How much live rock for a 90 gallon reef tank.

[Reef Swimmer]

I have a 90g looking to find out how much lr I need. My circulation pump will be a sicce 2 and return pump will be a rio 2100. I'm planing on lots of coral and about 6 fish, 6 shrimp, and around 4 turbo snails and a sand sifting sea star and a 2 to 3in sb.

[BBQHILLBILLY]

are you going to use a sump/refug? any pics? The stronger the sump/refug the less LR to filter in display. Just my thoughts.

[Reef Swimmer]

Yeah I'm going to run a sump, skimmer and fuge.

[ramsey]

I have a 90g looking to find out how much lr I need. My circulation pump will be a sicce 2 and return pump will be a rio 2100. I'm planing on lots of coral and about 6 fish, 6 shrimp, and around 4 turbo snails and a sand sifting sea star and a 2 to 3in sb.

Most things you read will say 1lb per gallon. I don't know that I agree with this completely though. I think you'd be fine with much less than that. It really depends on what look you're going for a what your goals are.

I'd read up on the sand sifting starfish before you get one. From what I've read, they actually eat micro fauna that's beneficial in the sand and many starve due to lack of food. I've never had one, but just thought I'd throw that out there.

[Reef Swimmer]

Thanks for the info on the star. I wasn't sure. I was thinking about 50 to 65 lbs of live rock should be good.

[Southern Flame]

I have approx 120lbs in my 90 gal all depends on the shapes also so you can achieve the scape you want. And IMHO sand sifting stars belong in the wild not in the aquarium where there is a high mortality rate due to lack of food for them just my 2cents worth

[allan]

I wouldn't hold so tightly to the weight of the rock. It's the surface area and the nooks and crannies that amount to a good filtration. If you got a large flat nonporus piece of live rock that weighed 50 lbs.... you probably would get the same amount of filtration from a highly porus 10 lbs piece of rock.

Bottom line, I'd work on what looks good within the tank... if you still feel strongly about the amount of rock you've got, place the extra pieces in the sump.

[Scutterborn]

There's not a post on this thread that I cannot disagree with.

Porosity is key when dealing with rock. The method that you're thinking of with the 1 pound per gallon is called the Berlin method. It is truly is somewhat of an antiquated method. Back in the day they used to use just about 100% Fiji rock. Nowadays Pukani and other forms of rock which are considerably more porous and light fruits overall size are being utilized and are more readily available.

Look at your tank. Then go look at other peoples tanks online. Get a good idea of what you want your tank to look like. Then assemble it in a manner that you would like it to look. It's an art.

Happy reefing!


-Ben-

[Fracture]

Look at different rock scapes online before you buy rock so that you can try to get the pieces you need ad go from there. I never go by pounds I just go by look so that I get the rock scape I want.

[LuckySingh]

There isn't any set number the amount of rock u can put in.....
Usually based on ur aqua scape stuff in as much as u can ...
My tank water add up roughly 300 gln and I only hve 150 lbs in DP...
I would say neatly put in as much as u can also keep in mind ur fishes should hve enough room to swim


Thanks
Lucky Singh

[Reef Swimmer]

Yeah I'm want to do two plies with a bridge of some sort between them in a half circle facing the front.

[johnsutter71]

I probably have about 50 pounds of rock with no issues. Tank is 2 years established. I drilled mine and used PVC to make towers so I have no dead spots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al_3R098_M0