First time aquascape

[benmed]

First time aquascaping. Back in the hobaby after about a 10 year hiatus. Better description and thought process is in my build thread which I have no idea how to link to. Will likely start off as FOWLR tank and then convert to corals in a year or so once I get the hang of the set up and the apex. Thoughts?

 

[Uncle99]

Love that!
Well done, going to fill out nice.

 

[benmed]

Love that!
Well done, going to fill out nice.

Thanks! Hope so. Have to get the dang things into the tank without breaking anything

 

[reefz]

cool!

 

[Cool Ethan]

Looks pretty cool for a fish only tank! But if you're planing coral, even if the future, you might want a some horizantal platforms and ledges. In a 92 you should have some space to build towards the front of the tank just a bit

 

[benmed]

Looks pretty cool for a fish only tank! But if you're planing coral, even if the future, you might want a some horizantal platforms and ledges. In a 92 you should have some space to build towards the front of the tank just a bi

Looks pretty cool for a fish only tank! But if you're planing coral, even if the future, you might want a some horizantal platforms and ledges. In a 92 you should have some space to build towards the front of the tank just a bit

Ok. Sounds like a pro tip. How much space do you think I need? I was thinking that I could just plant them on the rock that I have and they will fill out from there. What is the advantage of the ledges? Any downside to the dark areas you create below?

 

[benmed]

Wrong entry

 

[Cool Ethan]

So take this with a grain of salt as 1) I'm definitely no expert and 2) some of it is just personal choice on aesthetics.

But as far as I can tell the scape has very minimal front to back depth. The front is essentially a vertical wall that will make adding many types of coral to it challenging, both for physically mounting but also growing. Adding some shorter rocks diretly in front will create a some "tables" for adding coral, but also make the overall look more interesting instead of just a 2D wall imo.

 

[benmed]

Oh it’s got depth for sure. The left side is a cauldron with holes and the right is an assortment of caves and tunnels. Doesn’t come across well in pictures. I tried to attach a YouTube video but maybe it didn’t work or I’m not a good photographer. But, in general there is a fair amount of horizontal space that goes off in different directions.

 

[Jedi1199]

I agree that visually it is quite attractive. Unfortunately, I am human, not a fish or a coral. I like it. They may not.

You have good height and open space, but where are fish going to hide at night? Where are you going to attach corals? What are your plans for this system?

If you are planning a softie tank with just a few fish, it should be fine. If you are planning at any time to add say a hammer or torch, where are you going to put it that will give it the moderate light and low flow it needs?

If you are going SPS dominant, you have a good pattern for flow, but where will you place the corals? You have virtually zero mounting points for SPS corals.

Obviously, you have done quite a bit of work on these pieces. I hate to rain on your parade. My opinion, scrap the left hand piece. The one on the right has potential, but the other one looks far too limiting.

 

[AydenLincoln]

I love it!!

 

[benmed]

I agree that visually it is quite attractive. Unfortunately, I am human, not a fish or a coral. I like it. They may not.

You have good height and open space, but where are fish going to hide at night? Where are you going to attach corals? What are your plans for this system?

If you are planning a softie tank with just a few fish, it should be fine. If you are planning at any time to add say a hammer or torch, where are you going to put it that will give it the moderate light and low flow it needs?

If you are going SPS dominant, you have a good pattern for flow, but where will you place the corals? You have virtually zero mounting points for SPS corals.

Obviously, you have done quite a bit of work on these pieces. I hate to rain on your parade. My opinion, scrap the left hand piece. The one on the right has potential, but the other one looks far too limiting.

Well, we will see! There is zero chance I’m taking it down and I tend to disagree with you on the fish side. I think there are loads of places for them to hide. I can‘t speak to the corals though since I basically have no experience. I am for sure not going to do SDS, probably LDS. My belief is that the fish will be very happy there day #1 and also that the spaces will fill in with corals. Check back in a couple months when we get the fish and then corals. I’ll bet I’m good, and you bet you’re right.

 

[Jedi1199]

Well, we will see! There is zero chance I’m taking it down and I tend to disagree with you on the fish side. I think there are loads of places for them to hide. I can‘t speak to the corals though since I basically have no experience. I am for sure not going to do SDS, probably LDS. My belief is that the fish will be very happy there day #1 and also that the spaces will fill in with corals. Check back in a couple months when we get the fish and then corals. I’ll bet I’m good, and you bet you’re right.

You asked for opinions, I gave you mine.

Good luck.

 

[benmed]

You asked for opinions, I gave you mine.

Good luck.

for sure! I appreciate it. Interested to see what happens.

 

[kevgib67]

Well, we will see! There is zero chance I’m taking it down and I tend to disagree with you on the fish side. I think there are loads of places for them to hide. I can‘t speak to the corals though since I basically have no experience. I am for sure not going to do SDS, probably LDS. My belief is that the fish will be very happy there day #1 and also that the spaces will fill in with corals. Check back in a couple months when we get the fish and then corals. I’ll bet I’m good, and you bet you’re right.

Watching your video, your right I see plenty of horizontal places and plenty of spaces for the fish to hide and sleep. I think it looks great and look forward to seeing it full of fish and corals!

 

[benmed]

Watching your video, your right I see plenty of horizontal places and plenty of spaces for the fish to hide and sleep. I think it looks great and look forward to seeing it full of fish and corals!

Thanks! We will see. I hope so but you never know until it’s going. Hopefully we have the rock in the tank later this week and you can check it out on the build thread.

 

[JJ"sSouthernAquatics]

First time aquascaping. Back in the hobaby after about a 10 year hiatus. Better description and thought process is in my build thread which I have no idea how to link to. Will likely start off as FOWLR tank and then convert to corals in a year or so once I get the hang of the set up and the apex. Thoughts?

Looks amazing! what kind of fish do you plan on keeping? also what size tank you got?

 

[benmed]

Looks amazing! what kind of fish do you plan on keeping? also what size tank you got?

It’s 92 gallon red sea with 39 gallon sump. Just getting the tank cycled. First two fish, Rodger and Dodger are two brother clownfish. There is one zoa chilling. Everybody doing well but waiting for nitrite/nitrate to go back down after bump from new fish.

still tinkering making the tank low maintenance. Auto water changes and ato in place. Adding a skim mate receptacle this weekend (davey jones). Qt tank is set up. Always something to do!

 

[Alycia]

Cool scape! Interested to see how it develops

 

[benmed]

Cool scape! Interested to see how it develops

Thanks! Here are a couple shots: