Thoughts about Live Rock in Sump

[Fellow]

What is the general consensus when it comes to having Live Rock in the sump?

With my recent upgrade/downsize I have more rock than I can fit in the display. For the time being I have put it in what will be the fuge eventually.

Right now the compartment is unlit with no sand bed. Am I asking for trouble by doing this?

[Rbacchiega]

nope. Even without a fuge I had about 10 lbs extra live rock in the sump.

[Flash]

many people do it! you're safe!

[lastlight]

I have about 40 lbs in my sump. More places for bacteria to colonize, no nuisance algae on it! My sump is unlit so I'm sure it will be great place for sponges which will filter my water too.

[Red Coral Aquariums]

I have through experience as of late preferred to have no LR in the sump. I find that you collect a huge amount of detritus and sediment under your LR. With the benefits of the LR and the detriment of the collected sediment; what is your overall gain? I find that leaving an open area for sediment to settle in your sump you can easily siphon it out with a + side on the nutrient export. That is my opinion with no real proof that sediment is releasing more nutrient than your LR bacteria is consuming. In your display your use of powerheads is to push the sediment to your sump. You need to get that sediment out of your system and it is much easier to collect in the sump.
Kevin

[untamed]

One of my sumps is full of rock. I do agree with the previous post, however. Every now and then, I grab a rock or two and shake all the crud out of it. I also vaccuum out the detritus from around/under the rocks every year or so.

If I had to do it again...I would build a detritus settling sump, prior to the main sump. Maybe one of those cone shaped tanks with a drain on the bottom...

Filter socks might do the same thing, but I don't use them.

[lastlight]

Actually good point Kevin. I think if I wasn't using a filter sock it would be a problem especially since my live rock area is not very accessible. The only things settling in there is the stuff that the rock itself sheds. Not sure if that stuff is detrimental or not but a lot of it is sand and little bits of rubble.

[bvlester]

I use LR in my sump there is a lot of detritus but that is because there is no filter sock so when I move things around there will be sock on every thing then there should be very little detritus to contend with. If Any detritus does get in the sump the LR helps to create eddies in the water column so any free particles will settle out. you don't want any thing returning to the tank.

Bill