Surf985
Community Member
Hey guys!
Odd question, but I've been updating my coral collection (aka replacing stuff that...didn't work out...), and started wondering what the rest of you did for those less noticeable places on your reef. For example, I have a figure 8 style setup and most of my coral is on the front of the rockwork where you see it all straight on. This works mainly because that's how almost everyone views the tank. While it isn't immediately obvious, the back and sides were mostly just bare rock.
Do y'all leave those areas bare and focus attention up front, fill them with something cheap and fast growing (maybe letting a small, inexpensive encrusting frag just take over the back side so it isn't just bare), or do you intentionally tuck in something really eye popping, making viewers want to search for more semi-hidden pieces?
I've currently taken some less-spectacular pieces or frags that needed time to really grow out and worked them around to those "you have to look to see it" spots. The coolest, though, was finding a near-perfect shelf at about 10 o-clock to mount a toxic green montipora. While it's one of my favorite pieces because of the intense bright green, that's what makes the otherwise hidden spot really something you look for. (The red worked there too but was less a discovery and more a blend in) This inspired me to mount another heavily branching sps frag at a similar backwards-angle, which added unique depth I was lacking.
What do you do? I like the idea of filling in with inexpensive coral, but I tend to want to stick everything up front if it's remotely close to being "pretty", otherwise, i don't want to buy it. With a growing collection, this back side real estate could be valuable!
Odd question, but I've been updating my coral collection (aka replacing stuff that...didn't work out...), and started wondering what the rest of you did for those less noticeable places on your reef. For example, I have a figure 8 style setup and most of my coral is on the front of the rockwork where you see it all straight on. This works mainly because that's how almost everyone views the tank. While it isn't immediately obvious, the back and sides were mostly just bare rock.
Do y'all leave those areas bare and focus attention up front, fill them with something cheap and fast growing (maybe letting a small, inexpensive encrusting frag just take over the back side so it isn't just bare), or do you intentionally tuck in something really eye popping, making viewers want to search for more semi-hidden pieces?
I've currently taken some less-spectacular pieces or frags that needed time to really grow out and worked them around to those "you have to look to see it" spots. The coolest, though, was finding a near-perfect shelf at about 10 o-clock to mount a toxic green montipora. While it's one of my favorite pieces because of the intense bright green, that's what makes the otherwise hidden spot really something you look for. (The red worked there too but was less a discovery and more a blend in) This inspired me to mount another heavily branching sps frag at a similar backwards-angle, which added unique depth I was lacking.
What do you do? I like the idea of filling in with inexpensive coral, but I tend to want to stick everything up front if it's remotely close to being "pretty", otherwise, i don't want to buy it. With a growing collection, this back side real estate could be valuable!
