New FOWLR Tank: How much live rock?

[dmolavi]

Waiting for the next BRS group buy to pick up live rock for my new SW tank. I'm doing a 20 gallon tank, would 20lbs of the Fiji rock be too much? I don't know the sizes, etc that are normally shipped.

 

[woody390]

I don't think you can really have too much unless it eats into the swimming space too much, but about 1lb to 1.5 lb per gallon is the aim really unless you have a very porous rock but 20 lbs would be spot on really. what are you thinking of putting in there?

 

[dmolavi]

Thanks I order 20lbs of Fiji dry rock from BRS yesterday.

I'm starting off small, and just putting in a clown or two and probably a cleaner shrimp. Nothing fancy. I have the feeling this will result in a 75+ gallon build after a year, but as this is my first SW tank, I want to make sure I learn the ropes before going whole-hog.

 

[woody390]

Yeah my 20 gallon was 2 clowns and cleaner shrimp that worked fine for me

 

[dmolavi]

My wife has already told me she wants a 60 gallon tank. I told her to let me learn the ropes and get this one set up and stable before buying even more gear.

 

[dmolavi]

Also, did you run a protein skimmer on your 20 gallon? That's the only thing I haven't gotten yet. I'm not running w/ a sump, so I would need a BakPak or a Reef Octopus HOB unit.

 

[woody390]

I rang mine with a in tank skimmer but can't remember for the life of me what brand yeah I started small and I'm building up will have big tank when I get my new house

 

[huma-huma]

You don't absolutely need a skimmer on a 20. It's Common practice to not run one on a tank that size. Also tank size actually works opposite the way you think. The larger tanks are considered more stable and easier to manage than smaller nano tanks. Granted the cost is exponentially more but that's it

 

[dmolavi]

Yeah, I know I don't need one, and that purchasing a HOB will eventually be a waste, since the current plan is to sell one of my kidneys and my spleen to get a bigger house so we can have a larger tank in addition to the 4 we already have... *thud*

Seriously though...the reason you stated above, that the big tanks are more stable than the small ones, is the only reason I was thinking of getting a skimmer for the tank...I figure every edge I can give myself is a good thing.