# how much live rock to 'fill' a tank?



## grwoolf (Jan 25, 2007)

I've been out of the hobby for about 10 years and I'm currently planning a new fish-only tank with live rock. I really like the look of a tank with lots of live rock that almost reaches the top. I used to have a 58g reef tank and I think It took well over 100lbs (maybe even over 200, can't remember) before I acheived the look I wanted. I am looking at either a 58g, a 75g, or maybe a 72g bowfront reef ready tank. How many pounds of live rock do you think it would take to get coverage all the way across the back and 3/4 of the way up?


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## MarineMan150 (Dec 13, 2006)

1-1.5lb per gallon


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## Brandon (Dec 14, 2006)

WOW where do you buy your rock because id like to get some to. Where i come from rock is like 8.99 a lb so 200 lbs OMG!!!!!! 1700 something!


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## grwoolf (Jan 25, 2007)

I understand that 1- 1.5 per gallon is a good guidline for a healthy tank. I'm really talking about how much I need from a visual standpoint to get good coverage 3/4 of the way up the back, sides, etc. I thought it would tank more than that (more like 2-2.5x the tank size). Maybe the live rock I was using in the past was more dense than typical. 

Would 60-90 pounds give me the coverage I am looking for? I know some rock is more dense than others, just looking for guidelines.


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

1-1.5lbs per gallon is the "fltration" method. You might even want more to do your aquascaping with. Keep in mind that the poundage is not so important compared to the quality of rock. Think of lava rock. Very light and full of holes. If it wasn't lava rock it'd be perfect. What you are after is light rock full of holes. A 50lb piece of limestone base rock 12"x12"12" and smooth as glass doesn't count at all.

Brandon this lady, Monica, is a friend of mine. She has excellent prices, great customer service, and will help pick out rock that YOU desire. She also helps with a full tank fill up. http://oceanhomesetc.com/store/ Her prices are loads cheaper then $8


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## grwoolf (Jan 25, 2007)

> WOW where do you buy your rock because id like to get some to. Where i come from rock is like 8.99 a lb so 200 lbs OMG!!!!!! 1700 something!


I remember I bought my rock in Houston from a wholesale distributer. I can't remember the exact price, but it was under 3/lb. Of course, this was 14 years ago. I do remember that this was my biggest expense when I set up that reef tank. 

I see that there is a few places on line that sell fiji rock for around 3-4/lb and one is within driving distance, so I might go that route. I agree, I can't imagine stocking an entire new tank at $8/lb. I might a buy a single piece that looked really good at that price, but not an entire tank.

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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

GR you posted while I was typing. I have 220lbs in my 75g reef. But I don't have much room. I think I'd have been a little better off with only about 150lbs. As to how much to tell you to order that's tough as there are now so many types of rock available. Tonga branch rock (I don't like the looks of it) is very long and hard to work with. You'd proabbly need less of it since it won't stack well. Fiji, the old stand by, tends to be easier to work with but you'll need more as it fits together better. Look at pics of my tank in the saltwater pics section and you'll get an idea of what 220lbs of Fiji looks like ina 75g.

I'm planning on 600lbs in my 400g that I just got.


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## usmc121581 (Jul 31, 2006)

I used tonga only to raise the base of the live rock off the bottom to let water flow under neath it. No I would love more rock (120lbs now) but I also like to see swimming room. I never went by the 1-1.5lbs/gal because many people like different formations of rock in there tank and it might take more lbs to accomplish that. but I never tell people to go below the 1lb mark.


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## grwoolf (Jan 25, 2007)

> Look at pics of my tank in the saltwater pics section


Mike, is your 75g the one with a star on the canopy?


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

Yes thats his 75 galllon.
I emailed monica from oceanhomesect. and she said 40 pounds of her fiji to fill my 20 gallon high tank.


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## usmc121581 (Jul 31, 2006)

trreherd said:


> Yes thats his 75 galllon.
> I emailed monica from oceanhomesect. and she said 40 pounds of her fiji to fill my 20 gallon high tank.


So where would the ish swim at.


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

When she said fill i dont think she ment it like that.


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## Brandon (Dec 14, 2006)

> Brandon this lady, Monica, is a friend of mine. She has excellent prices, great customer service, and will help pick out rock that YOU desire. She also helps with a full tank fill up. http://oceanhomesetc.com/store/ Her prices are loads cheaper then $8


Thanks her prices are really good , would the shipping be alot to me?

Do you buy suff from her?


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

email her. I have never bought anything from her.


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