Live Rock and Live Sand ?'s

[tmcpeek]

I have ordered my 180 gallon tank 72x24x24 and was wondering how much LS an LR I should use. I am going to buy the southdown at Home depot and then buy some live sand from my LFS.

If I have enough rock can I remove the bio balls from the sump? It will be a FOWLR tank since I am new to the SW tanks and I will probably end up doing a separate Reef Tank later if I get the itch( I am sure I will )

Thanks for all the advice so far. I am SO glad I found this site. The advice is more reliable since it is not $$$$$$$$ driven like the LFS

 

[Fishboy-from-NY]

1 pound per gallon if you are goign to have sans shiffter to stir the sand up. But, if you want a deep sand bed you ned to go for 3 Pounds per gallon.

 

[ohio reefer]

if your wanting a 3" DSB you would need 298lbs. thats according to the calculator on the home page

hth

mark

 

[jackdp]

If you end up with 1.5 lbs of LR per gallon or so and a 2-3" sandbed then take out the bioballs. The bioballs are great at providing surface area for bacteria that eat up ammonia and nitrites but the bacteria that eat up nitrates require low oxygen environments that are found in deep sand beds and the deep pores of LR.