How much live rock is needed for a new 200 gallon build?

[HeatherAymond]

New to the hobby…. Making the switch from freshwater planted tanks. I am considering buying a 200 gallon tank because I know me and I don’t want to outgrow this tank in one year and have to start over. My question is…. I learned the hard way that more is better when it comes to a planted tank and you should start with 75% plant coverage to combat algae. So my question is do I have to start with a massive amount of rock? Will it help with algae issues or can I start the build and add rock later down the line. Is there a percentage of the tank that needs to be filled with rock up front?

 

[KrisReef]

I have always been a proponent of live rock, but lately I have been thinking that for a coral only tank you might not need very much, if any.

For a fish tank, they want more bacterial action to reduce the amount of ammonia in the water, where corals eat ammonia when it is present.

So what kind of tank are you aiming at? Two hundred gallons I could calculate how much salt is needed (if I wasn't so lazy) but for live rock the equation will depend somewhat on what critters you want to keep on your reef.

O have to go to the airport, but figured I would get some answers and discussion started.

Welcome to Reef2Reef -

 

[fishywishy]

I like to use 1/3-1/2 a pound of rock for every gallon of water so that way i have a good amount of rock but the tank isn’t overcrowded with rock, so I think 70-100 pounds of rock is a good amount. But that amount goes up or down depending on what kind of fish you plan on getting and how you want your tank to look.

Saltwater isn’t like freshwater. You usually start with all the rock you’re ever going to have right from the beginning, you don’t really start with a little and add more later. Of course, you can do that if you want, but there’s no real benefit to it. Also, unless you start with real live rock or some sort of established cultured rock, you’ll likely deal with algae in the beginning until your tank becomes more established.

 

[208reef]

0.75 to 1.5 lbs. per gallon depending on what you want it to look like. It will also vary slightly with the type of rock you use.

I haven't set up my new tank yet, but I purchased 225 lbs. of dry rock from Algae Barn for my upcoming 250 gallon.

 

[damsels are not mean]

Way I see it there's 2 ways to approach this.

1. mostly dry with a bit of rock to seed it, in this case go cheap with one of the smaller packages available unless you really want to get a lot of little critters like I do. You need some microbes and maybe filter feeders but ultimately accept that it will take time for the tank to look pretty.

2. "instant reef" all live rock. If you have infinite budget why not? But it's certainly not needed and certainly won't matter in the long run. Coral will eventually cover all the lit surfaces unless you quit before than (most do, to be fair) This also increases the amount of problematic hitchhiker opportunity.

Either way, algae will cover any surface that is well lit and not covered. It's unavoidable. Coral and/or ornamental algae coverage + herbivores is ultimately the only way to stop that. Just as dandelions will fill a freshly plowed field if you don't sow any crops.

 

[billyo2811]

This is 40kg in my 180gal 5ft

 

[Kmst80]

I got 90 kg in my 200g,i run my tank with the berlin method hence the amount of rock , but you got to take the density of the rock into consideration too. The crumblier the rock the more surface area you got for bacteria.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally I stick with one pound per gallon. Rock is the biofilter of the salt tank, more rock equals more space for nitrifying bacteria. Rock also provides space for fish to hide and explore, and it also provides breeding space for micro-organisms. Rock is vital in a salt tank.

But rock doesn't hold back algae.... controlling nutrients, having enough herbivores, good flow, and good filtration system will help control algae.

 

[wooderbox]

Old school - >2 lbs per gallon
New school - <1 lbs per gallon
Back when I started this hobby everyone was adding so much rocks you could build the great wall. I personally think there is no answer. With all the advanced products and alternatives, do what pleases your eyes. You are the one starring at it all the time. Create an aquascape you like, and if the tank needs more biological filter then you can always up your media or add more mechanical filter.

 

[HeatherAymond]

I have always been a proponent of live rock, but lately I have been thinking that for a coral only tank you might not need very much, if any.

For a fish tank, they want more bacterial action to reduce the amount of ammonia in the water, where corals eat ammonia when it is present.

So what kind of tank are you aiming at? Two hundred gallons I could calculate how much salt is needed (if I wasn't so lazy) but for live rock the equation will depend somewhat on what critters you want to keep on your reef.

O have to go to the airport, but figured I would get some answers and discussion started.

Welcome to Reef2Reef -

I have been watching the 52 weeks of reefing on BRStv. I am trying to follow closely what they recommend for a successful tank but that being said they suggest starting small and upgrading after a year if you are successful. The way I look at it is this. 1 this will be an investment. 2 I don’t want to spend a year growing out fish just to have to figure out how to get rid of them and spend more money buying babies again. I want to enjoy my fish for many years. 3 I want enough room for many corals. So I am starting big. But that being said I want to be able to grow into this tank. My thoughts were to start a rock bed in the middle and leave enough space on either side to start another rock bed. That way if I am successful keeping coral I can move up my game to some higher intensity corals and light the tank in that area appropriately. But I’m new to this, so is my thinking all wrong? I already have four freshwater tanks in my house and the hubby says this is the last one or he’s kicking my hobby outta the house and I have to build a fish room lol.