What should I do?

[spec33]

I will be setting up a 3 gallon pico soon and am having trouvle deciding what to do.

My first option is to get the real reef rock from the lfs that im assuming is dyed purple and go bb. The rock has been sitting in a huge tub probably for a year so it has bacteria on it. With this option ill know exactly whats in the tank.

Option 2 is two have a thin layer of sand and get florida lr from the lfs that is covered with sponges macroalgae stars urchins and who knows what else and set up a tank with that.

Any suggestions?

 

[BigEZ77]

I have Realreef rock and have had no issues. It will pump up your mag and cal numbers a bit. Mine's not BB though, I have a 2" sandbed.

 

[spec33]

how porous is the real reef rock?

 

[BigEZ77]

Not very porous at all. I suppose that would be a strike against it.

 

[spec33]

Would a sand bed just turn into a nutrient sink in this small of a tank anyways unless its changed out completely often? I may go away from the real reef rock sinc its not porous and its expensive.

 

[Bl4ckDr4g0n]

I am not sure how you are going to get much filter media in such a tiny space. If I were going to consider such a venture I might just put some marinepure at the bottom of the tank and not really worry about whether the rock in the tank is enough for filtration.