is there such a thing as to much LR?

[StirCrazy]

Hi, I have been doing fresh water for a while now and I as thinking of getting into a small reef tank (20 to 50 gal) and I was wondering if there is such a thing as to much LR. the reason I ask is I love the look of the LR and what I want to have is a reef with shrimp, and clean up crew. also I woulden't mine a couple little fish that like to be in the LR.. so you can see I am not to interested in big open areas for swimming fish.. any info or recomendations would be help full as I haven't bought anything yet.

Thanks
StirCrazy.

 

[Emperator]

I say yes, because too much live rock means less room for fish and corals.

 

[fishfarmer]

One thing I could see with too much LR, assuming you pack your tank, is the lack of flow around the rock. It's beneficial to have minimal dead spots and maximum flow through you system.

 

[Anonymous]

You definitely want to avoid dead spots in the tank. Slime and hair algae extravaganza!! (Spoken from experience.)

Glenn

 

[JohnD]

Stir,

Here is a third vote for too much LR. I am in that situation, but only temporarily. I got a good deal on about 65 lbs of LR. I put some in my 55 FO and the rest, maybe 50 lbs in my 30 gallon FOWLR. I added a couple more powerheads, so I do not have much in the way of dead spaces, but there isn't much room for anything in the tank. I have a blue damsel and a false perc in there with a few blue-leg hermits. After the new year it is all going into a larger tank.

As a good rule of thumb, go 1 lbs of LR per gallon of water.

HTH

 

[esmithiii]

I believe a good rule of thumb is for 1.5 lbs/gal for Fiji, less for more porous rock, more for rock from florida.

E

 

[pathos]

oh heck yes - i agree with all mentioned above. i'd say about 25% - 30% of your tank for LR is best. just a guess, and MHO.

 

[fishfarmer]

Here's another thing to think about. Are you going with a standard sized tank or one that is wide and shallow? One benefit of going wide is having the footprint to add a lot of rock but still be able to easily scrape the front glass.

 

[StirCrazy]

ok so the general concensous is that for astetics and the ability for more fish thee is such a thing as to much LR. maby I should explain what I was trying for to make it more clear..
instead of creating the edge or the reef in my tank (ie. 1/2 the tank bare sand and sole LR in the back or the tank) I was thinking of trying to make it like it was a part of a reef ie. have the LR start at the fron bottom of the tank and slope up to the back (almost like if you took a snapshot of the middle of a reef) I do see the concern over circulation so if I set it up so I have small power heads behind the rock I should be able to keep water moving all over.. as for fish.. I think the only ones I would want are the little ones that hide in the reef or maby a false perc (haven't finnished reserching that yet)

Ok having said that (and hopefully cleared up what I was wanting to do a bit better)if anyone has any sugestions for types of fish that would be sutied to this type of tank or any other difaculities I could run into it would be a great help as i want to have everything thought out befor I start to buy everything..

thanks
StirCrazy

 

[Wookaka]

Good fish that loves live rock is an orchid dottyback. I have one that darts in and out of the live rock. You can see him going in, out and behind the rocks. He's been a hardy fish. I've been keeping salt water for about 1.5 years and I've had him the whole time.
Hard to find in the stores though. I've only seen 2 but I beleive you can get them tank raised now.
Scientific name is Pseudochromis Fridmani
HTH

[ September 29, 2001: Message edited by: Wookaka ]

 

[albee1947]

I respectfully dissagree with the above. I believe the more rock the merrier. great for filtration. The dead spot problem can be eliminated. The more rock the more places to place corals. Use the rock to build terraces so that you can place the corals on the teraces(sp). But you can go overboard. Say 100 lbs in a 20 or 30. there would be hardly any water left, and water does have its place. Thats only my opinion, I may be wrong.