How much live rock???

I have a 120 gal set up that I have been working on that is almost there. Filled it with water last nite to test pumps overflow and skimmer. So far it all looks good All I lack is lights for it to be ready for a reef. I have a few T5s I can put on it for now. so my question is how much rock is enough for a 120 gallon tank with a 40 gallon Sump/Refugium to start off so I can start the cycle and maybe put a few fish in it? I am running a pro-clear 350 in sump for a skimmer pushed by a Rio 2500. I have a HOB overflow with a mag 12 for a return pump. I have a few smaller tanks set up with probably around 50-60 lbs of Live Rock in them maybe not even that much. So not near enough for this tank. I hope to eventually have 150 to 200 lbs but have to find the rite deal and be able to afford it. So what is the minimum amount of rock that I could get away with (temporarily) on a set up like this? Especially since I am depending on my LR do be my main source of filtration.

I wouldn't do less than 100 for sure. And I'd make sure it was a very "open" aquascape with extra flow.

The general rule of thumb is 1 lb of live rock per gallon of water. I have started tanks with half the recommended amount and worked my way up to the 1 lb per gallon.

BigBlue wrote:The general rule of thumb is 1 lb of live rock per gallon of water. I have started tanks with half the recommended amount and worked my way up to the 1 lb per gallon.

Thats what Ive heard....at least 1lb per gallon as a rule of thumb. How has it worked for you to start with half and work your way up? Did you do anything special? Or different maintenance?

BigBlue wrote:The general rule of thumb is 1 lb of live rock per gallon of water. I have started tanks with half the recommended amount and worked my way up to the 1 lb per gallon.

+1

Just keep in mind that if you add a substantial amount of liverock at a later date you could very likely have another cycle with the die-off.

Yuma wrote:Just keep in mind that if you add a substantial amount of liverock at a later date you could very likely have another cycle with the die-off.

What if the live rock I add is already cured and is transported in water?

Then your die off and cycle will be minimal....but it is unlikely that you could ever have NO die-off, thus no ammonia, thus NO cycle.

I did that with my last batch of live rock that I added and had a small cycle. The bacteria were fairly quick to catch up, but I did have an ammonia spike 2 days after I put it in there.

whenever you get the rock in soak it in a bucket of water and scrub it and let it sit for a few days

etexer - You just have to be patient and add a little bit at a time. I have changed an entire bed of sand by taking out a little bit each day and adding it back the same way. Patience is the key to anything in saltwater aquariums.

BigBlue wrote:etexer - You just have to be patient and add a little bit at a time. I have changed an entire bed of sand by taking out a little bit each day and adding it back the same way. Patience is the key to anything in saltwater aquariums.

+1 I'm learning that this is better advice than absolutely anything else....patience.

Unfortunately Yuma, I have learned that the hard way over the years. I just never learn my lesson for some reason.

Well that sucks because Im not a very patient person....But Im learning I think I just found 50 lbs of cured live rock that someone that I know has. Has been cured for about 4-6weeks. The live rock I have currently has some of my soft corals attached I didnt even think about that. I guess I could get the 50 or so lbs from a fiend, let it cycle, then add one piece of what I have with coral attached at a time?