Let's talk aquascaping and water flow

[feh]

What do you do when creating your aquascapes to ensure you still have good flow? What have you done to get around changing your scape to ensure you have good flow and nice random flow patterns? The reason I'm asking is I'll be ordering rock soon for my new build and have been thinking on possible issues with using a single MP40 on the back glass in a 50 gallon cube. I won't know what I have to work with until I order rock and not completely sure on what my plan is with rock placement.

 

[Waters]

I start by stacking all the rock away from the glass whenever possible. From there, you can adjust your flow as needed. My flow is actually changed pretty much every time I add any new coral to the tank. It will be a little more difficult using one MP40 but not impossible. If the flow is too strong, you can stack some rock in front of it to disperse it a little bit (which I have done many times). Try multiple locations until you find one that works.

 

[feh]

I start by stacking all the rock away from the glass whenever possible. From there, you can adjust your flow as needed. My flow is actually changed pretty much every time I add any new coral to the tank. It will be a little more difficult using one MP40 but not impossible. If the flow is too strong, you can stack some rock in front of it to disperse it a little bit (which I have done many times). Try multiple locations until you find one that works.

Thanks. I generally play around with the rock with my initial scapes and see what is pleasing to the eye, but I'm not really wanting to have a lot in the display tank as far as pumps go. I'm just looking for general ideas on ways around adding another pump. If it was a larger tank I'd have considered a wavebox but at 24x24 I'm not too keen on it. The glass thickness (1/2") is the reason I went with an MP40 instead of two MP10s which was my original plan. I have a little while before I'll be purchasing rock to think on it, but I appreciate the input.

 

[Palting]

I placed the rocks in such a way that they create channels that go through the rockscape. I orient my flows (return plus powerheads) such that water moves from back to front up top, and going downwards since I use directable PHs, then front to back and across the bottom and through the channels in the rockscape.

 

[feh]

I placed the rocks in such a way that they create channels that go through the rockscape. I orient my flows (return plus powerheads) such that water moves from back to front up top, and going downwards since I use directable PHs, then front to back and across the bottom and through the channels in the rockscape.

I've been considering doing something like a couple of islands with the scape or possibly something similar to how MedRed did his cube, but I really don't want to copy anyone else's aquascape. I really don't want to load the tank up with rock anyway and would like to go with a minimalist approach of some sort while still maximizing surface area for coral placement. I do plan to keep some LPS in this one and some zoas but do want some nice sticks - so mixed reef is the plan, but more than likely stick dominant. One thing I really would like to achieve with the aquascape is a nice sense of depth which the channel idea does appeal to.

 

[Palting]

I've been considering doing something like a couple of islands with the scape or possibly something similar to how MedRed did his cube, but I really don't want to copy anyone else's aquascape. I really don't want to load the tank up with rock anyway and would like to go with a minimalist approach of some sort while still maximizing surface area for coral placement. I do plan to keep some LPS in this one and some zoas but do want some nice sticks - so mixed reef is the plan, but more than likely stick dominant. One thing I really would like to achieve with the aquascape is a nice sense of depth which the channel idea does appeal to.

No 2 aquascapes are alike, so even if you "copy" the concept, your aquascape will be your own unique one .

Just to give you a better idea, here's my concept with my execution. Your execution of the same concept obviously will be different. First 2 Photos were taken 4 years ago. The rocks are oriented front to back, leaving channels that allow flow through and through from front to back. The next two are more or less current photos, 4 years later, of the same aquascape.

HTH!!

 

[feh]

No 2 aquascapes are alike, so even if you "copy" the concept, your aquascape will be your own unique one .

Just to give you a better idea, here's my concept with my execution. Your execution of the same concept obviously will be different. First 2 Photos were taken 4 years ago. The rocks are oriented front to back, leaving channels that allow flow through and through from front to back. The next two are more or less current photos, 4 years later, of the same aquascape.

HTH!!

Nice tank. What is that a 180? Also I know what you mean with the above.

 

[SloppyJ]

I did this with mine. I have a mp40 on the back top left and another on the right side up top close to the overflow box. They are hidden and they are plenty of flow for my 93 cube. Honestly I didn't design the Aquascape around the vortechs. I made sure I liked the Aquascape and then positioned the vortechs.

 

[Palting]

Thanks. No, it's a 150. I like the tall picture window look. My dream tank would be a 220. Same height, more depth.

 

[feh]

Thanks. No, it's a 150. I like the tall picture window look. My dream tank would be a 220. Same height, more depth.

Oh. Wasn't sure. What are the dimensions?

 

[feh]

I did this with mine. I have a mp40 on the back top left and another on the right side up top close to the overflow box. They are hidden and they are plenty of flow for my 93 cube. Honestly I didn't design the Aquascape around the vortechs. I made sure I liked the Aquascape and then positioned the vortechs.

Nice.

 

[Palting]

oh. Wasn't sure. What are the dimensions?

150 = 72"x18"x27"
220 = 72"x24"x30"

 

[tbaldwin]

Any ideas on how to scape my tank with the rocks I have?