How close to water surface with Aquascape?

rrichardsmn

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2021
Messages
112
Reaction score
68
Location
Eden Prairie
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have gotten a start on my aquascape and I am curious how close to the water surface should the highest rocks be? I understand there won't be room for corals if rock is right at surface, but is there any other reason to avoid being within an inch of the surface?
 

sarcophytonIndy

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 1, 2018
Messages
770
Reaction score
981
Location
Indy
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No reason not to. I have rocks right up to the surface
IMG_2577.gif
 

mike550

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 13, 2019
Messages
2,268
Reaction score
2,379
Location
Chicago
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have gotten a start on my aquascape and I am curious how close to the water surface should the highest rocks be? I understand there won't be room for corals if rock is right at surface, but is there any other reason to avoid being within an inch of the surface?
That's a great question. I've always heard to keep rocks about 1/3 below the surface so you can have room for coral growth. But if that's not an issue, then the only thing I can think of is that it might be a bitter harder to clean the rock, etc?
 

sp1187

bird flu antidote
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2017
Messages
13,345
Reaction score
69,068
Location
the duck blind
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I like that... how close to surface are those two side areas? edit... oops, missed that you break surface. Is that with rock only, or with the nem?
my scape breaks the surface on the left. almost does on the right. no rock. made the scape from pvc and 2 part mix. reason its that high, besides I like the look, it hides everything. the overflow is a sidewall on the right side. in each back corner is a vertically mounted gyre. a heater on the right side. just my opinion, but why spend the time to make a beautiful reef and look at pumps?
 
OP
OP
rrichardsmn

rrichardsmn

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2021
Messages
112
Reaction score
68
Location
Eden Prairie
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
my scape breaks the surface on the left. almost does on the right. no rock. made the scape from pvc and 2 part mix. reason its that high, besides I like the look, it hides everything. the overflow is a sidewall on the right side. in each back corner is a vertically mounted gyre. a heater on the right side. just my opinion, but why spend the time to make a beautiful reef and look at pumps?
I totally love the idea of hiding everything. I have center overflow, so that might be a challenge as I want to leave some negative space in the center, but, the 2 wavemakers, could definitely be mostly hidden. Any issue with flow hiding them like that?
 

sp1187

bird flu antidote
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2017
Messages
13,345
Reaction score
69,068
Location
the duck blind
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I totally love the idea of hiding everything. I have center overflow, so that might be a challenge as I want to leave some negative space in the center, but, the 2 wavemakers, could definitely be mostly hidden. Any issue with flow hiding them like that?
no issues because they are vertical so flow goes down each side wall and meets in the center of the front. also hidden is my return which puts up a good current also.

hiding an overflow you say??? :D
 

Mark Bradley

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 27, 2019
Messages
625
Reaction score
845
Location
London, UK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Alkalinity 135ppm, calcium 450ppm, phosphate 0.03, salinity 1.025 - these are consistently the measurements but I can’t keep SPS alive. I have a Reefer 170 with ReefLED set on their mid pre set. Very jealous of these photos but not sure what I’m doing wrong. Bubble corals, Duncan’s, Smoly, Trachy’s all doing great. Any thoughts please?
 

NJBillyV

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 6, 2020
Messages
157
Reaction score
95
Location
Charlotte NC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have rocks almost to the surface and it looks cool. The only thing is that if you do a big water change they become exposed.
 
OP
OP
rrichardsmn

rrichardsmn

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2021
Messages
112
Reaction score
68
Location
Eden Prairie
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I decided to have some variation in my aquascaping, but decided to keep most lower. It got pretty heavy looking if I added more higher.
IMG_2832.jpg
 

Set it and forget it: Do you change your aquascape as your corals grow?

  • I regularly change something in my aquascape.

    Votes: 14 9.3%
  • I occasionally change something in my aquascape.

    Votes: 43 28.7%
  • I rarely change something in my aquascape.

    Votes: 71 47.3%
  • I never change something in my aquascape.

    Votes: 19 12.7%
  • Other.

    Votes: 3 2.0%
Back
Top