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Total newb question about rocks...

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Shaggathai

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Do I put my initial rocks on top of my sand bed, or bury the rocks a bit? Thiniking of how african ciclids totally redecorat lol:). I'm hoping I understood right and they don't re-deco.
 
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Anonymous

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I'd put the rocks on the sandbed (wouldn't want the rocks scratching the bottom glass or sharp edges/points putting pressure on small parts of the glass), though I think the ideal thing is supposed to be resting the rock on eggcrate type material, which sits on the glass, and which you then lay snad around. Apparently otherwise the sand gets compacted and you get dead zones. I think. Probably best to wait for someone else to chime in on that last point. :?
 
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Anonymous

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Shaggathai,

:welcome:


First off, how deep of a sandbed do you plan? That tells me whether the rock would be better off with eggcrate under it (to be more stable in a 1/2 decorative sand bed) or if it will naturally settle itself in a deeper bed. You really shouldn't rest rocks directly on the bottom glass without something under them due to the "oops" factor.

As far as rock compacting sand and creating anerobic zones that's not really that much of an issue, again depending on how deep the sand bed is.
 
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ChrisRD

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If you're starting up a new tank, personally I would put the rock in first and give it some time to shed the initial detritus and die-off. Without the sand in there it's easy to syphon this stuff off and get it out. Personally, I've never had any issues, nor seen anyone else have issues with putting the rock right on a glass bottom.
 
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Anonymous

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Really Chris, you have never heard of that happening? :lol: I have personally seen rock placed BB that shifted/fell down and cracked glass, and have heard of several more such incidents. Noo, it wasn't my tank ;) but a local reefing buddy.
 
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ChrisRD

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Never said I hadn't heard of it - you hear lots of crazy stories in this hobby - particulary online. :wink:

I've dropped rocks when aquascaping BB tanks. IME glass tanks are not all that fragile to the rock slide thing when they're filled with water.

An empty tank - that might be another story. :)
 
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Anonymous

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Curses, foiled again. You're absolutely right Chris, I didn't see firsthand the aftermath of such an incident, I just made it up to amuse myself and spread misinformation.
winking0070.gif
 
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ChrisRD

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Hah - caught you! :P

Seriously though - over the years, between myself, fellow hobbyists and LFSs I have seen many, many tanks with live rock stacked on top of bare glass bottoms. Nobody I know has ever had a problem with a tank cracking from a rock slide. Not a single case. Based on that I guess I don't see it as a big concern but that is JMO...

For the more paranoid among you - go get your eggcrate! :wink:
 
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Anonymous

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As far as the incident I was referring to, I do think a factor that contributed to the crack in the bottom was that this guy's tank was not level to begin with and the glass could have been stressed by that torque. I don't mean a little off either, it was almost 1/4in from front to back, and 1/2in side to side due to a bad floor.
 
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