When setting up aquascape, what do you put down first?

[Gribbles]

I don't want to scratch the bottom glass. What should be placed first - sand? Rock? Eggcrate?

How do you setup your aquascape base?

 

[vtecintegra]

Sheet of acrylic, starboard, or cutting board.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally, I put sand first, then rocks and push the rocks into the sand. Thats my way in my tanks.

 

[saltcats]

Depends partly what you are planning to keep; for me it's rock first and then sand around because I plan to add a pistol shrimp/goby combo and they will dig under rocks and destabilize it otherwise!

I got some rocks that were cut flat on one side to use as my very bottom layer and then stack the other rocks on top.

 

[snackpack]

I've always dropped a piece of egg crate first, then sand, then squish/twist my rocks into place

 

[Dbichler]

Egg crate rocks then sand

 

[Gribbles]

Would egg crate cause any problems for sand sifters?

 

[Dbichler]

I only put it under the rocks not entire bottom never had any issues

 

[snackpack]

Would egg crate cause any problems for sand sifters?

I've got it under the entire tank in 3 tanks (wife's Red Sea Nano, a communal 32G Biocube, and a 120g mixed reef). No issues with sand sifters in any of the 3. Zebra barred dart fish didn't like it during his first burrow, but we added a bit more sand and he learned the environment and we haven't had any issues. The 120g has a tiger conch that will only go under the sand a bit, never fully buried, but that tank currently has nutrient issues which may be causing his behavior.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Under gravel filter of course.

 

[1112-425XL]

To each his own...
Rocks then sand.

 

[Rmckoy]

I’ve done both sand and rocks first but never noticed a difference .
Sand isn’t deep enough to cause burrowing fish to cause rocks to fall .

 

[JReef3]

I also use egg crate, it protects the glass and gives the rocks a surface to bite into so they don't slide around, especially if you have something that likes to dig like a pistol shrimp/goby pair or a jawfish.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I did sand first, then put the rock on the sand by pushing it down a little into the sand.

 

[Waters]

Rocks....then rocks lol. No sand or eggcrate.