I agree, i like the rock islands you've created a lot. I can invision them packed with acros branching out with lots of fish and swim area...
Thanks for posting that though. I was going to go the rubble rock in the sump route, but this looks like an interesting alternative.
OK, so far no new news on my water chemistry. I'll do my first water test to see where Im at in the nitrogen cycle on Sunday. Today I made a wise purchase IMO. I bought me a 8x8x4" block of Marine Pure media, Surface Area: 2,150m2 - 23,000 ft2 in other words it's probably enough surface are to clear half a football field. I wanted more rock for my system but was very satisfied with the aqua scape I have now but wanted the extra surface area for happy bacteria. I was going to cut it in half but a good friend of mine found out if you keep the 4" thickness that it would be thick enough to have an anaerobic area for anaerobic bacteria to break down the nitrate into nitrogen gas. It does seem to fit nice and snug in the sump where my return slowly pulls water through the media.
top down to get a better orientation of the three islands.
Pretty neat. I had not seen that before. Should act like artificial live rock, with better surface area. The advantage of that stuff over bio-balls, would be the surface area within the block, as you had mentioned. Bio-balls only host aerobic bacteria. No areas of low oxygen. The block would host aerobic bacteria on the outer surfaces, but would also host anaerobic bacteria inside, like live rock would. I might try some of that in the new nano, since I don't plan to have that much live rock in the display either. Wish I hadn't just ordered from BRS earlier this evening.
