Looking for opinions

ibondy · Feb 6, 2019

Hello,
Here are 2 landscape options I am considering for my RSM-650. Using about 110 pounds of dry rock.
First photo stands at almost 15'' and second one tops out around 12". RSM water level is about 22".

BTW, I am planning for a mixed reef with SPS + LPS.

Looking forward to your opinions.

Thank you!

JasonK84 · Feb 6, 2019

I like the first pic the best. Taller and spaced out better with more swim throughs.

Waters · Feb 7, 2019

Out of those two, definitely the first. The second looks to compact....like a wall of rock. Any way to pull that first big bottom rock on the left to create a small cave and give the front more definition? Based on looking at it, I am thinking not but who knows

ibondy · Feb 7, 2019

Thanks for your input. I like #2 as well, my concern is the height. I will have only about 7" between top and water level. There are bunch of caves and openings between the rocks on the left and right as well but I agree feels kind of 'wallish'.

Why-Me · Feb 7, 2019

I like the first pic
My opinion is the second or bottom picture looks like what would happen if the first picture had collapsed

NY_Caveman · Feb 7, 2019

ibondy said:
Hello,
Here are 2 landscape options I am considering for my RSM-650. Using about 110 pounds of dry rock.
First photo stands at almost 15'' and second one tops out around 12". RSM water level is about 22".

BTW, I am planning for a mixed reef with SPS + LPS.

Looking forward to your opinions.

Thank you!

I like the first better, but both are very flat on top. Coral placement can help that, but mixing up the heights may make it more interesting.

WWIII · Feb 7, 2019

I like the 1st better as well, but would try to do more of that in the bottom portion of your structure. Open areas that is! If you can get more open areas on the sand and throughout the structure your tank will be happier! More flow, more hiding spots for critters, etc. It's hard to aquascape and get it to not look like a pile of rocks, but imo it's worth it to try! Even if you don't use all the pieces.

Nice job so far! Look forward to seeing the tank setup!

Edit- it's also hard to see all the dimension for us from a picture. No way around that. So it may be more spaced out than it looks! Every time I take a pic of my aquascape it looks nothing like it does in person to me.

ibondy · Feb 8, 2019

There are bunch of openings and caves in the bottom part, but I agree with you, more flow is better. I did not not use all the rock I have, still about #30 in the box.

Higher I go, better it looks, but I am trying to have plenty of open space below water level, kind of balancing act. I am thinking about 1-1.5" of sand on the bottom.

SPR1968 · Feb 8, 2019

I prefer the first one as well and it will look even better if you go higher as you suggest.

I have the S 650 as well so if you need to know anything just ask away, build thread below.

And welcome to R2R!

ibondy · Feb 8, 2019

@SPR1968
Your build thread is providing me with a lot of inspirations.

I noticed, in your build you went pretty high with rocks. Looks like right tower is about 75% of water level and left side even higher. Any concerns with that as tank was maturing and corals growing?

SPR1968 · Feb 8, 2019

Thank you, the rocks on the left are very high up yes and the vast majority of my rockwork is not glued together (yes! Lol). I wanted 2 different sized islands with a natural fall away effect and also fish can swim all the way around both islands. I didn’t want a sold wall of rock. I also wanted a gap in the middle for ‘depth’ when you look into the system

Although the rocks are mainly not glued, they are locked together direct to the bottom so aren’t going anywhere (he says!)

The higher rocks were added later on, again without glue, and I kept looking at it and eventually got more and more ‘nervous’. It reminded me of El Capitan in Yosemite! So I decided it would be best to apply marine putty to certain strategic points for my piece of mind.

There is no concern with the space for corals at all really, I still have a fair amount of room, especially around the lower/middle parts of the rockwork

Millimylilly · Feb 8, 2019

Mix it up!

ibondy · Feb 8, 2019

Thanks all for your response. Based on your feedback this is what I came up with. Also providing a different angles for better view.

WWIII · Feb 8, 2019

That looks awesome!!! I can't wait to see it in the tank with water! I think you will be really pleased with that aquascape for any type of tank, if you're planning on a mixed reef there is a ton of areas for all kinds of corals! It's always a battle (literally) between corals, so creating more levels and seperated areas provides a much better environment to place corals. When do you expect to get the tank setup!?

ibondy · Feb 8, 2019

Moving forward with the hardware installation this week end. Next week, I will be out of town, but maybe next week end move rocks into the tank and cement with -E-Marco. After that plan to will with fresh water and run it for few days, next RO + Water station and good to go. If there are no unplanned out of town trips hope to be up and running by March.