MANDARIN FUGE AQUA SCAPE IDEAS- ADVICE NEEDED

[dark waters]

Hello everyone....I have finished the Mandarin fuge and I'm stumped on what kind of aqua scape to put together....I'm looking for some unique ideas.... I want to use the water volume wisely and put some good algae plants in that will do well in low to moderate light...

Here are some ground rules though...
1. NO CORAL IDEAS....never been a fan of them even those they are beautiful

2. No fake coral ideas....

3. Looking for the creepy or wierd look...some different...

4. If anyone knows WHAT ARE THE MOST WASTE REMOVING OR BENEFICIAL ALGAE PLANTS TO PUT IN THE MANDARIN FUGE PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS....

THANK YOU IN ADVICE FOR YOUR HELP....

 

[Myka]

I'd just put Chaeto in there with a light to grow it. However, my first plan of attack would be to train the Mandarin to eat frozen foods. It's not that difficult, just a bit time consuming.

 

[fab]

I'll take a shot at this for you...With or without sand...

Just add a dozen small pieces of very low profile (1-4") rocks on the bare bottom. Float a ball of Chaeto that covers up to 1/4 of the tank surface, pump water (return?) onto the edge of the chaeto ball so it tumbles just a little to produce visible motion. Harvest it as you see fit to export nutrient. You can tie the chaeto ball in place with a string from above so it doesn't travel around the tank.

If you can, move the clam to the one-thirds point in the front viewing frame of the tank. Move it forward to be a focal point in your 'scape, just a few inches behind the front glass. Do the same thing on the other side with the tall rock on the right. Move it a bit to the left to the right side's third's point. Also move the tall rock forward to about the center, front-to-back, of the tank floor. Stack some rock next to and leaning against the left side of the tall rock to form a swim through or even a cave using the slight undercut of the tall rock as its right wall. Move the smaller clam just a bit off-center, closer to and partially in front of the large rock so the two are suggestive of an alcove and the swim-though/cave is to the clams right. Make the swim-through opening as large as you can. If it is to suggest a cave, you can visually block the back side of what would otherwise be a swim-through with small rocks and plants.

Group the small rock in low lying clusters kinda like a few mini-bommies separated by a few to several inches of bottom leaving channels for the Mandarins to roam and browse. Leave a large beach-like area in the front of the tank extending to and behind the small clam and wrapping around the tall rock. Put taller plants behind and outboard of the tall rock, somewhat in the corner. Situate the chaeto ball to the rear of the tank a bit off-center. Plant low plants at the front left of the tank in the corner and in the real left corner, taller ones to the rear, maybe on a mini-bommie. The front right corner should clearly be dominated by the tall rock and its swim through and its clam. The left side highlights the big clam at a prominent 1/3 point with bottom space (sand?) around it and flanked on its left by low, colorful plants.

'Scaping Recommendation: get some molding clay (real cheap at a craft store) and mock up your layout, roughly. Work on wax paper that is taped to stiff cardboard. You can do a model in 10 minutes or less. Do several of them. Cut a frame out of cardboard to represent the tank viewing frame. Look at the model through that cutout. It is a great way to move things around, get it right aesthetically and not have to mess around in the tank before you have a solid idea of what you will like.

Whattaya think???
fab

 

[dark waters]

I'd just put Chaeto in there with a light to grow it. However, my first plan of attack would be to train the Mandarin to eat frozen foods. It's not that difficult, just a bit time consuming.

WE ALREADY COVERED IT IN THIS THREAD LOL...THX THOUGH
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/m...success-with-them.236462/page-11#post-2855839

 

[dark waters]

I'll take a shot at this for you...With or without sand...

Just add a dozen small pieces of very low profile (1-4") rocks on the bare bottom. Float a ball of Chaeto that covers up to 1/4 of the tank surface, pump water (return?) onto the edge of the chaeto ball so it tumbles just a little to produce visible motion. Harvest it as you see fit to export nutrient. You can tie the chaeto ball in place with a string from above so it doesn't travel around the tank.

If you can, move the clam to the one-thirds point in the front viewing frame of the tank. Move it forward to be a focal point in your 'scape, just a few inches behind the front glass. Do the same thing on the other side with the tall rock on the right. Move it a bit to the left to the right side's third's point. Also move the tall rock forward to about the center, front-to-back, of the tank floor. Stack some rock next to and leaning against the left side of the tall rock to form a swim through or even a cave using the slight undercut of the tall rock as its right wall. Move the smaller clam just a bit off-center, closer to and partially in front of the large rock so the two are suggestive of an alcove and the swim-though/cave is to the clams right. Make the swim-through opening as large as you can. If it is to suggest a cave, you can visually block the back side of what would otherwise be a swim-through with small rocks and plants.

Group the small rock in low lying clusters kinda like a few mini-bommies separated by a few to several inches of bottom leaving channels for the Mandarins to roam and browse. Leave a large beach-like area in the front of the tank extending to and behind the small clam and wrapping around the tall rock. Put taller plants behind and outboard of the tall rock, somewhat in the corner. Situate the chaeto ball to the rear of the tank a bit off-center. Plant low plants at the front left of the tank in the corner and in the real left corner, taller ones to the rear, maybe on a mini-bommie. The front right corner should clearly be dominated by the tall rock and its swim through and its clam. The left side highlights the big clam at a prominent 1/3 point with bottom space (sand?) around it and flanked on its left by low, colorful plants.

'Scaping Recommendation: get some molding clay (real cheap at a craft store) and mock up your layout, roughly. Work on wax paper that is taped to stiff cardboard. You can do a model in 10 minutes or less. Do several of them. Cut a frame out of cardboard to represent the tank viewing frame. Look at the model through that cutout. It is a great way to move things around, get it right aesthetically and not have to mess around in the tank before you have a solid idea of what you will like.

Whattaya think???
fab

FAB ....man I like the idea of the cheat is motion but cheato screams refuge big time....I want it to look like more of a second display with benefits lol...that would be awesome to have the cheat rolling in the picture frame like the sun...with the picture frame clay going on and the beach scene lol.... I like the cave idea.... my kind of creepy.... do you know of some good algae plants or good plants that eats waste? And thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts

 

[dark waters]

FAB...ALSO THAT SMALL CLAM IS A DOG ON CONE SNAIL.... THE LFS SAID IT WAS A BABY CONCH SNAIL.... GOOD THING MY FISH ARE TO BIG FOR HIM TO ATTACK.... I'M TRYING TO FIND A HOME HIM NOW... HE HAS UNTIL I GET MY MANDYS .... THEN POOF.... TRASH CAN!!! LOL

 

[Myka]

WE ALREADY COVERED IT IN THIS THREAD LOL...THX THOUGH
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/m...success-with-them.236462/page-11#post-2855839

Ah, I don't look at the fourms much - I just stick to Randy's reef chemistry forum - that's the only reason I saw this thread since it was originally posted in there. Lol.

 

[dark waters]

Cool lol....I meant to put it in there....if someone can transfer it I would appreciate it....

 

[fab]

dark waters,

 

[fab]

I have finished the Mandarin fuge and I'm stumped on what kind of aqua scape to put together.

So I figured you meant Refugium, possibly for nutrient export. Now it seems like you really just mean an additional display tank for shy critters.

If you are not using this tank for nutrient export then scrap everything I posted about a cheato ball and any plants. Do not put them in a display tank. Increase the mini-bommies to be at differing heights from 4" to 2/3 tank depth with only one being that high (2/3 depth) . If you do the swim through you could try putting a right spot of violet or dark blue light on the back side of it so it can only be seen by looking into the entrance way. Make it look like a cave that has a fairly dim bluish glow coming from within it.

 

[dark waters]

So I figured you meant Refugium, possibly for nutrient export. Now it seems like you really just mean an additional display tank for shy critters.

If you are not using this tank for nutrient export then scrap everything I posted about a cheato ball and any plants. Do not put them in a display tank. Increase the mini-bommies to be at differing heights from 4" to 2/3 tank depth with only one being that high (2/3 depth) . If you do the swim through you could try putting a right spot of violet or dark blue light on the back side of it so it can only be seen by looking into the entrance way. Make it look like a cave that has a fairly dim bluish glow coming from within it.

I love the purple and black light idea....thanks

 

[dark waters]

ANYONE ELSE HAVE SOME COOL AQUA SCAPE IDEAS? I was thinking of plants like these.....Micro and macro stuff...

 

[dark waters]

ANYONE ONE HAVE SOME NICE COLORFULL MACRO ALGAE TO SHARE PICS OF?

 

[dark waters]

Center piece for the big 300 gallon

Center pieces for the 75 mandy fuge...


@fab here is my kind of creepy center pieces....

I'm really trying to figure a way to create the tumbling cheato like you suggested lol... I may nee some more input on that lol....I definitely want my tank to to say waste land....lol and Dark waters lol...I'm going to contact tanked to see what type of waterproof agents I can use to cover the statues so they don't leach and decay

 

[dark waters]

MANDY FUGE UPDATE.... I'M THINKING I WANT TO MACRO ALGAE TO GROW IN THE GLASSES

 

[dark waters]

MANDY FUGE UPDATE....GOT THE FIRST OF THE MACRO ALGAE IN.... MOHAWK THE MANDY IS DOING OUTSTANDING....

View attachment 20160513_233045.jpg

View attachment 20160514_004701.jpg

 

[dark waters]

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR HELP AND KNOWLEDGE....I'M FINALLY DONE WITH .....MOHAWK'S...MANDY FUGE....I SETTLED WITH PUTTING SAND AS THE SUBSTRATE...YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH WHAT WORKS....ENJOY THE PICS

To the person who suggested that I tumble cheato....I appreciated the challenge...I was able to get the dragons tongue macro algae to in only the tall glasses... this helped it grow super fast as well....

 

[Untamedrose]

Its well basic artistically ...but really worried how does this help the Mandarins?

 

[dark waters]

Its well basic artistically ...but really worried how does this help the Mandarins?

1. MOHAWK has zero competition for food... the flow is perfect just for him.....he is not blown everywhere....like he would be in my 300 gallon...it is really easy to target feed him treats such as mysis and tiny fish eggs...

2. He has a complete self sufficient pod population... the pods reproduce on the rumble piles.... more importantly the pods breed in the Marco algae and mohawk does not always get in the glasses to eat them all up so the population keeps growing....

4. The glasses keeps all the crabs and snails at bey so the macro algae can thrive and process nutrients...

5. The set up may be basic but I had to consider maintenance and I wanted a unique look.... at first I so going to add a funky skeleton to the set up...but I chose sexy and elegant.... the sand is easy to clean and it is easy for the nassarius snails to do their magic as well....

 

[Untamedrose]

Ok....Im just going to LOL and not get into trouble.