Minimum amount of live rock?

[RyanH]

How much, if any, live rock would I need in a 50g (39"x18x18") tank that just had coral and the rubble it was attached to?

I'm thinking about breaking down a 90g tank but I'm not sure when I will set up another 90, 120 or 180. I want to keep some of the corals though.

I want minimum effort, so i'm thinking of going BB, powerheads, sea swirl on a closed loop, and corals sitting on a grids. 250W DE's for light. I could add a calcium reactor and/or skimmer too. Is there any need for live rock in this situation? Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

Ryan

 

[djcool563]

If you have a big skimmer you wont need rock at all

 

[RyanH]

I can hook up a Deltec APF600 which would probably work. Is that really the only issue? Big skimmer and it's OK?

 

[masson]

You still need live rock, a skimmer isn't going to turn nh4 into no3.

 

[drake66]

exactly! you need atleast 1lb/gal bare minimum. I personally have close to 200lbs for my 70g

 

[Rurouni Kenshin]

Cmon guys, what about people that have frag tanks!? No Rock in those...

 

[turtlespd]

this day and age, no rock is really needed.

 

[MiddletonMark]

How many fish?
Which ones?

That's a big part of the equation, IMO.


IMO, the amount of nutrient you're putting in vs. you're able to export 100% of the time, no slips ... that's what you can have.

I'd imagine the initial startup of any system with minimal rock to be pretty delicate ... I've mainly done the remove-rock method to get to less LR and would suggest that IMO. Always easier to err on the side of caution, remove some later.

 

[RyanH]

No fish or other vertebrates, maybe a couple snails or hermits. basically just a holding tank to keep sps alive.

 

[Wiskey]

I would say very little is required then, you might keep a nice sized rock just to be sure though (like 10 LBS).

This is basically a frag tank, that is not attached to a larger system, I see those without rock all the time.

Whiskey

 

[Serioussnaps]

Live rock is esential---personal opinion and shared by most
for size tank you have i would go for about 100 lbs depending on porosity, density too

 

[km133688]

IME, keeping a reef tank is a true American activity, MORE IS BETTER. If this isn't a "Made for America" hobby then I don't know what is. Personally I have noticed happier fish, more pods, more cleanup critters, less water chemistry issues when I doubled my LR. Join a reef club. Members are always selling LR between 2$ and 4$/lb depending on quality. You can add as you go.

That said, I don't have any experience with a true frag tank so can't tell you if you can get away with out it in this situation.

Good luck, Kevin

 

[MiddletonMark]

IMO, provided 10-20# and that low a bioload [no fish] ... I wouldn't go for that much more.

Provided you have no nutrient/stability issues. IMO, for a coral-only tank, seems like extra LR would just be a debris trap.