"HELP" New 180 mixed reef tank build

[Sudaien]

I recently purchased 180 gallon 48" x 36" x 24"
Tank to upsize an eliminate my 65 and 45 which tend to be much more work to take care of than the 135 I have upstairs.
Looked at many, many many photos of different aquascape ideas. Ordered a bunch of Marco Rock to build an aquascape and I'm not sure what happened but I got so much rock and such huge pieces and now I'm at a loss with to do with it all because it's just so much.
I have one piece that's such a beautiful chunk of Marco rock. It's flat 24 inches of cross and 20 in wide but if I put it in the tank and it would fit easily but it would block so much light. I have six pieces that came already glued to flat bases to set down on something. They're the five on the right and the one on top of the picture and then a bunch of flat base rocks for the bottom. Well you can see for yourself. I have a feeling I'm going to have to break rock and I don't want to. I would love some ideas from everybody or anybody on what to do with this. Aquascape pictures would help but any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to be doing this or starting it today or tomorrow. Hopefully today if I can get some input back quickly enough.

 

[Sudaien]

I recently purchased 180 gallon 48" x 36" x 24"
Tank to upsize an eliminate my 65 and 45 which tend to be much more work to take care of than the 135 I have upstairs.
Looked at many, many many photos of different aquascape ideas. Ordered a bunch of Marco Rock to build an aquascape and I'm not sure what happened but I got so much rock and such huge pieces and now I'm at a loss with to do with it all because it's just so much.
I have one piece that's such a beautiful chunk of Marco rock. It's flat 24 inches of cross and 20 in wide but if I put it in the tank and it would fit easily but it would block so much light. I have six pieces that came already glued to flat bases to set down on something. They're the five on the right and the one on top of the picture and then a bunch of flat base rocks for the bottom. Well you can see for yourself. I have a feeling I'm going to have to break rock and I don't want to. I would love some ideas from everybody or anybody on what to do with this. Aquascape pictures would help but any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to be doing this or starting it today or tomorrow. Hopefully today if I can get some input back quickly enough.

The first picture is the new tank and stand i am building. The second picture is my 135 mixed reef that I have upstairs which I absolutely love and everything is doing wonderfully and have for years now. I originally posted this and builds you can see it as it grew in build section of reef to reef.

 

[Sudaien]

I recently purchased 180 gallon 48" x 36" x 24"
Tank to upsize an eliminate my 65 and 45 which tend to be much more work to take care of than the 135 I have upstairs.
Looked at many, many many photos of different aquascape ideas. Ordered a bunch of Marco Rock to build an aquascape and I'm not sure what happened but I got so much rock and such huge pieces and now I'm at a loss with to do with it all because it's just so much.
I have one piece that's such a beautiful chunk of Marco rock. It's flat 24 inches of cross and 20 in wide but if I put it in the tank and it would fit easily but it would block so much light. I have six pieces that came already glued to flat bases to set down on something. They're the five on the right and the one on top of the picture and then a bunch of flat base rocks for the bottom. Well you can see for yourself. I have a feeling I'm going to have to break rock and I don't want to. I would love some ideas from everybody or anybody on what to do with this. Aquascape pictures would help but any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to be doing this or starting it today or tomorrow. Hopefully today if I can get some input back quickly enough.

 

[Sudaien]

On these two photos, the first picture the five pieces on the right and the one on top in the middle row. All already have flat base pieces to set them on the ground or attach them to another rock I don't know. The second picture all four of those pieces are flat on bottom. They're initially meant for foundation pieces for the very bottom of the aquascape, but I guess could be used on anything.

 

[Sudaien]

Did I have these two medium size? Just random pieces, not flat anywhere

 

[nuxx]

Original scape using marco rock early in my build:

 

[Sudaien]

I recently purchased 180 gallon 48" x 36" x 24"
Tank to upsize an eliminate my 65 and 45 which tend to be much more work to take care of than the 135 I have upstairs.
Looked at many, many many photos of different aquascape ideas. Ordered a bunch of Marco Rock to build an aquascape and I'm not sure what happened but I got so much rock and such huge pieces and now I'm at a loss with to do with it all because it's just so much.
I have one piece that's such a beautiful chunk of Marco rock. It's flat 24 inches of cross and 20 in wide but if I put it in the tank and it would fit easily but it would block so much light. I have six pieces that came already glued to flat bases to set down on something. They're the five on the right and the one on top of the picture and then a bunch of flat base rocks for the bottom. Well you can see for yourself. I have a feeling I'm going to have to break rock and I don't want to. I would love some ideas from everybody or anybody on what to do with this. Aquascape pictures would help but any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to be doing this or starting it today or tomorrow. Hopefully today if I can get some input back quickly enough.

 

[Sudaien]

I also have these bags of nano shelf rock and frag mounts

 

[Sudaien]

I recently purchased 180 gallon 48" x 36" x 24"
Tank to upsize an eliminate my 65 and 45 which tend to be much more work to take care of than the 135 I have upstairs.
Looked at many, many many photos of different aquascape ideas. Ordered a bunch of Marco Rock to build an aquascape and I'm not sure what happened but I got so much rock and such huge pieces and now I'm at a loss with to do with it all because it's just so much.
I have one piece that's such a beautiful chunk of Marco rock. It's flat 24 inches of cross and 20 in wide but if I put it in the tank and it would fit easily but it would block so much light. I have six pieces that came already glued to flat bases to set down on something. They're the five on the right and the one on top of the picture and then a bunch of flat base rocks for the bottom. Well you can see for yourself. I have a feeling I'm going to have to break rock and I don't want to. I would love some ideas from everybody or anybody on what to do with this. Aquascape pictures would help but any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to be doing this or starting it today or tomorrow. Hopefully today if I can get some input back quickly enough.

 

[Sudaien]

And last, but certainly not least. I have these two two pieces. One of them so big for flat shelves

 

[MikeCHI]

I think youre going to have to break those big ones in such a tall tank, they will shade everything. I would try to break them long ways. I would get some 'standard' marco rocks and if your ordering them from BRS ask for small ones in the notes. Then I would build a couple structures using the small round rocks as the legs to the next level and then the flats at every level. Just my idea. I am not an artist like some people but i also hate the "pile of rocks" look, lol.

Heres a look in one of my newest tanks i did using pieces very similar to those.

 

[Sudaien]

And last, but certainly not least. I have these two two pieces. One of them so big for flat shelves

I think youre going to have to break those big ones in such a tall tank, they will shade everything. I would try to break them long ways. I would get some 'standard' marco rocks and if your ordering them from BRS ask for small ones in the notes. Then I would build a couple structures using the small round rocks as the legs to the next level and then the flats at every level. Just my idea. I am not an artist like some people but i also hate the "pile of rocks" look, lol.

Heres a look in one of my newest tanks i did using pieces very similar to those.

Any idea on how to cleanly break? 2-ft wide marco rock lol

 

[MikeCHI]

Any idea on how to cleanly break? 2-ft wide marco rock lol

uh, well. Blind leading the blind here, and this is probably horrible advice. "I" would lay it across the short sides of 2, 2 by 4's and hit it in the middle with a flat chisel, lol. and just build around the pieces i got.

 

[trsmith18]

Love the left island. The right I would try and incorporate one of this large shelves maybe lower down as to not shade anything

as far as breaking it, you could always drill tiny little holes like the wires across it to act as a fracture line. And embrace it as previously mentioned with two by fours and give it a whack.