Question about substrate/rock

I'm looking at getting things up and running in the next 2 weeks - waiting on filter still (sump). Based on what I've read about cycling, the things I need to get started are the filter/heater/substrate/rock. As far as the substrate/rock, I see all kinds of different opinions and am confused! I was planning to do this: 1 to 1.5 inches of sand, then base rock, then live rock. Do you put the base rock on the sand or put the base rock in first, then add the sand, then stack the live rock? Do it really matter what goes in first? I'm leaning against all live sand and may try to con the LFS to give me a scoop.

Thanks, guys! I've been lurking in several forums for a while, but I like 3reef the best!

 

keep the live rock misted while it's not in the tank. As long as you do that, it doesn't matter what order you use.

 

rock first then sand works best, when using live rock there are also unfriendlies that come with it, but when using all base rock there are no unfriendlies.

: : : : Indo-Pacific Sea Farms : : : :

 

Hi mom, as far as the sand, many (myself included) adhere to the practice of putting in some base rock before the sand. This insures the rock is more stable. If you put rock on top of the sand it can tumble over and we don't want that.
So, put in the rock (start your aqua scape) then add the sand around the rock. Add live bacteria at twice the recommended dose and add it twice a week for a couple of weeks, then you can go out and look for the real "pretty" rock and add 1 or 2 nice pieces at a time and give the tank a chance to "season". Remember to add bacteria when you add the pretty rock also. In this time of building your tank, check all your parameters every 5-7 days. Only do a water change after the initial month of letting the base rock season in the tank and right after the change (about 20% of the total water volume), remember you will not have the amount of water you think because some has been displaced by the rock and sand, you can now start adding your pretty rock.
I hope I have helped. I must tell you, your tank will be the better for your diligence and patients.
Now, some may argue the adding of live bacteria and state the bacteria in/on the rock is sufficient and will multiply, that is true however, my mentors in this hobby taught me to do this and it accelerates the initial cycle and establishes a good bacterial base. I add bacteria even now on a monthly basis (after a water change), I've been doing it for 25+ years.

 

+1. If you can, I would just do all base, personally. The order I did mine was water, sand, then rock. It really doesnt matter whether you stack the live on top of or below the base. If you really want to keep them seperate, I would put the live on top, just so it would make it easier to remove any pests