Reef aquascaping video series

[Ardeus]

I decided to create a series of videos dedicated to reef aquascaping.

I began with small cubes, since it's a popular size and with a limited amount of options.

I will continue to add videos to this post as I upload them.

I plan to continue with videos on various aquascaping topics as well as suggestions for different tanks.

I wish I could use real examples but I don't want to risk copyright issues and I don't have the tanks and rocks I would need to create the layouts myself. I am using 3D animations instead.

On my list of to do at the moment I have:

- Small cubes (done)
- Corner tanks (includes medium and large size cubes viewable from 2 sides and corner bow front tanks (done).
- Medium and large size cubes viewable from all sides (done)
- Peninsula tanks (done)
- Rectangular tanks (done)
- Lagoon tanks
- Coral placement (In production in a new series of videos)

 

[revhtree]

Oh man this is going to be a great series!

 

[NY_Caveman]

Nice @Ardeus !

 

[Ardeus]

I missed working in 3D and this is the perfect excuse. I am having fun making these videos.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I missed working in 3D and this is the perfect excuse. I am having fun making these videos.

It came out great. I cannot wait to see the rest. What software are you using if you do not mind saying?

 

[Ardeus]

Thanks, I am using 3dsmax from autodesk.

I think I can upload 2 or 3 videos per week.

 

[Ardeus]

I just uploaded another one. These aquascapes may be a bit unusual, but if they were common, it wouldn't be worth talking about them

 

[OriginalUserName]

Do peninsula next. I need ideas for my new tank.

 

[Ardeus]

I am now working on the last video on cubes and I will get on to peninsula tanks next.

 

[Ardeus]

I finished the video on cubes meant to be seen from all sides, but these suggestions will work on any cubes.

On to the peninsulas, on popular request

 

[Tuan Black]

Yes would like to c a peninsula set up also

 

[zieg9479]

I'm setting up a 140 gal cube soon and will check out your vids for inspiration. Seeing some visualizations is much better than a written down how-to. Thanks!

edit: Just watched the video on all sizes of cubes and I enjoyed it. I especially like the iwagumi concept and have struggled with how to incorporate it.

I'm wondering if you have any general thoughts for tall cubes.. in my opinion many tall tanks (>30" tall) tend to flatten and pancake the rock structures in most cases. Walls of rock appear to be scattered rubble when they occupy only the bottom 40% or so of a tank. The most successful aquascaping in a deep tank, in my eyes, is when rock bommies are used. For some reason, this makes me imagine a shallow patch reef under breaking waves and the water height actually seems to accentuate the 'look'.
But anyway, I've seen the 'relatively short bommies in a tall tank' design executed well only in tall and medium to long (4-8ft) tanks.
So, my long-preambling question to you is: The first design on your cube tank video, where you have three unevenly sized structures.. how do you think that would look in a tall tank? My tank is 30" x 36" x 30". I have considered building up rocks so that the tallest structure would be 20" (two other rock structures might be 15 and 9" tall or so). Or should I stay lower and avoid the appearance of spires? Each rock structure would have 4 to 8" between them to retain the bommie look. I could image that having slightly taller rock structures could make for a cool canyon look that peaks visual curiosity.. but if the foreground structure was too tall that would visually block off the interspaces.

Forgive my rambling. I'll post photos in the next month.

 

[Ardeus]

Since it's difficult to find pieces of live rock big enough, bommies is the way to go. The toughest part is to create bommies that look like single structures.

In a tank 30" tall, a structure with 20" height and relatively small base will look too thin.

I would accept the extra free vertical space and create a smaller structure.

If you really want to go high, you need a single structure like the huge cave I suggested in the corner tanks video.

 

[TemDave]

I'm working on my 240 gal peninsula aquascape right now... however my tank will be set up like a corner tank, with just a 36" side view, and 52" front view, x 30" tall. Looking forward to seeing your ideas!!!

 

[TemDave]

Here's a couple of the structures (bommies) I've built for my 30" tall 240 gal peninsula tank. The middle one is 23" tall. I'm also working on a very unique approach to a pc for my aquascape...

 

[TemDave]

I've seen some aquascaping with Tonga branches that looked really cool! Wanting to try and incorporate a section of that if I can make it look good. Problem I'm concerned about is, I'm wanting... trying to do too many things with my aquascape.

 

[Ardeus]

I'm working on my 240 gal peninsula aquascape right now... however my tank will be set up like a corner tank, with just a 36" side view, and 52" front view, x 30" tall. Looking forward to seeing your ideas!!!

I didn't understand the idea for your peninsula aquascape. The peninsula by definition is a tank that is meant to be viewed from 3 sides, yet your tank is viewable from 2 sides. Did you mean that you're creating a layout where the rocks don't touch the back glass?

 

[Ardeus]

Reef branches usually look out of place if they're mixed with anything else. It's like trying to do with rock what you should be doing with coral .

 

[TemDave]

Well... its a peninsula tank, the return on one end that's blacked out. Two 52" view sides, and one 36" view end. We don't have a good spot to set the tank up in that way so we are putting the tank against a wall where it will be viewed with a 52" front, and a 36" side. It will be in a location in our home where sometimes you could be viewing it seeing into both panes of glass (like a corner tank).
Sooo... it will have a front, a back, and a side. If that makes sense...

 

[Ardeus]

It's an unusually wide peninsula then. Have you considered the 3 pieces aquascape I have in the corner tanks video?