Red Sea Max New Improved Live Rock Set up

[unbeatablebonz]

Hey,

 

Thanks for all the input on yesterday's post. I broke down the live rock, made lots of caves, lots of flow thru points and lots of surface area for corals and such. I'm almost afraid to ask how I did, but How'sd I do?????

 

Also, someone recommended throwing some live rock into a sump. Can I throw some into my ATO Bucket instead of a sump, which I do not have.

 

Input please.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[airangel]

Getting there! Better than before, still looks like a bit much but more flow now from the pics

 

By ATO bucket ...do you mean the water that you are going to have returned to your tank to make up for evaporation? If so, umm nooo, cuz that water should be RO not Salted and you don't really want your live rocks in RO water, not good for the life in em.

[fiction101]

Looks better, the main thing to remember is that a lot of the corals you might end up liking could be attached to large rocks, also your preferences will most likely change over time so it's always good to start off with less rock but I guess it all depends on what your plans are. A lot of people like the "less is more" approach. I take it you're going bare bottom and don't plan on having corals on the front bottom of the tank. I redid my aquascape sooo many times within the first couple months, so I wouldn't really worry too much about how it looks right now.

[unbeatablebonz]

Getting there! Better than before, still looks like a bit much but more flow now from the pics

 

By ATO bucket ...do you mean the water that you are going to have returned to your tank to make up for evaporation? If so, umm nooo, cuz that water should be RO not Salted and you don't really want your live rocks in RO water, not good for the life in em.

 

Yep thats what I meant. I took out 3 large pieces of rock. It was just too much as you mentioned earlier. I went by the reco of the company that I purchased it from. Today, I have 40 lbs of live sand coming. Is that too much?????

 

One more thing, the 20 or so pounds of rock that I removed, can I smash up some and use it as media instead of the ceramic bios. I think I read that b4.

 

I appreciate your advise, your reef looks great. I am new at reef keeping and want to do it right from the getgo.

 

Thanks!

 

Mike

[airangel]

Hi again

Sounds like a lot of sand but no clue there as my tank was an eBay win and had LR and LS already (24gAP). You can break up the rock to smaller pieces but most of us don't use it in the back as it just collects gunk. Your filtration is you LR in the display. I don't believe anyone uses the sponge/foam/rings/bioballs in the AIO tanks. Stevie T makes & sells media racks if that's something you want to use, holds bags of purigen/chemipure/carbon/floss whatever and will fit your tank (check out his threads by the way, great reading)

Perhaps you can keep your spare rock in a bucket of SALT (not RO) water with a powerhead and find someone local willing to buy it. Or there is the other option, set up a small Pico tank of a few gallons, good place to put the extra rock and live sand you'll have.

Again the ATO water is RO, rocks need to set in SALT. You probably don't need a heater in the bucket but powerhead would be a good thing.

[StevieT]

interesting rock, very flat.

 

Tip: upload your pics on photobucket then use the code and past into the thread, that way we don't have to open up every picture.

[bluesky]

I think there is too much LR in there ... when you buy corals ... they usually come with the LR and sometimes those can be a little larger than you want ... unless you want to only buy frags. The LR looks pretty flat which makes your aquascape very difficult ... but great try ...

 

you might want to remove a few LR or break them apart ... and use it differently.

[Dooderino]

Try to put some of the rock in some of the rear chambers. Or better yet sell some of it to your LFS for credit. I still think you have too much. Pick your favorite rocks and sell the rest. Or build a sump system.

[Aqua newbie]

That top rock looks like it might fall over, and plus it makes your tank have an unbalance look.

[StevieT]

Try to put some of the rock in some of the rear chambers. Or better yet sell some of it to your LFS for credit. I still think you have too much. Pick your favorite rocks and sell the rest. Or build a sump system.

 

 

no rock in the rear anything!

[bluesky]

Try to put some of the rock in some of the rear chambers. Or better yet sell some of it to your LFS for credit. I still think you have too much. Pick your favorite rocks and sell the rest. Or build a sump system.

 

I don't really think he needs more rock in the rear given that he already has too much to begin with ... put it in your QT! don't tell me you don't have one ... you should always have one ... =)

[PBUEHH]

you don't really need that piece at the top... it looks kinda funny, but if you want a frag right under the light then he gonna be like 'whoa ######! so much like i better grow or something!' i dunno, it would be better just to make a crescent shape if you can manage it.

 

think arches and atolls.

[Nhjmc]

Wow that’s a lot of rock I don’t think your gonna want or need that much.