Adding height to my system

[BryanM]

So went from a 4 footer to a 6 footer, and did not add additional live rock, so things pretty much "flattened" out. I can certainly go back to Gulf Live Rock and get 3-4 big rocks to add in, but I'm curious if the hive mind here might have other ideas to do this as well.

 

[Biokabe]

Adding more rock is the best option, I would think, but if you don't want to or can't do that for a while for whatever reason, you could always look into some acrylic risers. Set them down in the back of your rockwork, build your rocks on top of them, and use your other rockwork to conceal them. You can find them in a variety of heights, at least up to 12".

 

[UncommonSense]

I’ll just add that I’ve had great luck using 3/8”-1/2” acrylic round rod stock to build modular rock structures!

— simply drill a equally sized hole through the rocks in question and stick them on the rod like a kebab!

— you can even heat and bend the rod to whichever shape you need!

 

[chapter7]

LOVE the trio of yellow tangs!

 

[vlangel]

New tank looks great!

 

[PPBlimpy]

Adding more rock would be ideal but maybe look into restacking and opening up the center some. I personally like having more sand bed. Gives you room to put a couple small zoa islands or maybe a clam or two down on the sand and not crowding the glass or rocks.

beautiful tank by the way!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

So went from a 4 footer to a 6 footer, and did not add additional live rock, so things pretty much "flattened" out. I can certainly go back to Gulf Live Rock and get 3-4 big rocks to add in, but I'm curious if the hive mind here might have other ideas to do this as well.

Your new tank does look amazing!

 

[pledosophy]

You're probably going to need more rock.

I wonder if there is a way you can stack the rock you have now so there is a lot of space in between it, which might help you raise it up quite a bit. Fish like caves but healthy tanks like space between rocks to minimize detritus build up IME

 

[UncommonSense]

Is now a good time to point out that I have over 400lbs of rock on-hand at the moment, and am less than an hour from you?

— 150+lbs of it is 20yr old live rock, pest free, from a tank breakdown three days ago!

 

[PPBlimpy]

man all these bay area guys. I move across country and get back into reefing after a nice hiatus and the bay area scene seems to be pretty hot. Born and raised in Livermore

 

[MegabiteOG]

So went from a 4 footer to a 6 footer, and did not add additional live rock, so things pretty much "flattened" out. I can certainly go back to Gulf Live Rock and get 3-4 big rocks to add in, but I'm curious if the hive mind here might have other ideas to do this as well.

I just moved from a 4' to a 6' a few weeks ago as well (same WB 230.6). I went ahead and ordered more rock for that reason. Outside from the acrylic option, you can just scape with that rock to the height you'd like to achieve towards one side and maybe middle of the tank to see how much more rock you need to get. I went with three islands. Taller ones to the sided and shorter in the middle for my torches.

You will likely need to move those gyres with the new scaping.

PS - I'm so jealous of that trio of yellows. Beautiful!

 

[BryanM]

I just moved from a 4' to a 6' a few weeks ago as well (same WB 230.6). I went ahead and ordered more rock for that reason. Outside from the acrylic option, you can just scape with that rock to the height you'd like to achieve towards one side and maybe middle of the tank to see how much more rock you need to get. I went with three islands. Taller ones to the sided and shorter in the middle for my torches.

You will likely need to move those gyres with the new scaping.

PS - I'm so jealous of that trio of yellows. Beautiful!

I will do a LOT not to move gyres, but it could be that I have to.

The three yellows have been a pretty good success. One of them is still somewhat bully-ee, but its infrequent and lasts a minute or so.

@UncommonSense pm'd you!

 

[PPBlimpy]

i do not notice the gyres, i have been thinking about doing this with my tank. guessing it works pretty well?

 

[BryanM]

i do not notice the gyres, i have been thinking about doing this with my tank. guessing it works pretty well?

It works well for me. The thought here was I didn't want powerheads on the sides of the tank, and this was a good way to "hide" them. Flow is pointed in to the back glass about 30 degrees and pushes around the sides and front and in to the middle.

 

[D'sreef]

You could try using some ledge stones (like staxs or equivalent) and build up the back glass. It would have like a cliff and field feel. Plus plenty of new room for corals.

 

[BryanM]

And here we go!! Added a lot today.

 

[BryanM]

So, with all this new rock now I'm thinking about adding more fish.

Peaceful is the name of the game here, and certainly not some terror like the red coris wrasse I knew nothing about previously.

Currently we have (and I think will not be adding any more tangs):

One Sailfin tang
One Blue Hippo Tang
Three yellow tangs
One tomini tang
One Foxface
One Six Line Wrasse
One dwarf red angel
One lawnmower blenny
One pair bonded clowns

Probably maxed out on big fish here too I'd think.

Coral Beauty
Flame Hawkfish
flameback angelfish
bangaii cardinalfish
asure damselfish
tilefish

 

[BristleWormHater]

Another thing you could do is add more vertical growing corals like that big ol silt pore gorg on the right side of the tank.

 

[JonoH]

I added rock to mine...but in hindsight, its space for Acro Colony's to grow.

Think a few nice Stag's and then maybe add an arch for Tabling Coral to grow off?

 

[Idech]

Having part of the tank with height (most of the rocks) and the other part with less, with a way to somehow make them fit together might be nice.