What SPS layout would you do with this scape?

[BAMatter]

Looking for some ideas on layout… what and where. I just don’t have “the eye” for SPS design and could use some direction. Would prefer easier SPS - rainbow stylo, forest fire digi, etc. primarily but a couple mille’s or tenuis will definitely be goin in.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jonelder68]

Order a battle box from battle corals. Tell Adam what you’re wanting. Start low and let them get a head start before working your way up the aquascape. Hard to tell how far each piece pushes out but I’d be afraid the top corals will eventually shade out all the ones below.

 

[BAMatter]

Order a battle box from battle corals. Tell Adam what you’re wanting. Start low and let them get a head start before working your way up the aquascape. Hard to tell how far each piece pushes out but I’d be afraid the top corals will eventually shade out all the ones below.

Hard to tell from this head on pic, but the scape leans back substantially so I don’t think that shading in that regard will be an issue. Heres a side view. I’ll check out Battle Corals for sure. I see amazing SPS tanks that look like someone put a puzzle together and I just don’t have that eye for it.

 

[docscorals]

Agree. I would put corals that might do well in the shade in the middle low section like leptoseris or a Cyphastrea that would still give that SPS feel. If you’re willing to have some other forms of LPS consider a blasto or acan so the shading won’t be such a big issue.

 

[BAMatter]

Agree. I would put corals that might do well in the shade in the middle low section like leptoseris or a Cyphastrea that would still give that SPS feel. If you’re willing to have some other forms of LPS consider a blasto or acan so the shading won’t be such a big issue.

Definitely will have some LPS, I’ll be putting my hammer and torch colonies on the sand bed to the sides of the rocks, with my deresa clam.

 

[docscorals]

Order a battle box from battle corals. Tell Adam what you’re wanting. Start low and let them get a head start before working your way up the aquascape. Hard to tell how far each piece pushes out but I’d be afraid the top corals will eventually shade out all the ones below.

Hard to tell from this head on pic, but the scape leans back substantially so I don’t think that shading in that regard will be an issue. Heres a side view. I’ll check out Battle Corals for sure. I see amazing SPS tanks that look like someone put a puzzle together and I just don’t have that eye for it.

Even with that lean back I think shading is gonna be a problem in the middle section. It already looks that way just from the empty rock structure. It looks really interesting and I’ll definitely follow this build, but personally I would lean toward low light options for the middle section.

 

[jonelder68]

Hard to tell from this head on pic, but the scape leans back substantially so I don’t think that shading in that regard will be an issue. Heres a side view. I’ll check out Battle Corals for sure. I see amazing SPS tanks that look like someone put a puzzle together and I just don’t have that eye for it.

Ah ya that’s perfect! Just plant frags. Don’t overthink it. Add in front first to give them a head start to help with shading. Everything grows at different rates so hard to judge. Always plan on having to move things around.

 

[BAMatter]

Even with that lean back I think shading is gonna be a problem in the middle section. It already looks that way just from the empty rock structure. It looks really interesting and I’ll definitely follow this build, but personally I would lean toward low light options for the middle section.

Im interested to see how it will all come together for sure. I have a vision of it all, just don’t know how to execute it

 

[BAMatter]

Ah ya that’s perfect! Just plant frags. Don’t overthink it. Add in front first to give them a head start to help with shading. Everything grows at different rates so hard to judge. Always plan on having to move things around.

Hoping for like 90/10 luck/skill on this layout. lol.

 

[jonelder68]

Just know with dry rock start it will take months/year for tank to be ready for SPS. It’s taken me almost 1.5 years to keep acros. Even with sump full of gulf ocean harvested live rock etc.and that’s just the start of it.

 

[BAMatter]

Just know with dry rock start it will take months/year for tank to be ready for SPS. It’s taken me almost 1.5 years to keep acros. Even with sump full of gulf ocean harvested live rock etc.and that’s just the start of it.

Yep got it. This is actually a reboot of my current tank that I am gutting the scape. Can see the cluster of SPS to the right of the overflow and that is what I am trying to avoid with a better design on this new setup. The new rock has been cooking for a few weeks now.