Need help with your aquascape?

[WvAquatics]

But the scape looks amazing! I wish I could build that

 

[780blaster]

Hi there! First time aquascaper, looking for feedback. Custom tank size, 54" x 18" x 18" - figured I'd try to get everything cycling in the brute bin while I'm waiting for tank to be build.

 

[aciak]

I would love your opinion on the rockscape I'm building for my Waterbed 100.3. Tank dimensions: 35.4"L x 23.6"W x 21.7"H

The coral goal for this tank will be mixed (softies, LPS, SPS), but I'm really wanting to try my hand at sticks so I've been thinking that high par, elevated areas will be important. My concern right now is that I don't have enough of that so I've been considering adding more rock to the left side of the scape. The right side is 14" high and the left side is 10".

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[mrhammy]

How did I do? Pics are straight-on, angeled, each end, and a top-down shot

 

[mjszos]

Would love some feedback sick on this! First time working with reassembled rubble pieces to create a new structure… 2 big bottles of thick glue, 7 sticks of epoxy, and around 90lbs of rock.

 

[TheVeganReefer]

Getting rid of it only hurts for a short time :) you'll find a younger one easily.

This comment is hilarious

 

[chooki99]

I wanted my rocks to look cool while also being good fish habitat and spots to grow soft and lps corals. So this is my sea dragon skeleton.

Would love feedback if I should change anything?

(Sand in uneven because I was trying to set wavemakers properly) All good now.

I also have a large chunk of live rock from LFS that is in bottom left corner behind skull (it's just not in these photos).

 

[TheDon]

Hi guys

Need some help deciding whether I should leave a gap behind scape or push against rear sump wall! If I leave a space like in picture I’m able to get a cleaning sponge down back and my tunze scraper has enough room on front. I could maybe put zoas on the front perches so they don’t grow out so much.

Or I push against rear sump thus allowing more room at front of DT! I will have two wavemakers on either side to help with flow. Any suggestions welcome

 

[Jack Ravensbergen]

Hi guys

Need some help deciding whether I should leave a gap behind scape or push against rear sump wall! If I leave a space like in picture I’m able to get a cleaning sponge down back and my tunze scraper has enough room on front. I could maybe put zoas on the front perches so they don’t grow out so much.

Or I push against rear sump thus allowing more room at front of DT! I will have two wavemakers on either side to help with flow. Any suggestions welcome

I would leave some space , better for flow and for cleaning.

 

[ShawnSaucier]

Version 1

Version 2

I am trying something different from my last system which was very NSA to start. The problems I had were fish habitat was lacking and then bickering in the tank. Adding rock helped some but limited on porosity within the rock. Also took about 18 months of battles to get it in a stable position.

So I had some old Haitian rock sitting in some bins and topped up from a friend’s supply. I was originally looking to order in some Australian from an online source. But was battling myself in my head over the cost. I really do miss the old days, but it doesn’t mean I can’t get this one rocking as well.
So the plan:
Display : 48L x 30W x 27T

Mixed reef, SPS heavy. Tons of smaller fish (gobi’s, blennies, Anthias, Chromis, Firefish, etc) with maybe a tang or three. ( Bristle Tooth/Zebrasoma) and an wrasse or two. Undecided on if I’m gonna do a clownfish pair with an anemone. If I do, will probably avoid the bubble tip, I’ve done them in every tank for the last 25 years. Would like to try a magnifica but they do get rather large and space is limited. As silly as it sounds, my hope is to create a stable environment to keep a healthy pair of mandarin. These have been my toughest fish to keep successfully in all of my years in the hobby.


The Scape:


Even though the plan is to not see the rock in the future, there is that first couple of years looking at it. Secondly, as I was tearing down my last system, trying to lift the NSA structures was a task. You forget to think about the water weight that is gained as the rock becomes saturated. I swore never again and besides the tank and stand, I want to be able to move anything on my own if needed.

In comes the Haitian rock. If you don’t know, this is old Lettuce coral skeletons and extremely porous. A ton of Ledges, flat surfaces, caves and tunnels. There may be some glueing in spots, but this stuff stacks pretty solid without.
When I finally go wet with this, the plan will be to place the foundation pieces in before the sand. Thinking Tropic Eden Reef Flakes with a mix of TBS ( approx 120-140 lbs for about 2”) so the bottom 2” will be under the sand. Will get some rubble rock for the cryptic fuge in my sump ( 10lbs)

This is two versions I’ve come up with and would like your opinions:

 

[bambo]

Thoughts?

 

[bambo]

More

 

[Freenow54]

Just keep lots of space between rock and glass for maintenance and room for fish to swim. Also don't use 2 part epoxy it crumbles after time, and I wished I had not done it because once you do its kind of permanent. At any rate too late to reconstruct mine now. I remember one guy posted he drilled it and used dowels of some sort to keep them where he wanted them

 

[laxer23]

This maybe out of the scope if the thread, but I am not a designer, much like landscaping I can't put together a vision of my tank with coral. I know pastel is my color preference, I know I don't want it jam packed, and I know I want a diverse mixed reef. Anyone have any help to spark what little imagination I have haha.

I do know it's on the green side, I'm setting up an ATS this weekend, I have the screen in the sump currently and algae is starting to grow on it nicely. The film at the top, I need to drop the water level in the tank a small amount, then it flushes down the overflow. The tank is 4 months old 180g*
I don't have much in the way of fish yet, I have a few fish in QT, I'll add them let the tank settle add coral and I alternate fish, coral. If you see anything I'm missing though let me know.
Thank you!!!!!

 

[Freenow54]

This maybe out of the scope if the thread, but I am not a designer, much like landscaping I can't put together a vision of my tank with coral. I know pastel is my color preference, I know I don't want it jam packed, and I know I want a diverse mixed reef. Anyone have any help to spark what little imagination I have haha.

I do know it's on the green side, I'm setting up an ATS this weekend, I have the screen in the sump currently and algae is starting to grow on it nicely. The film at the top, I need to drop the water level in the tank a small amount, then it flushes down the overflow. The tank is 4 months old 180g*
I don't have much in the way of fish yet, I have a few fish in QT, I'll add them let the tank settle add coral and I alternate fish, coral. If you see anything I'm missing though let me know.
Thank you!!!!!

If you are going to be " diverse " as you put it you defiantly need a par meter and set your lights up. Most LPS need very little light and flow I have read 50 to 150 on the other side some need over 400 and high flow, and tend to be harder to keep so I have read, and be careful of aggressiveness they fight for room apparently. From what I see you should be able to, nice structure

 

[laxer23]

If you are going to be " diverse " as you put it you defiantly need a par meter and set your lights up. Most LPS need very little light and flow I have read 50 to 150 on the other side some need over 400 and high flow, and tend to be harder to keep so I have read, and be careful of aggressiveness they fight for room apparently. From what I see you should be able to, nice structure

Hey,
Yeah, the flow might be trickier. The light, I have been theorizing using small reef lights to use as spot lights on higher light requirement coral. I have 3 Hydra 32's over the tank now.

 

[Freenow54]

Hey,
Yeah, the flow might be trickier. The light, I have been theorizing using small reef lights to use as spot lights on higher light requirement coral. I have 3 Hydra 32's over the tank now.

I got rid of my powerheads because the flow is too strong. In my case I had a canister filter and a dc return pump, so no problems. I suggest that you look at using an external pump and then with a valve you can direct, and control flow. The benefit for me , and everybody is that no more will you get a surprise electrical shock WHEN the powerhead losses its intrinsic protection

 

[Henriquethj]

If you need an outside perspective to help with improving your aquascape, just post here a few shots of your tank, and will try my best shot at providing specific advise according to your goals for the tank.

Sometimes I can just answer here, show the alterations using photoshop or make a video.

Just post here front shots with your cellphone/camera positioned at 3 different heights (sand level, centre and water level) and also a couple of angled photos, so that I can have a better understanding of your tank's layout.

This is a subject that is surprisingly not researched by most reefers and I have given some thought and some time ago I did a similar exercise in another forum.

It's also a great way for everyone to learn from each other and see a few freshwater techniques that we can apply and also many others that are specific for reef tanks.

In the meantime, if you want some inspiration here are a few videos I made with suggestions for different tank shapes.

Hi
Please help me, I'am a begginer and don't want to buy coral that would not fit in my thank. I want to make a mixed reef.

I am thinking in taking of the torch coral, it took so much space in the island, and replace it for frogspaws...

Thank you.





https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sJTqWu6p6ROGwK5_XnciYJ0GhcvOyG8t/view?usp=drive_link

 

[Reefuzz]

I have been out of the hobby almost 20 years. I saved all of my live rock from then. Anyways, this will be a mixed reef going in an IM lagoon 50gal EXT. I left tons of room for my hand on every side for cleaning and what not. I have lots of overhangs and nook and crannies for smaller fish. These are two different scapes and are not attached. Both right and left side are held together by both glue and epoxy at each attachment point. There will be a 1.5 inches of sand. I have a hydros launch, hydros wavemaker LE controlling two octopulse 2, Reefi uno2.1, Simplicity 240DC skimmer.
Let me know your thoughts.

 

[feelingfishy]

I have been out of the hobby almost 20 years. I saved all of my live rock from then. Anyways, this will be a mixed reef going in an IM lagoon 50gal EXT. I left tons of room for my hand on every side for cleaning and what not. I have lots of overhangs and nook and crannies for smaller fish. These are two different scapes and are not attached. Both right and left side are held together by both glue and epoxy at each attachment point. There will be a 1.5 inches of sand. I have a hydros launch, hydros wavemaker LE controlling two octopulse 2, Reefi uno2.1, Simplicity 240DC skimmer.
Let me know your thoughts.

Really digging the scape boss. I love big bolder scapes of old school live rock.