I have an idea.....

[Preme]

Hey everyone,

So today I was looking on google images of some reef tanks.
I ran across this one,

I instantly loved this tank and thought it was super cool how the rock stuck out of the water.
I did some more exploring on tanks like that and came across a few more such as this,

Which I also love the air plants out of the water.

This lead me to think of an idea for my tank.
So my tank being tall (24") this look would be hard to achieve as all the tanks I've seen like this have been shallower (10" - 16").
So I came up with the idea of draining my water down so only the pointed part of one rock sticks out, which I could stick air plants on.

Thoughts on this? Remember as of now it's just an idea

 

[Anirban]

Simple, start another build with shallow tank........one tank is not enough

 

[Preme]

Simple, start another build with shallow tank........one tank is not enough

lol I wish I were able too

 

[wkscott]

A saltwater palladium?

Air plants still need water and fertilizer once in a while. Would have to be very careful not to contaminate the tank water. Not an issue with freshwater palladiums.

May be better to consider saltwater tolerant plants that don't need any soil (don't know if there are any.)

You will be decreasing your total water volume which may mean decreasing your stocking level.

Since you won't have a glass or screen top, select fish that won't jump and snails and crabs that won't try to escape.

 

[don_chuwish]

Having the water level down low would cause various challenges I think: the out of water glass would always look cloudy, never clean & clear, plus how would you manage the overflow & returns to keep it at that level?

 

[Preme]

A saltwater palladium?

Air plants still need water and fertilizer once in a while. Would have to be very careful not to contaminate the tank water. Not an issue with freshwater palladiums.

May be better to consider saltwater tolerant plants that don't need any soil (don't know if there are any.)

You will be decreasing your total water volume which may mean decreasing your stocking level.

Since you won't have a glass or screen top, select fish that won't jump and snails and crabs that won't try to escape.

My rocks not out of the tank, here's a picture after a during the water change.

Having the water level down low would cause various challenges I think: the out of water glass would always look cloudy, never clean & clear, plus how would you manage the overflow & returns to keep it at that level?

I'm sumpless.... works great for me.
Not sure if the glass would be cloudy and not clean... when I do Water changes it is good dosent get cloudy!

 

[rockhead51]

My rocks not out of the tank, here's a picture after a during the water change.

I'm sumpless.... works great for me.
Not sure if the glass would be cloudy and not clean... when I do Water changes it is good dosent get cloudy!

When you do a water change you aren't giving it enough time to cloud up from salt creep, etc...

 

[Preme]

Are the any cons to doing this?
I'm fine cleaning the glass daily.
Other than that I'd like 3 airplants.
I love this tank,

Pretty sure it's @Rehype old tank.
Maybe he's got a few suggestions!
Except mines in the tank not out...

 

[wkscott]

When you do a water change you aren't giving it enough time to cloud up from salt creep, etc...

He doesn't have a glass or acrylic sump or he would know this.

 

[lauderdalestunner]

Always liked the look of the island. Mangroves, air plants and some colorful crabs.

 

[Preme]

Always liked the look of the island. Mangroves, air plants and some colorful crabs.

Yea I'm gonna go for it in pretty sure! What crabs are able to live both in saltwater and in air?

 

[lauderdalestunner]

Sure you'll never get anything out of the Galapagos but something similar.

 

[lauderdalestunner]

Bahamian sally Lightfoot crabs

 

[Rick.45cal]

Sometimes crabs like to steal food out of corals like scolys by ripping them open

 

[wkscott]

Sometimes crabs like to steal food out of corals like scolys by ripping them open

And then they can eat the scoly.

 

[Rehype]

Are the any cons to doing this?
I'm fine cleaning the glass daily.
Other than that I'd like 3 airplants.
I love this tank,

Pretty sure it's @Rehype old tank.
Maybe he's got a few suggestions!
Except mines in the tank not out...

Yep that was my old tank. The airplants are cool but they don't like alot of light and they also dont like saltwater. So I had to mist them often to remove salt creep but giving them adequate lighting (or i should say lack of) was difficult which ultimately led to their demise. I also had fiddler crabs in this tank but they didnt survive more than a few months. They need the ability to burrow in sand thats exposed at least a portion of the day. So I would say no on those as well. Other than that exposed rock looks really cool and its fun to aquascape.

 

[Preme]

Yep that was my old tank. The airplants are cool but they don't like alot of light and they also dont like saltwater. So I had to mist them often to remove salt creep but giving them adequate lighting (or i should say lack of) was difficult which ultimately led to their demise. I also had fiddler crabs in this tank but they didnt survive more than a few months. They need the ability to burrow in sand thats exposed at least a portion of the day. So I would say no on those as well. Other than that exposed rock looks really cool and its fun to aquascape.

The air plants don't like a lot a light or do? I read somewhere online that the like a lot of light.
Also can you just mist them with RO Water?
Do you see anything bad about me doing this?

 

[Rehype]

The air plants don't like a lot a light or do? I read somewhere online that the like a lot of light.
Also can you just mist them with RO Water?
Do you see anything bad about me doing this?

They dont like alot of light. Yes you can mist them with RO water but you cant do this too often or it will kill them as well.

 

[Preme]

They dont like alot of light. Yes you can mist them with RO water but you cant do this too often or it will kill them as well.

Is a ATI sunpower with 3 blue + 1 coral + ran at 85% at its highest pick for 4 hours to much? The rest of the time it's 60% and 40% and going down/ building up from there.

 

[Rehype]

Is a ATI sunpower with 3 blue + 1 coral + ran at 85% at its highest pick for 4 hours to much? The rest of the time it's 60% and 40% and going down/ building up from there.

Yes that's too much light.