LS or LR first?

[ryddo]

Question....
I know that you have probably heard this question a lot on this site but I am trying to make a final decision. I am setting up my first reef next weekend and I need to know what steps to take first. I have:

-72 gallon bowfront tank
-2x250 watt halide
-2x55 watt power compact
-30 gallon sump
-30 gallon refugium
-large skimmer
-mag drive 1200

My question is, do I want to put the LS in at the same time as the LR? How many pounds of LS should I get. I have 50 pounds of southdown that I would like to mix with it.

Thanks for the info-
Ryan

[ March 29, 2002: Message edited by: ryddo ]</p>

 

[Anonymous]

reefcentral has a sandbed calculator to figure out how much sand you need for an x" deep sandbed. I would only add about 20% LS to dead sand. I made that number up arbitrarily though, based solely on expense.

Personally, I would lay down the dead sand, fill the tank 2/3 full (remember, LR takes up a lot of volume) and let it run for 2-3 days before I put anything live in there--that'll give it time to warm up and mix real nice.

Ty

 

[cyberpanther]

I agree with Tyoberg but would let it run for a minimum of a week before adding LS or LR, but in my opinion I would add the LS first then after a week add the LR.

 

[ryddo]

Thanks for the responses!

 

[livingstone]

Many who say put the sand in first also add that there's nothing to the theory that creatures may undermine the rocks and cause a collapse. Those of us who put the rock in first care not whether there is substance to the theory since we've allowed for it. Make a solid foundation; put the rock in first.

 

[Anonymous]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>
Make a solid foundation; put the rock in first.<hr></blockquote>

Or you could make an even more solid foundation by securing the rock on a PVC structure and have the legs of the structure underneath the sand. It also allows you do do some pretty interesting aquascaping.