Live rock vs starfire glass

[Rudedog1212]

I have done some research and still don't know what to do. I have a all starfire tank and I'm going bb. Do I need to have something under my rock to protect the glass since it's not tempered? I never had a starfire tank before so I thought I would throw that question out there. Thanks.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

Tagging along because I'm in the same boat. My plan was to use 1/4" black starboard on the bottom with a very thin sand bed. But I'm beginning to wonder if I should even bother with the starboard...

 

[dattong]

Go for starboard guys, not only it looks nicer but also gives you the peace of mind. I love the look of the starboard than that of a bare bottom.

 

[Rudedog1212]

Using starboard won't debris get under it even if you glue it down?

 

[jthao]

If using a starboard, it needs to be siliconed around the edges well so nothing can get under or else it'll get brewin down there.
If you're going bare bottom then something covering the bottom would be a good idea, although I doubt anything would happen as I've ran many tanks with rocks on the glass. But I honestly think it doesn't look that aestetically pleasing with rock on glass look.

 

[Rudedog1212]

Anyone have some starboard laying around. Would need to be 42x24.

 

[psykobowler]

Be careful with starboard. The 180 gallon display at yourreef had something leaching from the starboard that killed some of the sps. Coralline grows to the bottom eventually and it would cover the starboard or bare bottom tank regardless of what you put in there. I had big grain sand in my display that solidified and turned all purple with coralline algae.

 

[Diamond Jack]

Why put anything on the bottom? Just curious.

 

[Tweakes182]

I am also very interested in this topic. I looked up the cost of a sheet of starboard. it was almost $1000.00 if I buy it in small pieces I could cover my tank for about $200.00. Either way not to cost effective. I like bare bottom tanks one for the lack of sand blowing around and convience of cleaning. I also do really like the large crushed coral because softy frags that fall attach real easy and then I have more frags.

However, my purpose for wanting some added protection on the bottom is I have a single piece of live rock that weighed 125lbs DRY. I have at least one other piece that weighted 50lbs dry. So even just setting that down dently on the bottom of the tank was nerve racking. I placed a piece of 1/4inch acrylic under the rock (currently in my 300 gallon acrylic tank). It was what I had on hand but in the future I would like a glass tank. I have heard of issues with material leaching? And or "funk" growing under them not sure the difference between funk growing under them and a DSB though.

 

[Diamond Jack]

Ahh I see. I have nothing that size, i'm running bb. Biggest fear I had was dropping a rock when putting it in the tank!

 

[Saltwaternooby]

Pvc board is what I planned on using, but decided I like the look of sand more.

 

[tilo]

I know this is going to sound a little foolish, but when I did set up a drilled 40 breeder that I wanted BB, I didn't want to bite the bullet on starboard, so I decided to put a few layers of aquarium safe silicone before the set up.
Of course you let it cure and keep putting layers, but I only put one layer since small tank = small rock.
Hope you find a solution, just helping the brain storm a little.

 

[psykobowler]

As the corals grow upwards, coralline algae covering the floor, you won't even notice the bottom.

 

[Rudedog1212]

Super nice

 

[DerekFF]

I poured little bases for my rock stacks to sit on so that the weight is nice and distributed onto 2x2 or larger areas everywhere it would have touched the glass. I used emaco and poured the bases and then set the rock on them with more emaco to secure it all together.

 

[DerekFF]

 

[muttley101]

I've seen some peeps use egg crate underneath the large pieces. However, I would think debris would get stuck in the little squares..

 

[greenhead]

I did see on a YouTube clip Mike Palletta use pavers with black silicone on the bottom. Then drilled holes in pavers and rocks and ran fiberglass rods through them to hold them upright. I am sure you could do this without b the pavers and just silicone the bottom of the rock and set it on a flat surface with plastic wrap between silicone and flat surface. Remove silicone when dried and then you have a rock that will sit flat and not collect detritus under it.

Also at a Lfs in chico the owner had an sps tank with this same kind of method but used smaller bases and suspended the rocks 2" off bottom in order to completely remove detritus at all times. Lots of ways to skin the cat..