LR and LS how much?

[mikenyc]

Hey,
I'm going to get the 72 gal. bow front was thinking about 150lbs of LR is this a situation where more could be better? Like maybe 200lbs. I can't find a guideline for the amount of LS/gal is there one, or do you just get enough for a 2-3 inch substrate? Just trying to get some kind of loose framework for a budget started.
Thanks for the input
Peace
Mike

 

[birdy]

You want at least 1.5 lbs of LR per gallon in your tank, for biological filtration IMO, anything else is just a matter of how you want it to look, although keep in mind you want good flow of water through your rockwork so don't pack it in too much, you will also be adding some rock to the tank when you get corals so leave some room for that.
As far as sand, 1-2" of sand is just fine.

 

[speg]

150 lbs of rock for a 72 sounds right on the money. Using more or less is just a matter of your choice though. You may end up getting that 150 lbs and find out that 150 lbs of rock really isnt as much as it sounds!
I have a 46 gal bowfront and im currently using 40 lbs of live sand and I have around a 3-4 inch sand substrate evenly throughout the tank. Again substrate is a matter of preferance though a deeper one will yield better results than a shallow sand bed. I'd say roughly 70-80 lbs of sand will be whatcha need to get!

 

[airforceb2]

The LR is variable because all rock has different densities. 200lbs of one type of rock may be a lot smaller than 200lbs of another. I would suggest about 150lbs of porous rock and you should be good.
As far as the LS goes, you have 3 options. You can go BB where you don't put any sand in at all. SSB where you put about 1" of sand in and let it become a biological filter. Or you can go with a DSB and put 4-6" of sand in there. All options have pros and cons. You can search the forums to see what is best for your application.

 

[mikenyc]

OK thanks...will start getting the breakdown for mechanicals when I get back into town tomorrow. I have a list of LFSs to check out
Peace
Mike