Aquascape giving me fits!

[everpresentnoob]

So this is my third time rearranging my rocks since I set this thing up. I'm just not happy with anything I can come up with. 75 gallon, 48 long x 18 wide and 20 tall... I made two different scapes that looked more like a simple wall'o'rock with holes and passages through it. Now I tried to make a couple arches on the sides with an island inbetween but I think my rocks just look chunky. How the heck do you guys make the nice looking rockwork!? Lol.

 

[DED65]

It will look completely different when stuff is growing on it. I think the arches look fine!

 

[everpresentnoob]

For now it's just gonna be a fowlr tank. For a few weeks after starting it with bottle back I went on a fish murdering spree... Not gonna do that with corals too. I've slowed way down. Just trying to find something that looks good and keeps a fair amount of rock in it for filtering. Right now my sump has a reefmat in the first chamber, second chamber is all rock and then my return pump chamber. I had to take out my skimmer, not that it was ever running yet, to keep the rock wet and alive as I keep rearranging things.

But that you for your kind words.

 

[TX_REEF]

also don't be afraid to break up the rocks (literally, smash some apart so you have more smaller building blocks) if it helps you create something more visually appealing.

 

[everpresentnoob]

I tried that with a few, but while I have a lot of woodworking tools, and thousands in automotive tools, my chest for rock smashing tools is rather weak. Claw hammer, mini sledge and full sized sledge. Lol. Last rock I whacked exploded in a bunch of small pieces. Granted I used some to hide or cover joints in the arches, but it was way uncontrolled.

And most of this rock came from a different guys tank who had a lot of corals on them. Due to dust inhalation and stuff in Iraq my lungs aren't the best on a good day. I keep reading about possibilities of paly toxin so I'm concerned about going whole hog on these. I think I'll buy some shelf's and such a few at a time and keep reworking it.

 

[DED65]

I don’t usually use tools to break the rock apart, I just drop it on the concrete.

 

[TX_REEF]

I don’t usually use tools to break the rock apart, I just drop it on the concrete.

Same, wrap in a towel and drop on the garage floor

 

[everpresentnoob]

Maybe I'll try that... God knows I'm good at dropping and breaking things. Although it's normally something of my wife's that I didn't realize was important until she sees it in pieces...

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

flathead screw driver and rubber mallet give yo some more control as to where it breaks. but no real controlling it

 

[Waters]

I agree....you definitely want to break up some of those pieces. Having every rock pretty much the same size throws off the natural scape you are trying to achieve. I personally am not a fan of arches because again, to me, they don't look natural but once covered with coral you won't even be able to see the original formations anyways.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

So this is my third time rearranging my rocks since I set this thing up. I'm just not happy with anything I can come up with. 75 gallon, 48 long x 18 wide and 20 tall... I made two different scapes that looked more like a simple wall'o'rock with holes and passages through it. Now I tried to make a couple arches on the sides with an island inbetween but I think my rocks just look chunky. How the heck do you guys make the nice looking rockwork!? Lol.

I kinda like the way the first aquascape looks!

 

[RockRash]

I tried that with a few, but while I have a lot of woodworking tools, and thousands in automotive tools, my chest for rock smashing tools is rather weak. Claw hammer, mini sledge and full sized sledge. Lol. Last rock I whacked exploded in a bunch of small pieces. Granted I used some to hide or cover joints in the arches, but it was way uncontrolled.

And most of this rock came from a different guys tank who had a lot of corals on them. Due to dust inhalation and stuff in Iraq my lungs aren't the best on a good day. I keep reading about possibilities of paly toxin so I'm concerned about going whole hog on these. I think I'll buy some shelf's and such a few at a time and keep reworking it.

We went to harbor freight and bought a small sledgehammer a few chisels and a heavy canvas tarp so we wouldn't make a mess. All in was around 20 bucks.
We have the same tank this is how our scape came out.