 75G rubbermaid tub for three month fallow period while I built my stand and quarantined fish. No diatoms or any ugly phase.

If you do this, I suggest you light it just like you would your display tank. This will help any ugly period happen during fallow instead of in your display.

I've done my rock this way since the 90's because it always works!