First Time Aquascape - Any Opinions?

[Chris Wells]

90g 48x18x24
Eventually, I would like for tank to mixed reef but don't know what I don't know at the moment for aquascaping.

Pukani, tonga shelf, and marco rubble

Is the egg crate necessary, seems like it elevates the rock for a bit more depth.

All opinions are appreciated..

Version 1
I desperately want to keep the shelf because of character. I am thinking of taking a chisel and hammer to it to reduce the size. Otherwise, my gut is telling me it has to go.

Version 2 - Different Shelf

 

[reef lover]

I like #2!

 

[moseley75]

+1 for #2.

 

[AshwinRavi]

#2

 

[Jason_MrFrags]

2 but knock off the tower, also with your shelf being cupped and lower flow it will be a place where detritus will collect

 

[LetItReef]

Version 2.

 

[Michael Cronmiller]

#2

 

[spiraling]

Overall it looks great! You could go with either one and have a great tank.

Is the egg crate necessary, seems like it elevates the rock for a bit more depth.

Eggcrate is not necessary, some say detrimental. You do need the rocks to be stable. Many critters can bump them (hard) and make them fall. since you have pukani I would suggest taking a hacksaw to the bottoms to get a few flat stable spots.

Eventually, I would like for tank to mixed reef but don't know what I don't know at the moment for aquascaping.

The really hard part about aquascaping is figuring out what it will look like with corals. The rockwork is like a skeleton. The shape will change dramatically once you start adding corals. Many corals get pretty tall. Ones like Zoas, acans, and favias stay short and spread. Hammers, duncan, trumpet become large (a foot or more) round balls. SPS tends to grow up or out,. Plan on at least 10" to the top of the water at the highest point.

I would probably make the tower on the right (and possible the whole structure) a bit lower. I wont match "good" design principles now, but will give lots of room to grow in the premium high light areas. You might also want to keep the structure further from the glass. Once you get some corals sticking out a few inches it might be hard on the right side to do maintenance.

Version 1
I desperately want to keep the shelf because of character. I am thinking of taking a chisel and hammer to it to reduce the size. Otherwise, my gut is telling me it has to go.

Big flat shelves tilted like that make a great display area. Fill it with a zoa or acan garden and you will be glad for the extra space and visibility. Start putting SPS on it and you might wish you had trimmed it so you have more light beneath and a more open structure.

..
Version 2 - Different Shelf

You might want to take a bright light (or your reefs lights if you have them) and shine them down on the structure so you can see how much / where your shadowing will be. I like that you have rocks coming out to the front for more area. Will you be using sand? if so you will loose the bottom inch or two of rock, and you might even want to add more to the low areas.

 

[Chris Wells]

Thanks for all of the input.. soaking in RODI and Prime for the moment.
I will digest everything @spiraling said in the meantime.

Will update soon.

 

[Chris Wells]

2 but knock off the tower, also with your shelf being cupped and lower flow it will be a place where detritus will collect

Cut it before I put in RODI. Thanks again

 

[fishyguy7]

I vote 2

 

[R_C]

#2 for sure!

 

[dcraigj]

Guess I'm in the minority, I like #1.

 

[PatW]

I go for two too.

 

[spiraling]

Thanks for all of the input.. soaking in RODI and Prime for the moment.

Be sure to check for sponges in the pukani. Mine had a ton an they were hard to see.

 

[Chris Wells]

Be sure to check for sponges in the pukani. Mine had a ton an they were hard to see.

Hopefully I got them, I did the 20:1 bleach in tap water for 2 weeks and then light 40:1 acid bath for 15 minutes before I did the RODI with prime just to make sure no chlorine.

Would anything come back to life on normal dry rock like pukani?

 

[Chris Wells]

I am going to aquascape again tomorrow with your comments in mind. Hopefully, I will add to tank late tomorrow.

Thanks again for input.

 

[spiraling]

Hopefully I got them, I did the 20:1 bleach in tap water for 2 weeks and then light 40:1 acid bath for 15 minutes before I did the RODI with prime just to make sure no chlorine.

Would anything come back to life on normal dry rock like pukani?

No, things don't come back to life on pukani ;Nailbiting
I did not do the bleach or acid. I just let mine soak for about 8 weeks. I changed the water a few times and it smelled bad. I then cut my pukani into slabs, and many of the rocks had a bunch of sponges inside where you couldn't see them. Hopefully the acid bath took care if the insiders!

 

[Katrina71]

Have you tried a version with both shelves?

 

[Chris Wells]

Have you tried a version with both shelves?

I am going to take another crack at it tomorrow with the input on the thread in mind.
I like the big shelf, I will try again even if I hammer and chisel to smaller size.