Aquascape opinions

[Sbk89]

I set up this tank recently and not completely set on the aquascape. I would love some thoughts to see how I can improve it! I’m leaving it without livestock for a while (except pods and a monti I added because the lights are on) so I can easily move things around.

It is made up of 3 structures with the two on the ends pushed further back and the middle tunnel more forward.

Here are some pics from the sides:

The structure on the left is made up of four arches held together by a reef rod. It is also connected to the table next to it via reef rod. The arches create a ton of caves and tunnels throughout the structure. I suspect most of the fish will sleep here.

The middle structure is a cave on top of 2 rocks (one has a O in the middle of it). I wanted some depth so I brought this one up front and it has about 6-8 inches of space behind it. I could push it back a bit but I didn’t want all my rocks against the back wall. The negative is that it leaves less room upfront if I want to put corals on the sand or something.

The structure on the right is 3 shelf rocks that I drilled and held together with a reef rod. I’m probably going to keep sps on these rocks as I spread out the shelves to prevent as much shading as possible and there’s lots of room to grow up.

I’m thinking about breaking up some of the rock I have and creating small islands to keep Zoas and other corals separated from the main structure.

Any feedback is very much appreciated!

 

[Red_Beard]

I think it looks great! Zoa islands are nice to have too, but you could always get another chunk of rock for those. Only thing that looks a little awkward is that rear right top rock. Maybe another piece on the side to make it look not so precarious?

 

[MrGisonni]

The left and center look great. The right side bothers my eyes. That big rock looks out of place. Maybe break it in a couple of pieces. I would like to see a small lip of the front of the flat spot on the right.

 

[MrGisonni]

Can you rotate the upper right rock on its rod? It think if you rotate it 90 degrees to the right it would look better

 

[Sbk89]

I think it looks great! Zoa islands are nice to have too, but you could always get another chunk of rock for those. Only thing that looks a little awkward is that rear right top rock. Maybe another piece on the side to make it look not so precarious?

Thank you! Yeah the structure on the right is definitely my least favorite. Doesn’t really look natural. I’ve tried to move things around to make it look better but haven’t really had luck. I could try to cut the rod and just keep the 2 shelves instead. I will say that because of the rod, it is pretty secure, just looks awkward lol

 

[Sbk89]

Can you rotate the upper right rock on its rod? It think if you rotate it 90 degrees to the right it would look better

So I tried this and the thing that sucks is you can clearly see the rod. I could try to sand the rock down to be more flat but that kind of ruins the rock.

 

[MrGisonni]

 

[Sbk89]

The left and center look great. The right side bothers my eyes. That big rock looks out of place. Maybe break it in a couple of pieces. I would like to see a small lip of the front of the flat spot on the right.

Do you mind me asking what you mean by the lip? Just want to try and picture and move the rocks around

 

[MrGisonni]

Something like the purple blotch in the picture above

 

[Sbk89]

You read my mind lol. Yeah I’m thinking the top needs to go at least. If I break up the bottom shelf, I don’t think it’ll stay up. I had to keep moving it around to get it to stay stable and the only way was to have them on opposite ends of the rod.

I actually had to have the end go into the sand. I then flipped a shelf upside down to create the peninsula to connect to that piece.

 

[Red_Beard]

I was thinking maybe get one more piece and add it here

Then it will look a little more structury and create another cove/arch shaded spot for fish and give you a face to mount plating or tabling coral.
But rotate it back a little to give you room to slope it a bit.

 

[Sbk89]

I was thinking maybe get one more piece and add it here:

Then it will look a little more structury and create another cove/arch shaded spot for fish and give you a face to mount plating or tabling coral.

I wasn’t originally going to do this because I wanted to put coral on the shelf. But I could just put the rock and mount coral on top of that. Or maybe like a branching rock

And if the rock is in front, that’ll block the rod from being seen so I can rotate the rock

 

[Sbk89]

I was thinking maybe get one more piece and add it here

Then it will look a little more structury and create another cove/arch shaded spot for fish and give you a face to mount plating or tabling coral.
But rotate it back a little to give you room to slope it a bit.

The only rock I have leftover are big base pieces but I’m going to try to break one in half and see what happens. It just sucks that you’ll see the white part for a while but hopefully the coralline grows quickly to cover it up

 

[Red_Beard]

I wasn’t going to do this because I wanted to put coral on the shelf. I could just put the rock and mount coral on top of that. Or maybe like a branching rock

And if the rock is in front, that’ll block the rod from being seen so I can rotate the rock

Totally. The way that top rock is now looks like it shades that a bit, if you rotated it back 10 degrees or so you could add the rock i drew and still keep full light on most of that lower table piece, and still give you a spot for some monty caps and make it look like one piece.

Oooooor, you could leave it, get some lps that will colony out in a year or two, like candy canes or branching hammer and stick them to hide the gap. Win win, more coral and you dont have an odd looking scape.

 

[Red_Beard]

Dude, the white will be gone faster than you think even if coralline doesnt take off. It will get all sorts of stuff from reds to greens to yellow to gray after a few months. Think long term.

 

[Sbk89]

Totally. The way that top rock is now looks like it shades that a bit, if you rotated it back 10 degrees or so you could add the rock i drew and still keep full light on most of that lower table piece, and still give you a spot for some monty caps and make it look like one piece.

Oooooor, you could leave it, get some lps that will colony out in a year or two, like candy canes or branching hammer and stick them to hide the gap. Win win, more coral and you dont have an odd looking scape.

Yeah I’m going to give it a try. The shade is probably going to stay since the hole on the rock in a bit more center but maybe it’ll look better overall. I can also use the smaller rock pieces and epoxy it in to cover the rod.

But you’re absolutely right, once coral starts growing out, none of this will probably matter lol.

 

[Sbk89]

Dude, the white will be gone faster than you think even if coralline doesnt take off. It will get all sorts of stuff from reds to greens to yellow to gray after a few months. Think long term.

lol rocks are already getting green algae so you’re 100% right. I’m testing out if turning lights on right after cycling and keeping it empty except copepods will help the uglies.

 

[Everclear]

You could place another rock, maybe like a pillar, under the end of the one on the right to make it like more natural and also creating a sort of arch for fish to swim through

 

[Everclear]

Forgot to add that I think it looks amazing!

 

[Sbk89]

You could place another rock, maybe like a pillar, under the end of the one on the right to make it like more natural and also creating a sort of arch for fish to swim through

Thank you! Yeah that seems to be the consensus lol. This is exactly why I asked haha. It looked awkward to me as well