Amount of live rock question

[Arcticafropuffs]

Hi well basically Im fixing to get a new 10g s/w tank and the only amount of live rock my local fish store is either 8 lbs, or 16 lbs, so which one should I get?

 

[weluvfish54]

16

 

[calli]

I would go with two 8's ... :-D

 

[tanker]

sixteen

 

[tmz]

I would start with 8. If the rock is porous.8 should be enough.You need some swimming room in there. Also the amount of live rock you need will depend on what you are doing with the tank( ie corals, fish only ) overall bioload and wether or not you will have a sand bed. All in all I think eight pounds should meet the denitrification needs of a ten gallon tank even without a sand bed.

 

[reefergeorge]

For my 12 gallon I bought 12lbs, and only used about half. It really depends on the rock, and what you like. I like the open look over the tank of rock look.
I vote 8...

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13034813#post13034813 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tmz
I would start with 8. If the rock is porous.8 should be enough.You need some swimming room in there. Also the amount of live rock you need will depend on what you are doing with the tank( ie corals, fish only ) overall bioload and wether or not you will have a sand bed. All in all I think eight pounds should meet the denitrification needs of a ten gallon tank even without a sand bed.

I agree with Tom here, normally I would recommend 1.5 lbs per gal but in this case with such a small tank you need some swimming room.

Despite the live rock you are still going to have to do weekly water changes with a 10gal

 

[reefnetworth]

1.7 lbs. per gallon, Fiji, Kaelini, and Tonga Branch in a BB display and sump.
mostly the sump, @ 25% turnover and 25% WC's weekly.
N03 is never above 5ppm.
LR is natures denitrification system, so i would have to agree with sixteen also. :thumbsup:

 

[TurboRobert]

The more rock the better for your tanks health. With a small tank anything could go wrong and having more rock the less likely something could go wrong.

 

[tmz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13035557#post13035557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefnetworth
1.7 lbs. per gallon, Fiji, Kaelini, and Tonga Branch in a BB display and sump.
mostly the sump, @ 25% turnover and 25% WC's weekly.
N03 is never above 5ppm.
LR is natures denitrification system, so i would have to agree with sixteen also. :thumbsup:

I use less and have 0 nitrates.

 

[phenom5]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13035765#post13035765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TurboRobert
The more rock the better for your tanks health. With a small tank anything could go wrong and having more rock the less likely something could go wrong.

I prefere less also. Less LR that allows better flow through, over, and around the rock is better then a ton of rock packed in that restricts flow...IMO at least.

 

[tmz]

To clarify. You need enough live rock to support the biofiltration of your system. A certain number of lbs per gallon has little meaning as a generalization since there ae many variables such as bioload, flow,feeding routine, skimming etc. . Rock as a denitrifier is about inside and outside surface area not weight. The more porous it is,the less you need. Less can actually be more. In some cases too much rock can cause problems not only with swimming room but also with flow and the potential for dead spots where detrius can accumulate..