confusion setting in...substrate and LR discussion

[EMUreef]

Well the title doesn't really do this discussion justice as I have hit a bit of a road block setting up my 90g.

My previous two tanks that i have set up, i've always added the sand first than put the rock in. I've seen some people place egg crate in the tank to help stablize their LR. Since i want to do this new tank about as perfectly as i can i just picked some up. Cut it and placed it in. Have about 40-50lbs of dry rock and started messing with some aqua scapes.

Came on Captive reefs and starting chattin with jim.

I have great success with my two smaller tanks (35g hex and 20tall).

Should i ditch the egg crate?
Should i lay the rock out how i want it than add sand?
How should i go about this. I would like some input. I thought i had this figure out now im just confused.

[jimsflies]

Just to catch everyone up, my feeling is the egg crate on the bottom doesn't help and may be a detritus trap. I personally feel the less surface area of rock in contact with the sand the better...allows better flow, less detritus, and better access for cleanup crews/sand critters to do their thing.

[EMUreef]

Just to catch everyone up, my feeling is the egg crate on the bottom doesn't help and may be a detritus trap. I personally feel the less surface area of rock in contact with the sand the better...allows better flow, less detritus, and better access for cleanup crews/sand critters to do their thing.

from what is see jim, its mixed feelings about using the eggcrate between the rock and the glass i would like more opinions and appreciate your input jim.

[Bluering]

I would not use egg crate on the bottom of a tank that is being covered with sand, its just not needed imo.

[EMUreef]

more input, i feel like this will help future reefers too if they have this question.

[Tom@HaslettMI]

My opinion... skip the egg-crate. I don't see any benefit of having it.

This is how I always build a reef-scape:

sand first: this allows for solid placement of rocks. If you go rocks first they may not be completely stable and result in rockslides later.
add SW: fill the tank ~3/4 full. Rocks will "set" better in wet substrate.
add rocks: work the first layer of rocks into the sand using a wiggling/slight rotating motion until each rock has several points of contact with the bottom glass.
build the rest of the scape.


HTH,
Tom

[EMUreef]

My opinion... skip the egg-crate. I don't see any benefit of having it.

This is how I always build a reef-scape:

sand first: this allows for solid placement of rocks. If you go rocks first they may not be completely stable and result in rockslides later.
add SW: fill the tank ~3/4 full. Rocks will "set" better in wet substrate.
add rocks: work the first layer of rocks into the sand using a wiggling/slight rotating motion until each rock has several points of contact with the bottom glass.
build the rest of the scape.


HTH,
Tom

this is what i have done in the past. I guess my bid worry now is the egg crate leaching phosphates.
i might end up doing something like you suggested.

[MizTanks]

No crate here. I would think the rock on rock would need stabilizing before rock on bed.

[rmalone]

My 2 pennies is to add the layer of rocks that will be partially cover by sand, in other words the bottom layer of large rocks. Then add the substrate. Then complete the aquascape. If you need to rotate the bottom rocks after substrate, so be it they will still be touching glass in most spots. No egg crate, imo.

[Werdlone]

I recommend skipping the eggcrate. You are right in worrying about the phosphates. It will leach phosphates, and it would be problematic in the beginning. The sand will blow around and shift over time and I don't think you would want to see eggcrate. From personal experience... I put the sand in first and filled about half to 3/4 full and then added the live rock. I pushed and twisted the base rock down to be sure it was stable and then added onto them. Has worked well on my first tank many years ago and my current display for almost 3 years now. Good luck..I'm sure you'll have a great setup whichever way you go!

[jay13]

eggcrate in a tank with deep enough sand to actually look good and matter won't support the rock anyway unless you stack pieces up to reach. if your only using a small amount of sand so that the eggcrate will actually be supporting the rock work i believe the sand then has no point and a barebottom tank might be truer to your calling. kind of a dsb vs. barebottom approach, anything in the middle seems like a waste of time.