Silly LR question......

steri

steri

New member
But where the heck do all of you put all of your rock to get 1 and a half to 2 pds of LR per gallon?

I have 70 pounds of fiji rock in my 75 gallon right now, and I'm thinking to myself, if I bought more, where would I put it?

As far as my aquacaping, I made 2 rock mounds with a couple of caves in each mound (fun for fishes, not for me). Both mounds are tall and wide. Tons of hiding places and crevases for fish and bacteria. The two mounds go up 20 inches (my tank is 24 inches high) I have about 3-4 inches in the front with no rock and about 2-3 inches along the back with no LR, but I did that on purpose so that when I get fish, they would be able to swim the distance of the tank unobstructed. I personally didn't want the rock touching the glass.

I really wanted to make sure I got at least 1 pound of LR per gallon in the tank, but I'm at 70 now (base rock has been in with the LR for a month, so it's got to be close to LR now), and I think if I put any more in the tank, I'm just taking away from swimming space for the fish. Am I wrong with this line of logic?

How you guys get all your rock in your tank in beyond me :confused:
 
The #/gallon is a VERY general rule. A lot depends on how porous and light your LR is. If it's not very dense, you don't need that much. I have 25lbs for a 20 gal display plus 5 lbs lr rubble in 10 gal fuge/sump.
 
I have actually found myself removing a few pieces recently to make room for sand dwelling corals.......I think I have around 180 pounds in my 135 gallon still though.
 
FWIW, it takes alot longer for base rock to turn into LR....one month does nothing. It will take 6mths to 2yrs for it to be live base rock.
 
The bottom line is design a tank for the type of livestock that you are going to keep (and you like to watch) If you are looking for more reclusive fish and lots of coral, then fill that tank with LR. If you want more open swimming space for schooling fish etc, then less LR.
 
I disagree with that last post. I can put a dry base rock in my tank and within a month it has coraline growing on it. Are you telling me that it is not live then?

Also as stated before, the lr#/gallon is more of a guide not the gospel. I don't have near 1lb per gallon and my tank is stable and healthy. Also if you have a DSB it reduces the amount of LR that you need to have to maintain a healthy system.
 
yes, it is a very general rule, I have 50 lb of LR in my 38 gallon tank, and I still think that it is a little sparse. I guess it can also depend on how you organize the rocks in your tank.
 
Rusty, i guess if you look at a rock, throw it in a tank and some algae grows on it, its live rock. But it is not the same as pulling rock from the ocean out that has been there for years. Its two entirely different things. It will never have the anerobic denitrifing aspect of true live rock, but will have bacteria on it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8954676#post8954676 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by luke33
Rusty, i guess if you look at a rock, throw it in a tank and some algae grows on it, its live rock. But it is not the same as pulling rock from the ocean out that has been there for years. Its two entirely different things. It will never have the anerobic denitrifing aspect of true live rock, but will have bacteria on it.
Click to expand...

Yet people have shown that even a basic filter pad will become loaded with bacteria within 2 weeks.

Yes, anerobic is not as quick, but what do you think a DSB is? It takes 2 years to start a DSB? I think not... not even close.

Sorry, but I would like to see where you get your information from.
 
I see what you are saying Luke. That makes sense. It becomes live, but it's not really LR, and will never be as good as the real thing. I would agree with that.

But, what if the base rock WAS LR at one time and was turned into BR. Then would it eventually gain back the denitrifing effect that real LR has????

Hmmmmmmmm
 
I'll start a thread cuz i've heard both about base rock becoming LR. I'm not trying to start a who's right contest, just would really like to know the facts. I've always hear LR and Base rock take a long time to become the same. Its not a month or two project. Maybe we'll hear something that surprises us all.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8954755#post8954755 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by steri
I see what you are saying Luke. That makes sense. It becomes live, but it's not really LR, and will never be as good as the real thing. I would agree with that.

But, what if the base rock WAS LR at one time and was turned into BR. Then would it eventually gain back the denitrifing effect that real LR has????

Hmmmmmmmm
Click to expand...

Of course, we create denitrifing DSB's from sterile sand in a rather short time.

Rocks are no different. And old LR has the porous nature to accomodate it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8954771#post8954771 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by luke33
I'll start a thread cuz i've heard both about base rock becoming LR. I'm not trying to start a who's right contest, just would really like to know the facts. I've always hear LR and Base rock take a long time to become the same. Its not a month or two project. Maybe we'll hear something that surprises us all.
Click to expand...

Definately not a month or two. I was thinking it would be similar to creating a DSB from sterile sand.
 
Can I jump in? ;)

One LR's filtration capability could be totally different from another one:
Size of the rock is very important. The bigger the rock - the more surface area for bacterial colonization it has, and more space with low oxygen conditions it'll provide deep inside the rock. Opposed to a number of smaller rocks making up the same weight as one big rock. Then the porosity is also an important factor. 10 lbs of dense rock will have lesser area for bacteria colonization than 10 lbs of very porous and light rock.

Now, the speed of BR becoming LR can vary, depending on many factors: proximity to seeding LR, water flow (direction and strength), lighting condition, water temperature, etc... So, as they say, your mileage may vary.

What do we call a "true" LR? Is it the rock with bacteria? or rock with critters (pods 'n stuff), or rock covered with coralline? or combinations of abovementioned criterias?
Benefits of BR put in tank could be seen as soon as a few weeks, when bacteria covers it's surfaces. To battle detrius worms, pods, etc... need to move in to new rock. This could take alot of time. Coralline, IMHO, doesn't benefit filtration of the LR, it has other purposes, and sometimes it hurt bio-filtration by covering up pores.

.... sorry for long thinking aloud ... ;)



steri, to your original question: But where the heck do all of you put all of your rock to get 1 and a half to 2 pds of LR per gallon? If you're fine with your aquascaping - don't change anything. Your 5lbs deficiency of LR wont hurt anything. If you think that you'd need more LR's filtering capability in your system without messing up the display tank - you could add LR to sump and/or canister filter (remove any othe media first).

good luck
 
My Rena canister and my HOB refugium both are rull of LR rubble. I don't count that weight into my numbers becuase it's not in my main tank, but it's in there.

Thanks guys.

This has been an interesting topic!
 
of course you should count anything in your cannister, sump, refugium.

it doesnt matter where in your system it is, it still helps in the function of LR.
 
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