Need help with your aquascape?

[Todvod]

im gonna be setting up a waterbox 100.3 very soon and been playing with rock structures Im pretty happy with I have so far ill post them here also to get some feedback on it. I have 3 revisions so far that are basically the same except the top section of the right structure. The tank is 36x24x22 gonna be a mixed reef sps top half and lps lower half. Any suggestions will be great and which of 3 do you like better or what would you change. Scape 2 and 3 are the same other than a spacer rock to make the top taller shorter.

aquascape 1

aquascape 2

aquascape 3

2

 

[Ardeus]

im gonna be setting up a waterbox 100.3 very soon and been playing with rock structures Im pretty happy with I have so far ill post them here also to get some feedback on it. I have 3 revisions so far that are basically the same except the top section of the right structure. The tank is 36x24x22 gonna be a mixed reef sps top half and lps lower half. Any suggestions will be great and which of 3 do you like better or what would you change. Scape 2 and 3 are the same other than a spacer rock to make the top taller shorter.

aquascape 1

aquascape 2

aquascape 3

Option 3. When you place the corals try to create more height and volume on the right structure.

 

[Ardeus]

Wrong post

 

[pdiehm]

Not gonna lie...although the creativity is proof...I am really really struggling. I am willing to have someone FaceTime with me and help me out, because I have zero clue. I would prefer an open aquascape but I don’t think that’s possible.

Dead serious, if someone who is good at this wants to FaceTime, by all means send me a PM.

This is what I have so far. The 3 biggest rocks. I have built it and tore it down 4 times already. I can’t even get a rock wall to look right.

 

[Ardeus]

Not gonna lie...although the creativity is proof...I am really really struggling. I am willing to have someone FaceTime with me and help me out, because I have zero clue. I would prefer an open aquascape but I don’t think that’s possible.

Dead serious, if someone who is good at this wants to FaceTime, by all means send me a PM.

This is what I have so far. The 3 biggest rocks. I have built it and tore it down 4 times already. I can’t even get a rock wall to look right.

Your tank is long, high and narrow.

You like and open look.

The only ways you can create an open look are by having a single structure or 2 structures, where 1 of them is just a small rock. This last option may look more interesting.

Either way, given the height of your tank, you must go higher than that last structure.

Start with the larger rocks on the bottom. Make sure to leave plenty of space from the side glass, to create an open look.

Pile the top rocks against the back glass and make sure that the rocks fit into each other as seamless as possible. The fish will appreciate the cave behind the rocks.

 

[pdiehm]

There are a ton of openings. It has a lot of coral placement. It’s slightly above half the tank height.

I worry about detritus getting under the rocks. But, there is only so much I can do given the tank and my obvious lack of creativity.

It’s a rock wall. It’s the best that I have the ability to do. Do I like it? No. But I don’t know how to do it any different.

Aquascaping is the one part of this hobby that I would literally pay someone to do for me. I just don’t have that knack.

 

[pdiehm]

I pulled out all the rock. Gave myself 30 minutes. This is what I came up with. But it’s being able to replicate it....

 

[Crabby48]

I pulled out all the rock. Gave myself 30 minutes. This is what I came up with. But it’s being able to replicate it....

I like it. Hope you can replicate it.
After you get this figured out you can do mine lol

 

[Ardeus]

I hope you can replicate it because it looks really good.

 

[pdiehm]

Ok. I was unable to replicate because at 10pm I didn’t set any boundaries. It was 22” front to back and my tank is 18”.

This is what I came up with. I am not unhappy but think it could be better. Due to the width of the tank it’s extremely difficult to not have a vertical face but I do have some lower accessible spots for corals. It’s more open than it looks with 3 areas that are completely open from the rock to the back wall. Rocks are about 1” off back wall except for one of the base rocks which has a point touching.

I am definitely not an expert but there appears to be lots of coral placement..I could be wrong however.

I did reach out to Armco Aquarics to see if they offer aquascape services (I highly doubt it).

Without further ado....

The struggle is real for me. I can smoke and bbq ribs like no one. I can diagram plays to kill a cover 2 defense. I cannot aquascape for my life

 

[Ardeus]

Yes you can and you did. Good job there.

With sand the whole thing will look even more cohesive.

 

[pdiehm]

Yes you can and you did. Good job there.

With sand the whole thing will look even more cohesive.

Not planning on sand. My first attempt at a tank with sand did not fare so well, and with this being planned as an SPS dominated tank...wasn't planning on sand. I could be talked into it, but I really don't know how to properly care for sand so it doesn't become a nutrient sink.

 

[Ardeus]

Just put half an inch of sand and you're good to go. Just don't go with sugar size, because it will really limit the amount of flow your can have without blowing it around.

 

[pdiehm]

Just put half an inch of sand and you're good to go. Just don't go with sugar size, because it will really limit the amount of flow your can have without blowing it around.

any suggestions?

 

[Ardeus]

I don't know which brands are easily available in the US. Maybe someone else can give you a suggestion.

 

[MamaLovesHerReefTank]

I pulled out all the rock. Gave myself 30 minutes. This is what I came up with. But it’s being able to replicate it....

If you can get your hands on some gorilla glue (gel). Squirt a bit where each rock touches another rock. This is what I did as I have no luck getting them into the same position trying to get them in the tank. I then used epoxy where I had used the gorilla glue. Let it dry for at least 24 hours before trying to lift it.

 

[Ardeus]

This was a tough aquascascaping day



We took the rocks on a small boat, dumped them overboard and then created the aquascape a few meters to the side.

The video is a bit of a joke, but there's some good advise there.

 

[Joey Merrell]

There are tons of options for sand. Caribsea has too many to list. Fiji pink is a group favorite, but is very fine. Special grade will he a little larger. And if you want to be different, they even have grades in black that look super cool in tanks. I personally think that if you go with even a 1/2" of sand it helps build more bacteria to keep stuff under control.

 

[pdiehm]

There are tons of options for sand. Caribsea has too many to list. Fiji pink is a group favorite, but is very fine. Special grade will he a little larger. And if you want to be different, they even have grades in black that look super cool in tanks. I personally think that if you go with even a 1/2" of sand it helps build more bacteria to keep stuff under control.

I like the Hawaiian black. I just know from my previous experience, I will not be able to consistently maintain the sand. Now maybe this time as things build up, the algae scrubber will be established and take care of it for me.

But last time...woosh it was just bad.

 

[cmcoker]

I like the Hawaiian black. I just know from my previous experience, I will not be able to consistently maintain the sand. Now maybe this time as things build up, the algae scrubber will be established and take care of it for me.

But last time...woosh it was just bad.

Other members have struggled with metals being released from the black sands, I'd look into that before going with the Hawaii black.