Howdy!

Howdy! and welcome to 3Reef....Nice tonga branch

 

The rock doesn't need to be off of the backwall, just the front and sides since you will want to look through them. Also, make sure that it is VERY sturdy, resting on the glass on the bottom (sand sifting critters down the road might dig under the rock and knock it over) and wont tip. Some snails are very prone to rearranging LR for you! Glad to hear that you don't trust the LFS's advice, only bad things and bank account drains happen quickly in this hobby! Ask lots of questions and research! Oh, I almost forgot, WELCOME to the best sw forum on the net!!

 

The back wall is a matter of preference. I never clean mine but some do. Even if you never clean it, some space behind the rock allows better overall flow in the tank. I wouldn't worry about the back so much since you've put so much time into that aquascape. The ends definitely need to be cleaned.

Jack

 

welcome to 3 reef, there are lots of smart people here, and they are very interested in whats going on in your tank and will be more than willing to help you out. oh and keep the pics coming

 

I've been wanting to get some branches, not a minimum 25 pounds on line though. And, my "Mike" is getting into the fish thing as well. Although I'm brand new, he's learning as I learn. Welcome aboard! Your tank looks good!

 

I can confirm Luna's post, it took 10 weeks for my algae to form. I even posted comments about it. Luna is a reliable source of info IMHO.

 

I started my tank mid April. I'm pushing $2000 (shhhh, don't tell hubby the exact price, hey honey, look at the cool PJ cardinals I got.........), and I'm trying to watch my money. Thank Goodness for the stimulus check! I've totally reinvested into the economy! LOL, Next is lighting, T5's, then the corals etc. The rock was a killer, I have 90 pound of fiji rock, 80 pounds of sand. I'm so happy so far with the results.

 

Nice looking tank. Great to see reefers up in Alaska. ( I always wanted to live there.)