Less Rock, Better Tank! thread

Well I have been confused on why mytank has never turned out to get the look I've wanted and I think I figured it out (key word; Think). I think to get the color and appearance I want my rock wall must come down. I think the backround will help the "blue" pop that I want. Therefore I want to design an island look. It should make the glass much easier to clean too. So I have slowly removed a rock here and there (mostly ones w/out coral growing on them and that have been a hideout for aiptisa). Figure I will bleach them in my greenhouse(it's heated) since I can't put them outside in the snow.I hope that stupid bristle worm was on one that I pulled out. Place them back in the tank if or when they are ready. I wish my tank was deeper and a bit more shallow. One day I'll get a different tank to make the setup look right.Is it possible that less rock may actually be better for the tank? I was worried about filtration issues.I don't run any media, just sump and sock.

I am trying to trade or sell some of what I have in stock (leathers,colts, trees) to get some different corals in the tank (more color and easy care if possible). I need to get rid of a couple leathers.I think they may be at war with my other leathers and colt. I need peace for population growth.

Here is a pic with some of the rock removed.

i guess if you rock is in your sump it would do the same filtering as if it was in your DT. That sounds like you're on the right track.

Here are some better pics

I never thought of rock in the sump. Might be on to something

Looks good Jim

I took more then half out of mine when I redid it. Looks so much better and more swimming room.

IMO you can look at the amount of rock in your system two ways. Most people look at it like the more they have the more bio filter they have. In theory i would agree but in practice i dont think it works. The amount of bacteria you have in your rock is dependent on how much bio load you have. If you add more fish or start adding lots of food your bacterial population will go up. If you have a ton of rock in your tank your still going to have the same amount of bacteria, your just going to have less bacteria in each rock.

Now with less rock in the tank(within reason) You will have a higher bacterial population per rock them a tank loaded with rock. So in effect your rock is working harder for you.

Plus i think its easier to make a pleasing aquascape with a few well place rocks then it is with a whole bunch of rocks piled up all over the place

I agree. It has oddly seemed easier to find placement for the corals. Go figure. I was told when I started it "the more rock the better, Fill her up"! the same person who sold me a hammer that ended up a frogspawn. lol.

I wonder if I could stick some rock in the sump for filteration and it would work?

One other thought is, you can get a lot of rock in a limited footprint by going higher - so by using acrylic rods or mortar you can stack your rocks up, rather than out - giving you more space in the sandbed for fishes and clams to roam

IMO i wouldn't bother putting the rock in your sump - you want your sump open and easy to clean, putting rock in there will just lead to headaches and poo piles when you want to "spring clean" your tank.

Trade off your excess rock for more corals instead - or sell it and get a kick ass skimmer, that will make up for any shortcomings in "biological filtration"

Yeah, I need a good skimmer. My seaclone is a turd. lol. The tank seems just to skinny anymore. One day I will get a cube from that fish place.

I just took about 30% or more of the rock out of my display tank. It all went in the fuge and the sump. No loss of bio-filtration and the tank has never looked and grown better than it is now.


Not to mention the fish have soooo much more swimming room than ever before.

how's your sump look since the rock is in there? I'm sure the flow helps to keep it pretty clean.

I haven't put the rock in the sump yet. Some of the rocks had some aiptasia and I would like to get rid of some of those little buggers first

Here is a look at the tank on video

Welcome to Facebook

i have over the years taken more and more of my rock out, and i do like the look better, i started with about 300lbs in my 125, now i am down to i bet 150 or so, of course its not the weight but the size and density of the rock. i think if the rock i had wasnt so solid i might have kept it.