NSA- Negative Space Aquascape

[drukkosz]

Just curious as to what your bioload is...I’m considering doing the same but I’m worried about hiding areas for my pods that my mandarin eats...

Year and a half later update. I have pair of mandarin and they are doing great. They love the scape and I think it creates much more surface for pods then stocking rocks on top of each other.

 

[Amphibious Wallet]

Year and a half later update. I have pair of mandarin and they are doing great. They love the scape and I think it creates much more surface for pods then stocking rocks on top of each other.

Hawt.
Mandarins and shrimp are all I'm going into this hobby for.

 

[DOJOLOACH]

Looks good! I'm doing mine right now and needed some inspiration... it's hard to not make the nsa scape look like a bonsai tree

 

[bvanfish]

@DOJOLOACH as someone who does bonsai I’d love to see your scape !

 

[Hot2na]

I used to think this was a great idea..more open ,etc..now I think otherwise...The old "wall of rock" look is more appealing to me for many reasons..With tons of rock you can also get the added benefit of denitrification within the rock as well as mini cryptic zones forming in spots .. I know this NSA thing is all the rage now,,so many of you will poo poo this post .. give it a couple yrs and you all with the fruitstand NSA. look will come around... unfortunately real live rock or even dry is becoming harder to get ..

 

[drukkosz]

I used to think this was a great idea..more open ,etc..now I think otherwise...The old "wall of rock" look is more appealing to me for many reasons..With tons of rock you can also get the added benefit of denitrification within the rock as well as mini cryptic zones forming in spots .. I know this NSA thing is all the rage now,,so many of you will poo poo this post .. give it a couple yrs and you all with the fruitstand NSA. look will come around... unfortunately real live rock or even dry is becoming harder to get ..

What is the reason people will get frustrated after few years?

All I see are benefits.
- easier coral placement,
-better water flow (filtration)
- no detritus build up! that's a huge one
- tons of pods Look how fat my mandarins are. I believe NSA is a reason for it.
-and most important fish love it! they swim through the scape all day long and at night they have plenty of places to hide.

I do not see me coming back to "wall of rock" anytime soon (over 12 years in the hobby and 4 tank upgrades)

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Your aquascape looks great in your tank!!

 

[EliMelly]

Fun little project, made a frag rack for the Lion fish tank

That is a great idea!! How did you make the holes?

 

[drukkosz]

That is a great idea!! How did you make the holes?

Thank you. I used a drill bit they have special for masonry. Just be careful and slow, its easy to brake the rock

 

[DOJOLOACH]

@DOJOLOACH as someone who does bonsai I’d love to see your scape !

Where I'm at right now. Wanted to do an island on the front right, sps on top, Monti plating off on left side. At this point I'm debating touching down somewhere on the right side to give 2 anchor points. What do you think? Or should I keep going with the long skinny piece?

 

[drukkosz]

new tank = new scape



The tank will be hosting a pygmy red rooster waspfish



Also it will be a mushroom display. took 24 pieces of rock to build this little display

 

[ReefTanker91]

What is the reason people will get frustrated after few years?

All I see are benefits.
- easier coral placement,
-better water flow (filtration)
- no detritus build up! that's a huge one
- tons of pods Look how fat my mandarins are. I believe NSA is a reason for it.
-and most important fish love it! they swim through the scape all day long and at night they have plenty of places to hide.

I do not see me coming back to "wall of rock" anytime soon (over 12 years in the hobby and 4 tank upgrades)

Hey Drukkosz, just wanted to thank you for making this post. Will be working on my first saltwater tank this year and your post gave me motivation to break down some live rock and scape it according to nsa. Your tank and fish look incredible.

 

[drukkosz]

Hey Drukkosz, just wanted to thank you for making this post. Will be working on my first saltwater tank this year and your post gave me motivation to break down some live rock and scape it according to nsa. Your tank and fish look incredible.

Thank you very much! Appreciate it. Good luck, it was defiantly slow but fun progress. I still love mine and most important my fish do to. Let me know if you have any questions and defiantly post some pictures.

 

[Katrina71]

I love this thread. A great inspiration for a structure for my son's damsel. He's quite large now and I think some of these structures are better than my cave. Going on the hunt for a rock that already has a natural arch!

 

[ReefTanker91]

Thank you very much! Appreciate it. Good luck, it was defiantly slow but fun progress. I still love mine and most important my fish do to. Let me know if you have any questions and defiantly post some pictures.

Hey Drukkosz, I just received my Tampa bay live rock a few days ago. I broke it down to smaller pieces but think I might need to go even smaller. I wanted to ask what sand did you use to help bond the live rock together? The one I got off of Amazon didn’t seem to have a chemical reaction with the glue.

Thanks again in advance.

 

[drukkosz]

Hey Drukkosz, I just received my Tampa bay live rock a few days ago. I broke it down to smaller pieces but think I might need to go even smaller. I wanted to ask what sand did you use to help bond the live rock together? The one I got off of Amazon didn’t seem to have a chemical reaction with the glue.

Thanks again in advance.

My apology for a late response.... I used fiji pink but not sure if thats a sand issue. I would say its glue.

Last time I used this one, works very well:

 

[drukkosz]

My apology for a late response.... I used fiji pink but not sure if thats a sand issue. I would say its glue.

Last time I used this one, works very well:

I guess cannot attache amazon links anymore.
if you are looking for a glue search amazon for:

Starbond 4 oz. Super Fast Thin CA Glue (Premium Cyanoacrylate Super Glue) for Woodworking, Woodturning, Hobby Models, CA Finish, Inlays​

 

[ReefTanker91]

I guess cannot attache amazon links anymore.
if you are looking for a glue search amazon for:

Starbond 4 oz. Super Fast Thin CA Glue (Premium Cyanoacrylate Super Glue) for Woodworking, Woodturning, Hobby Models, CA Finish, Inlays​

Hey Drukkosz, thanks for your help. I used glue masters glue. I had someone scape it. With young kids and work I couldn’t find the time or patience.

I added some minor details and gave direction but I think it turned out great. More of a Habitat Aquascape.