Any secrets/tips to stacking LR?

[Gdbyrd]

I was surprised today by about 30 lbs of live rock and 15lbs of base rock. My dad had made a stop in a fish shop in San Antone and picked some up for me. So, I went to stick it in my tank after doing some searches. I really have no idea what I'm doing.

The only way I could get it to "balance" was to put some of it against the back of my tank. Even then, some of the pieces are very unsteady. The rock is fiji, the piece of base rock is a type of limestone. Even with 50 lbs of rock in my 47g tank, it still looks barren...Can you go up to 2-3 lbs per gallon? Or is that really pushing it?

As this was a surprise, I am now going to have to order a skimmer(was going to wait). Any suggestions on an overhang style? Something affordable but still solid.

Cliffnotes: Help with stacking 6 (5-10lb) rocks in a 47g tall.
Suggestions on overhang protein skimmers.

I will try to get a picture of my tank tomorrow after it clears up some. Thanks again for the patience/guidance.

 

[dcantucson]

You can use epoxy to help hold the rock! Also add more LR.

 

[Gdbyrd]

You can use epoxy to help hold the rock! Also add more LR.

I have read about epoxies and zip ties, I'm not up to drilling the rock so the PVC option is sorta out. What type of epoxy do you use, I've mostly seen people say marine epoxy, but no specific brands. Do you cure it under water?

Do you start the base in the middle of the tank and just stack up? What's the min distance you need to have from your rock to the back of your tank?

 

[dcantucson]

Coralline colored Reef Epoxy Putty - 2oz
There are several brands- pretty much all the same. I like to leave enough room between the back wall and rock for the largest fish to swim around. That way they can make laps if they're restless.

 

[daugherty]

i am a little over 2 pounds per gal in my tank but the more the rock the better since it is the main filtration for the tank. just play with the rock in different spots they will kinda fit together.

 

[Gdbyrd]

i am a little over 2 pounds per gal in my tank but the more the rock the better since it is the main filtration for the tank. just play with the rock in different spots they will kinda fit together.

I am trying my absolute best to keep the surface area up, but when I try to stack it to where it fits together solidly it seems to leave a lot of areas with poor flow.

Side note on the rock, there is a ton of growth on some of these pieces. There's a small white tree looking appendage on one that I'm assuming is coral? But its covered in little blots of purple, green, yellow and some blue here and there.

 

[dcantucson]

That's good stuff!

 

[daugherty]

this is how mine looks it is all held together by the layer on top of every layer it is all just inter twined there is a buch of pice in this thread

https://www.livingreefs.com/daughertys-75-a-t14455p2.html

 

[Gdbyrd]

this is how mine looks it is all held together by the layer on top of every layer it is all just inter twined there is a buch of pice in this thread

https://www.livingreefs.com/daughertys-75-a-t14455p2.html

Thank you for the thread! I must have been mistaken over the stacking. I had been trying desperately to have a lot of space between every piece, and thinking about it now that's just not a possibility. You have a beautiful tank, very jealous, lol. Amazing how much the change in lighting made. Awesome to see the changes it's undergone through the years.(sorry, sorta typed as I was reading it).

From the looks of it your rock is stacked to the back of your glass, my tank being a a tall variety, I should probably try to stack it in the middle of the tank right? I just like the look of it mostly against the glass. Do you point your powerheads directly at your reef? I was thinking about putting two on opposite sides pointed towards eachother, having the turbulence hit the rock indirectly.

How are you enjoying your skimmer? I was looking at the octopi lineup but wasn't sure if it was a better bet than the Remora.

 

[daugherty]

i have power heads behind the rock also i just try to creat the most flow i can without stirring up the sand. and thank for the comments, this is my second tank.

 

[daugherty]

and yes some of the rock touches the back glass i tried to leave as much open as i could but to make it stable i had to have some touching the glass

 

[daugherty]

this is how i stacked my first tank
i started this tank right out of high school
https://www.livingreefs.com/daughertys-50-a-t12639.html

 

[dustin_P74]

best way to stack it is just throw it in there and land it land where it does

 

[sen5241b]

I have a Koralia blasting water under the LR. (I prefer a 30G powerhead cause they have as much flow but are smaller).

Also, I propped up my LR using 2 inch high by 3 inch PVC pipes. It worked out quite well. The PVC is hidden under the LR.

 

[sen5241b]

best way to stack it is just throw it in there and land it land where it does

If you "throw it in there" make sure you don't break the glass on the bottom. (It happened to somebody!)

 

[Gdbyrd]

If you "throw it in there" make sure you don't break the glass on the bottom. (It happened to somebody!)

that would suck....

How solid does it have to be? I can rock some of the pieces but it takes a lot to get them to come apart.

 

[daugherty]

that will be fine. if you want you can epoxy them together i i do not like to do that because if you ever have to take it apart it is a bit@#

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

You should place your powerheads in positions where you get the best flow as to eliminate any dead spots. I have a Kor 1 pushing lengthwise and a Kor 2 blowing water from the back onto the front. It's worked great so far. As for stacking: I spent 2hrs placing 30lbs of LR. I couldn't imagine how long it would take with 50lbs!! Good luck man! Post some pics when you can :)

 

[yote]

Just let your rock tell you where they want to be.
Of course put the base rock on the bottom,then fit the rock together like a jig-saw puzzle.If its got to be againt the back glass to be stable,then its not going to hurt anything being against the glass.
Just dont push it.You'll end up re-doing it in a month anyway:D

 

[dcantucson]

You should place your powerheads in positions where you get the best flow as to eliminate any dead spots. I have a Kor 1 pushing lengthwise and a Kor 2 blowing water from the back onto the front. It's worked great so far. As for stacking: I spent 2hrs placing 30lbs of LR. I couldn't imagine how long it would take with 50lbs!! Good luck man! Post some pics when you can :)

I placed 275lbs of live rock in my tank! It took 2 of us about 5 hours to get it just right (we thought). We then probably spent another 12 hours in the following two weeks doing rearrangements until we got it just right.