Ron Reefman
Lets Go Snorkeling!
Reef Squad
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
Article Contributor
Tampa Bay Reef Keepers
MAC of SW Florida
My current tank is a 40g cube (2'x2'x20") with a center overflow and returns that are over the back glass on either side. The wavemakers are just below the dual returns. Here is what it looks like today.
I have about 50 different corals in the tank now. When I tear it down to rebuild the rockscape I intend to remove 2 or 3 colonies of palys that are fairly plain looking and don't fluoresce much. The whole reason for doing a new rockscape is that I have over 40 more frags in my sump that I want to add to the tank. All the frags in the sump fluoresce like crazy and it looks insane under blue leds!
I will be installing a platform of egg crate that will stand up on pvc pipe legs so it's about 1" to 2" above the sand. The new rockscape will be 90% or more on top of the egg crate and only a few rocks will be in the sand at the edges of the egg crate to hide it from view. This leaves 95% of the sand exposed for any critters that like the sand, sea cucumber, stars, small feather dusters, fighting conch, and more. It also leaves the bottom of the rock exposed and without light. That encourages sponges that don't like light and more feather dusters and others. It also creates more area for good bacteria to grow. It also allows water to flow under the rocks and over the sand reducing the potential of a cyanobacteria bloom. You can see how this worked in my last tank by checking out the tank build link in my signature below.
I'm planning on doing the rockscape as a ramp from about 1/4th of the way off the front glass, leaving room (4" to 6") for rock flower anemones, and going up to near the water surface at the back glass. I just saw some pics of joshporksandwich's tank and he had shells and barnacles added to the back glass. I may do one side of the overflow rock all the way up and the front of the overflow and other side of the overflow more like Josh's tank. I'll make an insert that will hold the shells and barnacles and set it up against the back glass. I might do the panel kicked out slightly at the bottom so the corals and anemones that will move into those shells and barnacles at the lower level won't get totally shaded by those higher up on the wall.
If I go this route, I will reconsider where I'll have my wavemaker pumps. Currently they are on the back glass and I could keep them there actually wolven into the rock and shells. Sort of camouflaged. Or I could move them to the sides of the tank just off the rocks. I might even remove the 2 pumps I use now and replace them with a gyre just below the water surface on one side of the tank. If anybody has any suggestions, ideas or sees any issues with my plan, please feel free to share. I always appreciate input.
I have about 50 different corals in the tank now. When I tear it down to rebuild the rockscape I intend to remove 2 or 3 colonies of palys that are fairly plain looking and don't fluoresce much. The whole reason for doing a new rockscape is that I have over 40 more frags in my sump that I want to add to the tank. All the frags in the sump fluoresce like crazy and it looks insane under blue leds!
I will be installing a platform of egg crate that will stand up on pvc pipe legs so it's about 1" to 2" above the sand. The new rockscape will be 90% or more on top of the egg crate and only a few rocks will be in the sand at the edges of the egg crate to hide it from view. This leaves 95% of the sand exposed for any critters that like the sand, sea cucumber, stars, small feather dusters, fighting conch, and more. It also leaves the bottom of the rock exposed and without light. That encourages sponges that don't like light and more feather dusters and others. It also creates more area for good bacteria to grow. It also allows water to flow under the rocks and over the sand reducing the potential of a cyanobacteria bloom. You can see how this worked in my last tank by checking out the tank build link in my signature below.
I'm planning on doing the rockscape as a ramp from about 1/4th of the way off the front glass, leaving room (4" to 6") for rock flower anemones, and going up to near the water surface at the back glass. I just saw some pics of joshporksandwich's tank and he had shells and barnacles added to the back glass. I may do one side of the overflow rock all the way up and the front of the overflow and other side of the overflow more like Josh's tank. I'll make an insert that will hold the shells and barnacles and set it up against the back glass. I might do the panel kicked out slightly at the bottom so the corals and anemones that will move into those shells and barnacles at the lower level won't get totally shaded by those higher up on the wall.
If I go this route, I will reconsider where I'll have my wavemaker pumps. Currently they are on the back glass and I could keep them there actually wolven into the rock and shells. Sort of camouflaged. Or I could move them to the sides of the tank just off the rocks. I might even remove the 2 pumps I use now and replace them with a gyre just below the water surface on one side of the tank. If anybody has any suggestions, ideas or sees any issues with my plan, please feel free to share. I always appreciate input.
