how many pounds of live rock?

[meinporsche]

i am starting a 125 gallon tank in a week or so...how many pounds of live rock do i need?? i have heard 1/2 pound per gallon all the way 1.5 pounds per gallon...just looking for some suggestions...thanks

 

[redneckgearhead]

IMO 1-1 1/2 lbs per gallon

 

[mrg02d]

Its heavily dependent on the type of rock used. You are really after volume. Weight has zero to do with it, but is used as an estimate. I dont know why sellers dont go by estimated volume? For instance, concrete is going to weight much much more than fiji rock. Porous and high volume is what you want. You may want to ask a seller how much space a certain weight takes up before you buy their rock. They usually charge you for the water weight too, so keep that in mind. I paid for 15lbs of fiji rock and got about the equivalent of 9lbs of dry rock. So in my case, id need twice as much (30lbs ) for my 20g.

Matt

 

[jeffwisely]

IMO you need 1 lb to 1.5 lbs per gal.

 

[melosu58]

A general guide line is 1-2 lbs per gallon. It really depends on the rock. If you get some lightweight rock then you can keep it close to the 1 lb while if you get heavy rock then closer to the 2 lbs weight. A good middle of the road type is the fiji LR. It is very pourus and has lots of surface area.

 

[Krypt]

IMO 1-1 1/2 lbs per gallon

+1 for 1 - 1 1/2 lbs of LR per gallon.

 

[CaptainAhab]

other than astetics, it depends only on your stocking level

 

[Shroomers]

There are several factors which we cannot determine for you: Type of rock, density of rock, and your end stocking level. But the rough guideline as everyone else said is 1 1/2 lbs - 2 lbs per gallon.

 

[CaptainAhab]

Sooo... how much rock do I need?

90 gallon tank, 30 gallon sump, skimmer,
70% figi, 30% tonga rock

Humu Trigger
Yellow Tang
Black/Tan Angel
2 clowns
2 yellow tail damsels
lawnmower blenny
Yellow Watchman goby and his p-buddy
2 cardinals
2 serpant stars
crabs, hermies, snails, minimal corals

 

[CaptainAhab]

Well the answer is no more than 70 lbs. 50 figi, 20 tonga. If I move to a 300 gallon tank, I need no more than I have today, if I move to a smaller tank I need no more than I have today.

I guess it must have been the density

 

[cmor1701d]

OK, so I have a 125 gallon tank. I have 50 pounds of CaribSea base reef rock, 90 pounds of Fiji, and 50 pounds of Marshall Island (no one told me I could just use 50% - 75% base rock and the rest LR).

My tank might have too much rock, but I plan on removing most of it and stacking it differently. My fish dart in and out as I have it loosely stacked with many caves and openings.

So I'm still in the 1½ - 2 pounds per gallon depending on the type of rock you have. Carribean rock is much denser so you need more to cover the same volume that Pacific rock with cover.

Aquascaping is the second part of the equation. If you stack the rocks densely you need more to fill the volume. Stack them loosely you need less.

The last part of the equation is how much rock do you need for biological filtration. It the rock is very porous (most Pacific LR) then you use the 1 - 1½ pounds/gallon. If the rock is dense you may need to go to the 1½ - 2 pounds/gallon.

 

[CaptainAhab]

I should get a net quickly for my fish are surely dead. How upset they will be when they find out

 

[cmor1701d]

OK Larry, your fish are dead. You are only imagining them swimming around in that cesspool you call a tank. I told you stop with the hallucinogenics

So a sand bed and/or other filtration and/or a lightly stocked tank can take the place of more LR.

But really Larry, every time I see a pic of yoru gorgeus tank I think, "but he really could use more LR"