Aquascape question

[Idoc]

Finally about to get this tank up and running... it's only taken 9 months of researching the forum, lol. I will eventually sit down and do a build thread... just gotta find the time!

Aquascape question...is it recommended to sit the live rock directly on the glass bottom, or elevate each piece with 1" PVC supports to allow sand sifters to get under them?

Attached is a pic of the aquascape I'm leaning towards....75g tank, 50lbs Pukani rock. (I have the tank dimensions drawn on the cardboard with a 2" clear zone from all sides).

 

[jsker]

I have always put mine on top of the sand. As time goes by the rock settles down to the glass with no issue. I like the scape, if you can find it maybe a piece or two of stick rock.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the main reason for elevating the rock work off the bottom pane of glass is to diffuse/ distribute the weight of the rock pressure points to keep from cracking the glass. Thus the use of egg crate, star board, pvc......... I've always placed my rock on my glass and filled around with sand.

 

[Idoc]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the main reason for elevating the rock work off the bottom pane of glass is to diffuse/ distribute the weight of the rock pressure points to keep from cracking the glass. Thus the use of egg crate, star board, pvc......... I've always placed my rock on my glass and filled around with sand.

I've read to stay away from egg-crate because detritus gets trapped in the squares and its difficult to clean out. I've seen a few where each piece of base rock was placed on small, 1" or less tall pieces of PVC pipe to diatribute the weight (a few pieces per rock to make it stable) and rhe benefit given wad t hat it allowed sand cleanup crews to clean all detritus, etc... out fron ubder the rocks. I was just seeing if there was anyone on R2R who might do this or have tried it and found it does or doesn't work. As you've posted, I think most place the rock directly on the glass, which is probably what I will end up doing.

 

[Idoc]

I have always put mine on top of the sand. As time goes by the rock settles down to the glass with no issue. I like the scape, if you can find it maybe a piece or two of stick rock.

Thanks... I'll look around for a couple pieces of branching rock... that's a great idea, plus it will help me with the "dull" look on the left side. I might carve out that big rock on the right in order to give it more depth and contour, rather than just a big ball.

 

[Whitey1973]

I've always placed mine straight on the glass with no problems... I've never liked placing on a sand bed just in case you get a chalk gobie or sand sifter like I have, they like to dig out under the rocks and may shift a bit

 

[Donovan Joannes]

I wouldn't worry about rocks cracking the glass due to weight, as my tank bottom is padded. For rimmed bottom tank, it might be a good idea to have some extra support.