Feedback on Marco scape

[martin.a]

Hi everyone,

can I please ask for your opinions on my scape? This is my first-ever aquarium scape for my first-ever reef tank. The tank is CADE S2 1500, 1500x600x600mm (5x2x2 feet). I am planning it to be a mixed reef tank. The scape is still on the 'construction board' (hence the mess around), the frame is of the tank's size. There is a video at the end.

The rocks are resting on 20mm (0.8") tall Delrin (POM) sheets. My plan is to have this setup in the tank too. There will be 25 - 35mm (1 - 1.4") sand bed. So the rocks rest on the blocks, and sand around the blocks and a covering a sliver of the rocks. Can you see anything grossly wrong this?

Thanks!

Video on YouTube: Aquascape for 5x2x2 feet reef tank

 

[MasterClassReefs]

Hi everyone,

can I please ask for your opinions on my scape? This is my first-ever aquarium scape for my first-ever reef tank. The tank is CADE S2 1500, 1500x600x600mm (5x2x2 feet). I am planning it to be a mixed reef tank. The scape is still on the 'construction board' (hence the mess around), the frame is of the tank's size. There is a video at the end.

The rocks are resting on 20mm (0.8") tall Delrin (POM) sheets. My plan is to have this setup in the tank too. There will be 25 - 35mm (1 - 1.4") sand bed. So the rocks rest on the blocks, and sand around the blocks and a covering a sliver of the rocks. Can you see anything grossly wrong this?

Thanks!

Video on YouTube: Aquascape for 5x2x2 feet reef tank

If those little bits under the rock shift it will be a problem for you. A sheet would be better. Keep coral growth and access for maintenance and flow in mind on the front back and sides or you may find you wish you did later. If growing sps you will want minimum 8" clearance on top. This is a good start for your first scape . Keep pockets, caves, and hiding for fish you wish to keep in mind as well to help reduce aggressive behavior and put them at ease more.

 

[martin.a]

If those little bits under the rock shift it will be a problem for you. A sheet would be better. Keep coral growth and access for maintenance and flow in mind on the front back and sides or you may find you wish you did later. If growing sps you will want minimum 8" clearance on top. This is a good start for your first scape . Keep pockets, caves, and hiding for fish you wish to keep in mind as well to help reduce aggressive behavior and put them at ease more.

Thanks heaps! Those bits will be bolted to the base of the rocks. I am uncomfortable with 'dropping' rocks straight on the glass, and would pref to avoid a full-size sheet or crate. There is 25cm (10") of clearance for SPS. Yeap, I am worried about flow. These are 3 separate rocks in the front, plus that tall and flat 'afterthought' in the back. The scape can be reorganized if needed.
I will be aiming for smaller fish including gobies (including YWG+shrimp) and blennies.

 

[MasterClassReefs]

If those little bits under the rock shift it will be a problem for you. A sheet would be better. Keep coral growth and access for maintenance and flow in mind on the front back and sides or you may find you wish you did later. If growing sps you will want minimum 8" clearance on top. This is a good start for your first scape . Keep pockets, caves, and hiding for fish you wish to keep in mind as well to help reduce aggressive behavior and put them at ease more.

Thanks heaps! Those bits will be bolted to the base of the rocks. I am uncomfortable with 'dropping' rocks straight on the glass, and would pref to avoid a full-size sheet or crate. There is 25cm (10") of clearance for SPS. Yeap, I am worried about flow. These are 3 separate rocks in the front, plus that tall and flat 'afterthought' in the back. The scape can be reorganized if needed.
I will be aiming for smaller fish including gobies (including YWG+shrimp) and blennies.

An assessor basslet would also love this scape.

 

[fish_collector]

It looks good to me Martin, it's nice and open with room for good flow around the corals. You have spent more time on it than I would have lol.

 

[martin.a]

It looks good to me Martin, it's nice and open with room for good flow around the corals. You have spent more time on it than I would have lol.

Thanks! Yeah, my life with OCD.

 

[Waters]

Very cool. With all the little stalactites it makes it look like the scape is melting

 

[revhtree]

I’m loving it. Nice job!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

That is one awesome-looking aquascape!

 

[martin.a]

Wow, cheers for that Guys! I hope them fishes like it too

 

[SixlineRyan]

I'm getting a tank with the same dimensions, and came looking for inspiration. This looks amazing! Definitely getting saved .

What is your plan for the tall flat piece in the back center?

 

[Science/G]

You did an amazing job, but there is something about the scape that's missing. That flat rock in the back, I think it's got to go. The scape is beautiful, but it's just too balanced. Your eyes just bounce back and forth from left to right instead of wandering naturally around the aquascape. That's where the golden ratio comes into play in aquascaping. If you use that flat Rock and created one more ledge on the left hand side, and change the position of those two freestanding rocks somewhere along the front it may look better IMHO. The rule of thirds matters also. With that flat rock on the left it will give that side the "weight" it needs

 

[Science/G]

This app is very cool

Golden Ratio Generator

Test golden ratio on any image with a golden spiral overlay.

golden-ratio.club

 

[Science/G]

 

[Science/G]

The scape is awesome, but with a few changes it will become that much more amazing!

 

[martin.a]

What is your plan for the tall flat piece in the back center?

Good question. I call this rock 'afterthought'.
I did the left and the right sculptures. My son was tasked to do the centre. He did that awesome low rock with the large grotto in the centre, and... lost interest. He said it's not finished, before he quit. Bugger. I tried to do something and it did not exactly work. I tried an arching bridge too (from left to right over the centre). That one was an even worse abuse on esthetics.

 

[martin.a]

The scape is awesome, but with a few changes it will become that much more amazing!

Thanks a lot! Now, I can see that it will look 100 times better simply without that flat rock. I do photography, I know about the rule of third and golden ratio, but here... I just lost creativity.

If you use that flat Rock and created one more ledge on the left hand side

Yes... I like this idea! The left rock is already very heavy, but it should be still manageable with a few extra bits. The question is where to add that ledge. Maybe it would work if I extended the ledge in the front? I actually planned it longer, but panicked that I am covering too much space behind it. Please advise! Have a look at the top-down photo, it better shows how the ledges are oriented.
Edit after thinking: I could redo the back ledge not to arch to the front so much, and make extra space between the front and back ledges. But I am still not sure if a third ledge would fit in there. (We are talking about the left structure.)

change the position of those two freestanding rocks somewhere along the front it may look better

No problem here, they were put at their locations without much thinking.

Tomorrow I will take photos without that flat rock in the back. Thanks again!

 

[Science/G]

Yay! I was really apprehensive about being critical at all of your already gorgeous scape, but if I got your creative juices going that's a win!
Your artistic talent is obvious.
I really can't wait to see what it looks like after the adjustments.

 

[BryanM]

My only concern is in a couple places it looks like it might be a tight fit to scrape the glass. IE my tunze is kinda thick.

 

[X-37B]

Hi everyone,

can I please ask for your opinions on my scape? This is my first-ever aquarium scape for my first-ever reef tank. The tank is CADE S2 1500, 1500x600x600mm (5x2x2 feet). I am planning it to be a mixed reef tank. The scape is still on the 'construction board' (hence the mess around), the frame is of the tank's size. There is a video at the end.

The rocks are resting on 20mm (0.8") tall Delrin (POM) sheets. My plan is to have this setup in the tank too. There will be 25 - 35mm (1 - 1.4") sand bed. So the rocks rest on the blocks, and sand around the blocks and a covering a sliver of the rocks. Can you see anything grossly wrong this?

Thanks!

Video on YouTube: Aquascape for 5x2x2 feet reef tank

Nice dead rock scape. Get 2 Tunze ORCA 's for flow, its all the flow you will need. I run 2 sweeps in my 60×30×21. Interesting way to elevate your rock. Placing rock on the glass has never been an issue in 35+ and I have had the great rock wall of fame over the years.