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I honestly think there is no real answer for this. You can use a lot less live rock when you have a refugium, oversized skimmer, reactors, etc. You are replacing the live rock with equipment like @revhtree states with how filtration has changed. Now if you dont want to have all that equipment or dont have the space or money for it then you need to have more rock.
I've seen very little evidence at this point that live rock surface area is a limiting factor for bioload in most tanks.I agree with what some others have said. Bio-load is the determining factor in how much rock to use.
I could put 10lbs of live rock in a 100gal tank if all I want to keep is 2 clowns. Load is everything.
well this looks more like art than the stereo typical reef tank...I like it could see having a tank like this in my bedroom. ..this could not be my main tank. I come from freshwater side of things and am addicted to the fish.A long time ago in a galaxy far far away people believed the more live rock you had the better! Some said 2lbs per gallon, some said 1lb per gallon was the ticket and some said pack as much as you can get in your tank! That led to some very interesting...ahem....aquascapes. Rock pile is a better descriptor of them! But over the years the hobby has trended away from those rules and you now see tanks with less and less live rock. Filtration has gotten better so many believe less is now more when it comes to rock. But have we trended too far away from live rock? Is it just me or are there more and more algae horror stories? Let's talk about it today!
1. Are most hobbyists using enough live rock these days and what are your thoughts?
2. Do you have any "rules" for live rock when it comes to your reef tank?
@Ricardo Prata's beautifully minimalist aquascaped tank!