Rock on top of sand: Doable?

[ScubaPrawn]

Hey guys. In my first tank I put the LR in first then the sand, to keep everything stable.

I've got a bunch of dry rock from and in my new tank I'd like to put the sand down first and just build really round and stable rock formations on top. My reasons are that it seems a shame for so much of the rock to be buried under the sand, especially since my sand bed will be deeper for the jawfish, and second, my tank is 26 inch tall and I'd like the coral to be higher up.

I plan on having a bsj and some narcissus snails, a fighting conch or two, and MAYBE a cucumber to keep the sand bed clean. Do you think my plan can work?

 

[BLADEYAMAHA]

I've done it that way, its ok to me. Increases the chances of breaking the bottom glass though.

 

[glampka]

Rock on sand + diggers = TROUBLE!

 

[BLADEYAMAHA]

True Dat.

 

[chelseagrin]

i have always done it this way, even with a snowflake eel that would burrow through and between nearly every rock it was still stable as could be. i think its actually a better idea than on the bare glass bottom.

 

[ScubaPrawn]

I've done it that way, its ok to me. Increases the chances of breaking the bottom glass though.

Why would setting the rock on the sand increase the chances of breaking the bottom glass?

And just to confirm, to the posters on this thread: you do have bsj in the tank too, right?

 

[tnwillia]

I did half and half... sand then rock then more sand. My Pistol Shrimp, BSJF & other diggers have moved my original 2.5" sand bed from side to side in my tank up to 7" in some places as they dig. If there is a rock they will find a way to dig under it. I've never had a "major" rock slide. Good luck!

 

[sasquatch]

just get a piece of 3 or 4'' pvc pipe, cut it to sand depth and place rock on top, they can dig all they want its not going to move.