Foundation

[kindbuds2k]

This is probably a pretty lame question, but I was wondering what is the best way to stack live rock. In the center of the tank, in the back, with big gaps in the rock, with more sand showing on the bottom, a solid wall, seperate it in the middle and make two sections with the rock, or leave it how it is?. I am trying to build a semi-reef tank. I have 6 green chromis, and a mixture of hermits and snails. All kinds. The tank has been running for about 2 months. It's a wide 60 gallon tank with 100 pounds of live rock, and 90 pounds of live sand. Thanks for helping a newbie with a passion.

 

[hot883]

Well, it looks great in the pic. It's all what your taste is. I personally like caves and hidey holes for the creatures. However you decide; it is best to ensure the bottom layer is resting on the glass bottom and not sand. That's for stability and also so the LR won't have areas with no flow etc. because theat will kill the LR I have heard.

 

[mudplayerx]

Just make sure you have gaps in it to facilitate water flow and you are fine. Make sure you do not stack it like masonry, tightly fitting them together like legos.
Try to put the larger, featureless rocks on the bottom, and the smaller and more interesting rocks on top.
Most important is to make sure that the bottom layer of rocks is on the glass bottom of the tank (or on some sort of pvp piping/etc that is resting on the glass). If you have your rock resting on the sand, it can topple over and break the tank as stuff moves the sand.
Other than that, its up to you. Stack it how you like it. I personally move my rocks around every 2 months or so. I clean them and make a new formation lol. I swear I'm obesssive complusive disorder or somehing lol.

 

[1journeyman]

There are only two guidelines for stacking rock that I can think of:
1. Make sure it is stable. This includes putting it all the wat to the bottom of the tank to prevent burrowing fish from making it unstable.
2. Make sure you have good water flow. That includes along the glass. Calfo and Fenner in their book "Reef Invertebrates" recomend leaving a couple of inches all the way around the glass free of rock.

 

[kindbuds2k]

Cool thanks guys, yeah I do have the main big peices on the glass and i have many caves. And mudplayerx I totaly understand about being obsessive compulsive. lol

 

[mitzel]

My live rock is made into arches and caves . mine is not built up as high as most shelves are so I leave a little snad under them . once I get more rock I will deffinatly be sitting them on the glass. I just don't have anything stacked high enough to worry about it yet. I think I'm obsesed with the larger flater LR it makes good arches. Oh yea I'm complusive about reworking the lay out of the rock also every time I get new LR the tank gets remodeled .