I was getting ready to start a new aquarium and have a questions about where to place the live rock. Can you put live rock along the back of the tank without leaving any room between the back and the live rocks or with this mess up the filtration of the tank? I looking a a tank that is only 18'' deep and if i had to leave room in the back it would make the tank pretty tight.
Live rock placement
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Mitchell0605
Aquarium Advice Addict
No you don't have to leave room between the rocks and the glass. Rocks can touch and lean on the glass. 
jimv8673
Aquarium Advice Regular
rock placement
The rock dont have to be far away from the back wall, but it would be advisable to leave at least enough room for water to circulate behind and around it so you dont get dead circulation places in your tank, also remember to start your rock build flat on the bottom glass, prior to adding your substrate, if you start it on top of the substrate, any digging varmits you add to the tank could very easily, undermine the structure and a collapse is very possible...Not Good
The rock dont have to be far away from the back wall, but it would be advisable to leave at least enough room for water to circulate behind and around it so you dont get dead circulation places in your tank, also remember to start your rock build flat on the bottom glass, prior to adding your substrate, if you start it on top of the substrate, any digging varmits you add to the tank could very easily, undermine the structure and a collapse is very possible...Not Good
austinsdad
Aquarium Advice Addict
Start with bottom pieces about a fist's distance from the back glass. the ones stacked on top of that one can lean on the back glass IMO. No rock should be totally against the glass so that there is no water flow. Come to think of it, I can't believe there are rocks that are flat enuf to do that anyway. Besides that area nearer the back glass in the rock will be where most of your fish sleep or rest - where there isn't much flow.
I prefer stacking against the back glass, but not against the sides. Being able to clean the side glass is important to me.
I prefer stacking against the back glass, but not against the sides. Being able to clean the side glass is important to me.
Zer0
is back to save the day!
I definitely agree with austinsdad. Just make sure that if you plan to stack the rocks, they are completely stable. You don't want any rock avalanches in a glass aquarium.. That would be bad. Also remember to have the largest pieces on the bottom, and then medium in the middle and smaller on the top. Don't go off-ratio and put a huge rock on top of some smaller rocks just because it looks nice. That could lead to disaster.
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