Live rock in sump

[JTL]

Who does it? I keep about as much rubble as I can get into a 8x8x8 container that I made from egg crate. It is in my refugium with my chaeto to promote pods. I have some wasted space in my return pump space and may put it in there to give my chaeto more room to tumble. At some point I want to make some room for a place to store and grow frags but I think I can just add a top to my container and put the frags on that.

[LeJeune981]

I have about 100 lbs of live rock on my sumo/fuge.. it's a 49 gallon bowfront

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[JTL]

That must pretty much fill it up.

[LeJeune981]

Originally Posted by JTL

That must pretty much fill it up.

Yup lol.. it's a xenia fuge now

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[LeJeune981]

Five lights are off already. Or I would snap a pic

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[ca1ore]

I've never really understood the logic of a pile of rock in the sump. It's was all the rage a decade ago ...

[ntropics]

I keep a bunch of live rock in my sump to put into my Q-tank when necessary. That way, I never have to worry about suddenly having to set up a QT if I should get a new fish. It also adds to the biological filtration of the main tank.

Bruce

[FullBoreReefer]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

I've never really understood the logic of a pile of rock in the sump. It's was all the rage a decade ago ...

I thought the whole theory was less clutter in the display and more elsewhere...???

[cincyjim]

I have about 50-55 pounds of live rock in the sump. It's more of a cryptic fuge as there isn't a light or anything like that. There are sponges, few crabs, a scallop, a large limpet snail, and pods that live in it. I can't grow chaeto for nothing so I used the space in this manner.

[oldhead]

I have my left over pukani in my sump with my cheato.

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

I've never really understood the logic of a pile of rock in the sump. It's was all the rage a decade ago ...

Because is add more biological filtration....

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by FullBoreReefer

I thought the whole theory was less clutter in the display and more elsewhere...???

I suppose if one runs such a minimalist aquascape that additional bio filtration is required then, yes, pile of rock in the sump is a reasonable accommodation. I’d wager though that most folks with said pile don’t run minimalist tanks and dont actually need the extra filtration.

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by wildman926

Because is add more biological filtration....

Only if the existing rock is ‘maxed’ out; otherwise it’s simply redundant.

[JTL]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

I suppose if one runs such a minimalist aquascape that additional bio filtration is required then, yes, pile of rock in the sump is a reasonable accommodation. I’d wager though that most folks with said pile don’t run minimalist tanks and dont actually need the extra filtration.

My tank is a little minimalistic. I only have about 50lb of LR in a 100 g tank, but I don't have a big fish load so that is enough for filtration. I use the LR in the sump for a pod refuge and to use for new frags that come on a plug. I like to put them on a rock.

[AlSimmons]

I have a softball size piece of live rock in my 10 gallon sump, but that's it. It's basically just a place for the micro fauna to hide out. Between the rock I have in my DT, regular water changes and the skimmer there's really no need for any more.

[saf1]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

Only if the existing rock is ‘maxed’ out; otherwise it’s simply redundant.

Some people running sumps don't have a fuge so there is no to little light. If that is the case then it would be a cryptic area for those animals to thrive. Depends I guess but I can see some use cases for it depending on how it was set up.

[WVfishguy]

For many years, I kept a 55 gal. 'fuge filled to the brim with live rock,and a bunch more in the 75 gal. main tank. That way I could set up a marine tank for a customer at a moment's notice. The "display" was actually a quarantine tank

When set up my personal 90 gal. reef, I placed about 60 lbs of rock in a section of the 75 gal. sump. Old habits die slowly.

[reefgeezer]

I build my sumps now with just a skimmer & return bay. I decided to do this after years of trying to use the small middle bay of a sump as a fuge. No matter what I tried, the space was just too small to be effective and seemed just to be another thing to manage.

If I did use a small fuge though, it would be rubble rock with no light.

[tthouston]

I piece of CerMedia MarinePure Block Bio-Filter 8 x 8 x 4 can replace 40 lbs of live rock easy. Save room for something else.

[XeniaMania]

I run a marinepure block and a box of marinepure spheres only in 80G of water.

[Tastee]

I run about 40 Marine Pure spheres in the inlet chamber of the sump for my 65g.

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

Only if the existing rock is ‘maxed’ out; otherwise it’s simply redundant.

Not true, concerning "maxed out". It will contribute no matter what. It is also a little extra insurance in the event of overfeeding, power outage, etc.

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by wildman926

Not true, concerning "maxed out". It will contribute no matter what. It is also a little extra insurance in the event of overfeeding, power outage, etc.

Simply saying something is true (or untrue) doesn't make it true (or untrue). I remain unconvinced .... but pile away .....

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

Simply saying something is true (or untrue) doesn't make it true (or untrue). I remain unconvinced .... but pile away .....

Not here to convince you of anything...do what you want, I could care less.

[XeniaMania]

How does one determine when a rock is maxed out? Should they be slimed up w/ bacteria? Bacteria will inhabit any available space.