[dbirdsong]

I have a 28 bow front and it has about 35 pound of rock maybe more. It realy is not live rock though. About five years ago I took a 55g tank down when it got too exspensive. I kept all my rock in buckets just in case. Well I got the bug again and decided to get a smaller tank. After setting it up I got my old rock out cleaned it up and started putting it in.
Then I went to the LFS and bought a couple of pieces of live rock to seed it with. My tank is almost half full of rock. It seems the fish don't mind, but I wonder if it will have a negative effect on the health of the tank. When I look at pictures of other peoples tanks in this forum, they all seem to have a few pieces of rock spread apart a bit with very little stacking. The rock also seem very clean. My rock has green algae growing on the tops of most of it. I like the looks of the tank with all the nooks and crannies the fish swim through, but not if it will cause health problems. Should I remove some of my rock and have more open space in the tank or does it matter.

[Kevin W]

I don't think you can have 2 much live rock in a tank I would think the more the better as long as it looks good to you. eventually it will be seeded and doing what live rock is supposed to do... Make sure you have good water movement through out the rock and get rid of the hair algae.

[FINDING_NEMO]

too much is when your fish dont have space to swim and when you can't even clean the glass

[stephaniesquires]

Originally Posted by Kevin W

I don't think you can have 2 much live rock in a tank I would think the more the better as long as it looks good to you. eventually it will be seeded and doing what live rock is supposed to do... Make sure you have good water movement through out the rock and get rid of the hair algae.

Ditto!! As long as your fish are appropriate size for the tank and design you should have a healthy tank...

[gimmito]

Generally it's recommended 1-2 lbs a gallon, so you're there. I personally like the open look for the fish to swim in and out. The trend for a long time was to stack the lr and make a wall. I believe this leads to problems down the line b/c of the lack of flow. Can you post some pic's ?

[adam jenkins]

I agree with Jim.I have that ''wall'' of rock he was speaking of.Yesterday I moved a few pieces around.When I picked them up I was amazed at the detrius buildup in between them.My new set up will not have the ''wall''.Open water baby!!All the cool kids are doin' it.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

Adam if you have ditritus build up it wont be a rock problem it will be a flow problem.

[dbirdsong]

How do you put pictures on?

[FINDING_NEMO]

you have to host the image using photobucket

[pogodzib]

I have about 3Lbs/gal in my tank, which is well beyond what most people have. I think the reason why people recommend less rock is three fold. First off, it is easier for water circulation so you don't get dead zones with detrius buildup. Secondly, the fish have more places to swim and hide. And finally, COST. IMO, 1-2 Lbs is the minimum you want in a tank, but more is better as long as you can maintain flow through the rock. Even when I had minimal mechanical filtration in the past with a small skimmer, I never registered any nitrates, but there are plenty of people these days that have 1-2 Lbs/gal with a good skimmer that have high nitrates.

[dbirdsong]

[dbirdsong]

[dbirdsong]

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[Kevin W]

WOW!! Nice tank. You dont have to much rock in the tank I think it looks just right.

[e_baer]

I agree, the tank looks great!

If you are wondering where the pink and purple coralline algae is, all you need to do it introduce it into your tank. Then within a few months the rock work will be covered in the stuff and you will have to clean it off the glass every week.

[gimmito]

Originally Posted by adam jenkins

I agree with Jim.I have that ''wall'' of rock he was speaking of.Yesterday I moved a few pieces around.When I picked them up I was amazed at the detrius buildup in between them.My new set up will not have the ''wall''.Open water baby!!All the cool kids are doin' it.

Hey Adam..Does that make us "cool kids ?"

[adam jenkins]

With out a doubt!We're so cool you have to spell it with a ''K''.We're kool kids.

[gimmito]

Ha...ha...ha !!!