question

[chrisgil10]

If I have a 55 gallon setup with 10 lbs of live sand and 1 small rock already (not the best purchase it was from LFS both as dead as the fake stuff)


do you think I can just buy like 10 more lbs of sand (good sand) and 20 lbs of good rock and that would be ok to start with I really can not afford more than that but...


I dont want it all full of rock I have like a vision of half the tank being set up nicely with the rock and the other half just the sand and some shells I like the though almost like the reef end leads into a "drop off"
will that be ok or do I HAVE to have the 100 lbs of rock

thanks in advance for the advice

 

[kmf507]

With a 55 gallon tank, I would go with no less than probably 45 pounds. Keep in mind however, that you can put some LR in your sump or fuge to keep your display set up the way you want it (which sounds pretty cool).

Also, to save money, just buy regular sand. Live sand is not necessary. Any reef sand that you buy will eventually be full of life.

 

[StupidsReef]

It is best to have 2lbs of LR per gallon of water. That being said I have a 225 gallon Reef Ready take, I don't want 225 lbs of LR in it let alone 450. So I placed 350 of it in the sump and 100 of it in the display.

LR & LS together are the natural filters of SW. LR will filter it and LS will help to maintain the PH and Bacteira within it. IMO I would not go without the recommend amount. However there are cases of some who've done just that with no ill effects.

I think when you say set-up you are NOT including a sump?? If you ARE in fact including a sump then place the amount of LR you don't want in the main display into the sump.