Need help with your aquascape?

[Crabby48]

So hit it with a hammer until its smaller

Agreed. Hammer or hammer chisel/big screw driver. It opens a new beginning

 

[pdiehm]

I despise aquascaping. No matter what I do, I cannot replicate what I built outside and can’t get it to where it doesn’t look like a dang pile of rocks dumped into the tank

 

[pdiehm]

I don’t think anyone truly understands just how much I hate them ting to create art out of rocks

 

[Crabby48]

I don’t think anyone truly understands just how much I hate them ting to create art out of rocks

I do I been messing with mine on and off for months. The first scape was my best but couldn’t replicate it.

 

[pdiehm]

I can’t get it to look even remotely nice. It just looks like someone dumped a bucket of rocks in there.

Not to mention 14” is a pain the butt to work with. I have no room to give depth. It almost HAS to go straight up

 

[NY_Caveman]

We have an aquascape!

I like that a lot better. Only think to mention further is make sure you leave room between the rock and glass for cleaning and flow. I usually aim for 2” of space, but enough to fit a scraper through is fine if you have a tight fit.

 

[Crabby48]

Coming from someone that can’t get his right.
I would break up some of the large rock. Start with the biggest one and play. Being such shallow depth I think it may help.

My tank depth is 23” and I found the big rock take up a lot of room and look like big piles. It help me

Your scape isn’t all that bad by the way.
Walk away and look at it tomorrow with a fresh mind

 

[pdiehm]

I am a stubborn SOB. There is a sh*tton of coral placement. The build on the left at the top will be getting in excess of 400 PAR. The island on the right will be getting 230-250.

At 12” over water this light puts out a ton of PAR. The island are sturdy. I gave it a really good shake. Now any tweaking? Let me have it.

 

[sawdonkey]

I am a stubborn SOB. There is a sh*tton of coral placement. The build on the left at the top will be getting in excess of 400 PAR. The island on the right will be getting 230-250.

At 12” over water this light puts out a ton of PAR. The island are sturdy. I gave it a really good shake. Now any tweaking? Let me have it.

There’s nothing wrong with your scape, but here are my comments:

Pile on the left is very vertical and will limit coral placement. I like a bit of a slope front-to-back.

Personally, I like my rockwork to look like one structure rather than a pile of rocks. I achieve this by epoxying small pieces of rock into the cracks between big rocks. It’s a lot of work, but helps secure the pile too.

 

[pdiehm]

There’s nothing wrong with your scape, but here are my comments:

Pile on the left is very vertical and will limit coral placement. I like a bit of a slope front-to-back.

Personally, I like my rockwork to look like one structure rather than a pile of rocks. I achieve this by epoxying small pieces of rock into the cracks between big rocks. It’s a lot of work, but helps secure the pile too.

I can’t really go any further back because I will lose rock area to put corals in due to the coast to give internal overflow box (will crest a massive shaded area that really blocks light). I have about 14” to work with. I have almost no choice but to go vertical.

That said, I am not someone who enjoys putting puzzles together or creating art. I have been placing rubble in the seams.

 

[pdiehm]

Here are some other views.

You can see the overflow box and it’s about 12” from overflow box to the front glass.

There are a million things I would do differently and the internal box would be the first on the list.

 

[pdiehm]

 

[pdiehm]

Unless I say screw it and don’t use the back section of the rock for anything. That would give me more options but just seems like a waste of rock surface area

 

[sawdonkey]

Unless I say screw it and don’t use the back section of the rock for anything. That would give me more options but just seems like a waste of rock surface area

I think that’s your answer. You won’t be able to see the back anyway. Use the space to create a gentler slope int the front. Just don’t lean it on the back glass....since you’ll want to get flow back there. You could probably go a little shorter too. I prefer my rocks to not exceed half of tank height by much.

Don’t get me wrong. Your scape is perfectly fine. These are just my preferences in what I think makes a good looking tank.

 

[pdiehm]

I think that’s your answer. You won’t be able to see the back anyway. Use the space to create a gentler slope int the front. Just don’t lean it on the back glass....since you’ll want to get flow back there. You could probably go a little shorter too. I prefer my rocks to not exceed half of tank height by much.

Don’t get me wrong. Your scape is perfectly fine. These are just my preferences in what I think makes a good looking tank.

I don't really have enough room to do an arch, so would I be better off building an island about 8-10" higher than the one on the right? create caves and nooks inside that?

This is where I really struggle, there are thumbtacks with more creativity than me.

 

[Ardeus]

Don't commit to use all the rock you have. When it looks good, stop adding rock. Start with the bigger pieces.

I also agree with Sawdonkey, create a slope from back to front and lean the top rocks against the back pane.

 

[pdiehm]

Don't commit to use all the rock you have. When it looks good, stop adding rock. Start with the bigger pieces.

I also agree with Sawdonkey, create a slope from back to front and lean the top rocks against the back pane.

will work on it tonight. I want room between the back wall and the rocks though don't i?

18" is next to impossible to work with, moreso if you have an internal coast to coast overflow.

 

[Ardeus]

If you leave about an inch of space on the bottom rocks and lean the top rocks to the back pane it's enough for water to flow and fish to pass.

 

[rwc2002]

im gonna be setting up a waterbox 100.3 very soon and been playing with rock structures Im pretty happy with I have so far ill post them here also to get some feedback on it. I have 3 revisions so far that are basically the same except the top section of the right structure. The tank is 36x24x22 gonna be a mixed reef sps top half and lps lower half. Any suggestions will be great and which of 3 do you like better or what would you change. Scape 2 and 3 are the same other than a spacer rock to make the top taller shorter.

aquascape 1

aquascape 2

aquascape 3

 

[pdiehm]

If you leave about an inch of space on the bottom rocks and lean the top rocks to the back pane it's enough for water to flow and fish to pass.

i just watched the rectangle aquascape video (no idea how i didn't see that before) on page 1. It's going to be more of a rockwall, but maybe we can angle some rocks to create depth. I may take 2 rocks from the island on the right to incorporate into the left structure, and move it forward since the bigger one will be further back.