Rock / Sand Layout Help

[liquidreamer]

I will be ordering rock within the next few days for my normal dimension 75g tank. My LFS states that I should place my rocks without sand with flat pieces against the back glass in the tank and THEN place sand in the front of the rock and right under the front rocks giving the effect that sand is in the whole tank when in fact it is only in view leaving the bare bottom underneath the rock. They said this is better for filtration for the impossible to get to spots under and behind the rock as well as good for fish trying to dig and moving rocks because with a bare bottom they cant or dont even try altogether. What is everyones input on this? Sand everywhere or just in front?

Also - I am running my ro/di filters right now into 18g tubs and gradually filling up my tank. I am about half way full and was thinking I can do it in this order (keep in mind I have a sump/fuge in two containers which will take up about 25 gallons making it a total of about 100g)

1) Fill tank with RODI water until its to the top.
2) Keep filling until it goes over the RR overflow and fills the sump and then fills the fuge.
3) Buy about 100g worth of salt mix from the lfs and then mix it all in and run the pumps/powerheads to aid in mixing and let it run for a few days like this.
4) Sand - Now I know in this step that adding my 60 lbs of sand I will of course have too much water so can I pan it out and put it in my left over storage tanks for use later or dispose of it if its too much? Will already mixed salt RO/DI water go bad if stored in a covered tubberware?
5) Get rock and then repeat the storing/disposing of the excess water.

Thanks all - you all have been great. Almost There!

 

[Thumper]

I say if your going to put the rocks down on bare bottom than it's not a bad idea but if your going to use a dsb then their goes a lot of rock covered. I have a 5" dsp and that would cover a ton of rock in a 6 foot tank., I just pushed the rock deep in the sand bed and all is ok, Theirs a lot of ways to do this, You could also use egg crate as well and slightly cover it.
As far as filling and mixing salt in tank I would not use that idea however it would work on a new tank where your going to have to cycle it anyway.
I would actually wait and not even fill up untill you have the rock, you can aquascape so much easier with no water and then fill with water.
I would suggest geting three 30 gallon rubbermaid trash cans from hd for around 7 bucks a piece and mixing all the water at once and fill the tank after adding rock,