A silly question about live rock

[nensley]

Do you all have your live rock all the way up against the back of the tank, or is there room behind the rock for fish to swim? I hope I am making sense. Should my rocks be scooted up to the back of the tank with more room in front? Thanks!

 

[UnderwaterWorld]

Do you all have your live rock all the way up against the back of the tank, or is there room behind the rock for fish to swim? I hope I am making sense. Should my rocks be scooted up to the back of the tank with more room in front? Thanks!

I have room for my fish to swim around the back. If you have them all the way the back then you can't clean back there or get to anything there without moving lots of rock. I would say try to keep it in the middle, but have more room in the front for viewing!

Make sure you have places or your fish and inverts to hide also. Try creating some tunnels and what not, but make sure that it is stable!

 

[Alexander]

it really is up to you. there is no right place to put your rock. whatever looks good to you. It is always good for fish, shrimp, and other animals to have smaller dark areas to hide but this doesnt nessicerily have to be in the back.

 

[Rcpilot]

My tank is stuffed to the top with rocks.

I have a rock wall almost all the way to the top in the back of the tank. My rocks touch the sides too. Almost all the way up. I actually have very little room in my tank for any swimming. But, the fish I have do very well. There's tunnels and holes and caves all over in my rockwork. My 6-line wrasse loves that. They like twisting and turning in and out of the rocks. My clown fish is a total dork and only swims back and forth on the front glass. So, he could care less about how much rock is stacked where. And my goby stays on the bottom in one of 3 or 4 different caves I built specifically for him. I've even got rocks touching the front glass.

Rocks! Rocks! Rocks EVERYWHERE!!! :mrgreen:

I think it depends on what type of fish you plan to have in the tank. If you have larger species, then they are going to need 3 or 4 feet of swimming space to keep in shape. But, if you have rock and cave dwellers, as I do, then I'd say-- FILL ER UP!!

 

[yote]

Like Red stated,
Its up to you how you do rock.
About the thing that a lot of folks forget is that you'll need plenty of ledges and over hangs for corals.

 

[Bifferwine]

I have mine stacked up against the back glass with lots of caves and openings.

 

[fishbait]

mine are stacked against the back glass in a few places. like others said, it's just how you want it to look. no right or wrong way.

 

[Doc]

here is what has worked for me...I place a row of rocks in the sand bed about 4 inches away from the back wall and then stack rocks on top of it, eventually having the rocks touch the back of the tank. That gives room for the fish and inverts to hide. All that matters is creating caves and crevices for the fish to feel secure and have room to place your corals.

-Dr Marco :sfish:

 

[reeffreak]

I have my rocks about half way up the back glass.Its nice to have some swimming room over the top of the reef.Allow some space between the rocks for caves and crevices so the flow can travel through.

 

[Doc]

yeah. Listen to reef, his tank looks great!!! I would give that same praise to Biff, but I haven't seen full tank shots like I have with reef's tank.

-Dr Marco :sfish:

 

[Bifferwine]

:cry: Damn cyano!!!

 

[yote]

:cry: Damn cyano!!!

Yeah,Blame the cyano:D

 

[MikMcgyver]

Lots of nooks and crannies for the critters to hide in, few tunnels too, since i put them in the clowns go crazy swimming thru...