Our first attempt at a negative aquascape.

[ddc0715]

my tank is 72 "x 24"x 30" (exterior dims) the table that's in the photo is only 63" long so there is a small amount of room to elongate (OPEN IT UP) if we want to. I used approx 165 lbs of rock. The highest point in the scape is 22" everything else is about 20" or less tall, there are six pieces all together, our problem is we keep moving them around lol. pieces 6-7 is really cave, shelf, nook and kranny heavy

As for sleeping spots for fish well, I'm not going to worry too much about it. based on the max size of some of my current fish (if they live that long) is 1' - 1' 6". The plan was to allow swim room for the fish as they grow, I may end up removing one of these pieces somewhere down the road. so really the question should be ----- I'm a 1' 4" angel, where do I sleep or I'm a 1' dragon wrasse, where do i sleep. the list of proposed fish to be homed in the new 220 and are currently in my 180 reef are

emperor angel 5" (max size 1'4")
purple tang 4" (max size 10")
yellow tang 3" (max size 8")
dragon wrasse 3" (max size 1')
unkown future purchases (max size ?? ) LOL
lunar wrasse 4" (max size 10")
porcupine puffer 4" (max size 1')

 

[Shaka_Reefer]

I think you’re really gonna enjoy watching your fish swim in and out of your aquascape! However, it’s too much rock for me and I prefer a max of 3 islands.

 

[ddc0715]

forgot to add this photo so now my previous post should make sense. I cant wait to see and determine if we want them all in there or not.

 

[Rubberfrog]

They have several spots u just can not see them very well in the pics. But im open to suggestions, I still have several pounds left over. So not to sound crazy but what's an ideal fish sleeping area or bed. Don come across that much in one's research

It's a nice scape. Maybe backend a few of those arches/holes so they are more of a true cave? I have a few caves that have small holes at the back for water flow.

 

[sp1187]

They have several spots u just can not see them very well in the pics. But im open to suggestions, I still have several pounds left over. So not to sound crazy but what's an ideal fish sleeping area or bed. Don come across that much in one's research

overhangs. indentations in the surface of the rock they can wedge into. they will hide in or under your corals.
"caves" are overblown. my scape is numerous tunnels with cutouts (caves) all over. 20+ fish and two sleep in caves, more so because they have staked those out as their day time turf. wild fish for the most part aren't hiding in caves to sleep because you know what lives in caves? predators.
**disclaimer** the above opinion is mine and isn't necessarily shared by R2R or it's inhabitants.

 

[sp1187]

is this a fish only, or adding corals?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I will bite.

I think it looks too vertical and lacks overhangs. 7, 6 and 5 look great but the rest I would take another stab at it.

 

[klimfish]

IMO it's too close to the back glass and could use some adjustments forward in order to give it a more 3D feel instead of still looking like rocks stacked against the back glass. This would also allow you to create more "feet" that have lower, cave like structures for inverts and fish to hide in.

Right now I worry that some fish and inverts won't have enough lower areas to retreat to when being bullied or scared, and there is just a ton of room open in the front of the rocks.

 

[Mark'os Reef]

Looks very nice, don't take this the wrong way please, it makes me think of Nessie.

 

[ddc0715]

This is for a fowler tank,, Everyone is entitled to an opinion. No harm no foul. i will take all the advice I can get when placing it in the tank. the open concept was to help circulation which can keep the tank aerobic and to aid in dead spots, other than 5-7 the overall average width is about 12-16 " leaving about 6" of room to play with for front to back but they are Mobil and rotatable. so this width can be decreased if need, I may even go buy some more shelf rock. Once the weather clears up.so i will continue to move them around to find a good medium

 

[Astronomical]

It looks like it was aquascaped by Tim Burton.

So yeah, I definitely like it.

 

[KWT]

I like it, maybe move some stuff around like you said. If you like it that is all that matters.

 

[Polyp Punk]

really kool!!! i am building a 15g and im going to try the same thing!! what did you use to keep the rocks together ?

 

[ddc0715]

I oder jurassic glue from brs last Wednesday 6 days pre snow storm, an paid for 2 day air and it still has not arrived. Not happy,, So I had to use green cap gorilla glue gel from lowes. Always look up a glues material safety data sheet (MSDS) to in sure it's reef safe aka insure its prime ingredient is cyanoacrylate.