Bills CDA 225 gal 72x30x24 tank upgrade/SPS Dream Tank!!!

[Billldg]

This is were I am thinking of going with the scape.

The blue and the red are areas that are already claimed and scaped by my Ah Ha moment. As a result I fell that I may need to either just have a low sloping area, as indicated in the grey, or have a low sloping area with a tower, sorta, in the same spot. I also feel that I should stair step to a higher position on the left, as indicated in the purple and white.

 

[Hydrored]

Looking good!

 

[Billldg]

The yellow line is roughly 24 in, so you see I have plenty of height to go. As before I went up there to measure and messed around with the scape again, only adding, and, I am digging it. I will take photos tomorrow as it looks completely different. I didn't changed anything, I just built up the left side. I added where the purple and white lines are.

 

[Billldg]

Oh, and did I forget to tell you that aquascaping is completely different between my tanks. I thought scaping a 120 gal tank was hard, WELL, try a 225 gal tank, LOL!!! ;Hilarious

There is SO MUCH SPACE to cover.

 

[fishguy242]

you are going to have a vision in your sleep tonightit will be somewhat different tomorrowlove the flats coming along nicely

 

[Billldg]

you are going to have a vision in your sleep tonightit will be somewhat different tomorrowlove the flats coming along nicely

LOL!!! I am not sure as the 2 additions I did really has me liking the scape. The only thing I need to decide is, do I want to have a second rise in the right center, or do I want to have a focal point to the right and raise it like a pillar. I, probably, wil have a 2nd, but lower focal point in the right center and let the right side slop down. It all depends on whether I want 90 percent SPS or a true mixed tank.

 

[Billldg]

I couldn’t wait, LOL!!! So I took some pics, though they are a little dark because of the blue light in the room, but I wanted to so show what the scape is looking like after the changes.

Again, I will take some more pics in better light, but I am liking the scape. I am always open to suggestions, so if you see something let me know.

Oh, and I will level out the top piece, LOL!!!

After doing it, I highly recommend taking pics and looking at them. Pictures show what you may not see now, but regret down the road.

 

[TexAgReefer]

I couldn’t wait, LOL!!! So I took some pics, though they are a little dark because of the blue light in the room, but I wanted to so show what the scape is looking like after the changes.

Again, I will take some more pics in better light, but I am liking the scape. I am always open to suggestions, so if you see something let me know.

Oh, and I will level out the top piece, LOL!!!

After doing it, I highly recommend taking pics and looking at them. Pictures show what you may not see now, but regret down the road.

Looking great! I’m a fan!

 

[Billldg]

Looking great! I’m a fan!

Thank you, it’s still a work in progress.

 

[mattgsa]

I like the rock work.

 

[Billldg]

I like the rock work.

Thank you.

It’s still a work in progress.

 

[Rhoads238]

I couldn’t wait, LOL!!! So I took some pics, though they are a little dark because of the blue light in the room, but I wanted to so show what the scape is looking like after the changes.

Again, I will take some more pics in better light, but I am liking the scape. I am always open to suggestions, so if you see something let me know.

Oh, and I will level out the top piece, LOL!!!

After doing it, I highly recommend taking pics and looking at them. Pictures show what you may not see now, but regret down the road.

This is looking really good! I really like how the scape is progressing. Great use of the rule of thirds. I like the idea of keeping the two islands that you have on the right side now. That will be nice to keep some more invasive species away from the main rock work.

 

[Tom Stevens]

Looks nice. Are you going to level the shelves? With my eye, the slant is a tad distracting.

 

[Billldg]

Looks nice. Are you going to level the shelves? With my eye, the slant is a tad distracting.

On the top left, yes, It's a bit annoying to the eye.

 

[Rhoads238]

On the top left, yes, It's a bit annoying to the eye.

+1 on this, but i don't think that the slant is annoying. I think it would be better going the opposite direction. Then you would have the highest point closest to the left third line. Also now that I'm at home on my computer I think that the left edge might be a bit steep. On my old tank I had an area like that, It was shadowed and I couldn't really get much to grow there other than aiptasia. It was steep and close to the glass, which it made it difficult to get my hand in there with the syringe.

How many pounds of rock did you get? How many and of what size of the cut foundation pieces did you get? I think I'm going to be using Marco rocks shelf as well for my build.

 

[Billldg]

I will level out these 4 rocks so it doesn't distract from the rest. I still need to support the overhang on the right side. I will have to build a support out of some smaller rocks and concrete them together.

 

[Billldg]

+1 on this, but I don't think that the slant is annoying. I think it would be better going the opposite direction. Then you would have the highest point closest to the left third line. Also now that I'm at home on my computer I think that the left edge might be a bit steep. On my old tank I had an area like that, It was shadowed and I couldn't really get much to grow there other than aiptasia. It was steep and close to the glass, which it made it difficult to get my hand in there with the syringe.

How many pounds of rock did you get? How many and of what size of the cut foundation pieces did you get? I think I'm going to be using Marco rocks shelf as well for my build.

The scape is at least 3 to 4 inches from the sides, so cleaning and such shouldn't be an issue. I learned my lesson the hard way on my last tank, LOL!!! The section to the left go's almost straight down, but that section that go's downward is only as wide as the top section, so I can still grow corals on the front 2/3rd's. I may also remove the top rock on the far most left side so it doesn't look blocky on that side as I like a variation in the top ridge of the scape.

I bought 170 pounds of Marco shelf rock, 2 large foundation rocks, 5 med foundation rocks, and 2 small foundation rocks. I still have half left over as of now. I used all the foundation rocks.

Actually, I just looked, I probably have 80 or so pounds left, so still a good bit.

 

[fishguy242]

i like it are you going to use established rock in sump from other tank to help cycle?

 

[Billldg]

i like it are you going to use established rock in sump from other tank to help cycle?

I am going to get 50 or so pounds of live rock from KP Aquatics, most will go in the sump, but roughly 10 pounds will be kept in the DT initially to help seed the dry rock quicker.

 

[Billldg]

I went ahead and leveled out a few rocks, and I feel it looks different still. I also removed the rock on the top right side to give me the stair step effect.