Do you have to use the recomended amount of live rock?

[SwimsWithFish]

Let's say I have a 55 gallon tank... Do I have to use 55 lbs of live rock? Can I just use 20-30?

 

[Hinds04]

yes, but it looks way better with more.

 

[ReefPhan_Harpua]

You can use 1 pound of LR if that's what you want to do.

 

[slitherbomb]

Go with however much you think makes the tank look good to your liking. I only have 60lbs in my 75g but 80lbs in my 40g and am content.

 

[ilostnemo]

i have 5 in my 5 gallon and i need alot more.

 

[TLTGF]

I believe the "rule" is for filtration purposes opposed to visual effect. The more liverock that is in a tank, in theory, the better the natural filtration.

 

[Hinds04]

Yes... but there are tanks with no live rock. The bacteria responsible for the “filtration” cover any and every surface.

 

[joy13]

I have about 55 in my 55 gallon tank. It is always a good ideas to have more than the 1 lb 1 gallon rule. My rock isn't really dense so it looks a lot fuller than some tanks I have seen.

 

[Relentless]

I have 60lb in my 130 gal. But I also have a underground filter so it looks like a lot more. How I see it is get as much to your liking.

 

[SwimsWithFish]

Would it be possible to add a little more rock every few days or weeks during the cycling process or would that mess it up?

 

[ReefPhan_Harpua]

Would it be possible to add a little more rock every few days or weeks during the cycling process or would that mess it up?

As long as the rock is fully cured you shouldn't have a problem doing that.

 

[DRWHOWHO]

no i have a 30gallon tank with just 20pounds of reefrock, and my tank cycled in 3weeks using a shrimp