How do you know, if you have enough rocks?

[Casper T.]

Hi

How do you know, if you have enough rocks? I know it depends on type of rocks etc. But is there a way to tell, if you have enough? And can you have to many? of cause if you have no room, for fish etc. you have too many

 

[Paul B]

I think you can't have enough rocks and the more the better as long as there is room for the fish to swim. Certain fish need more swimming room but it is the growth on the rocks that keep the tank healthy and are a buffer against a crash.

The way the rocks are placed is also very important because of the need of hiding places.

I moved my tank here 3 years ago and I found some pictures of the rock before I put the corals in.
The tank was in my last house for 40 years so I had to break (and lose) many corals for the move.

But here are the almost bare rocks.





I built many of those rocks and the tank is an entire lacework of caves and runnels all interconnected which is IMO crucial to the health of many fish.

The corals grew in and replaced the open spaces.

 

[brandon429]

We have never seen a single instance of a rocks only setup unable to carry fish, any practical amount used is enough for filtration. Even the setups that use very little have enough for filtration. You need enough for caves and hiding places for certain fish but filtration is handled by any normal degree of rocks you choose. There is no pound per gallon rule that was made up on forums if there was one.

pull up any example you want for a crash, such as fish dying from disease while owner is on vacation

did rocks stop the crash, or having bio bricks in the sump? Any degree of rocks handles your daily running, and no degree of rocks stops a common crash.

 

[Paul B]

Good Morning Brandon.