Tips and Tricks on Creating Amazing Aquascapes.

nursedude · Dec 24, 2017

nursedude said:
In my experience, you can plan how you want the lay out and it will still change once you add it to the tank. I epoxied some pieces into island shapes before adding them to the tank, then merged those. This allowed a more natural look. I jig-saw-puzzled things together so it didn't look so "stacked" and shied away from the sloping from front to back. By building islands I created lots of caves and crevices for swimming. This is about 80lbs of dry BRS, and Fiji. (This picture is AWFUL, I totally know, cell phone, early-day, tons of blue, just trying to show aqauscape). I like a natural looking tank, personal preference, whatever you like you should do.

Sorry this picture is even worse uploaded, I tried...

Chris Baker · Dec 24, 2017

Thanks for all the feedback and the welcome! I can’t wait for the move. I have to admit that I still like my vision for that leaning piece but you are all echoing my inner voice that tells me it wouldn’t quite work.

Mack85 · Dec 25, 2017

I amazed after reading these wonderful guidance. I am custom aquarium builder & this article will help me lot. Hope for more tips.

Ento-Reefer · Dec 25, 2017

Ok looking for some advice. here are some photos from different angles of my first attempts. I am unsure about the rock I had placed in the middle in front of the overflow so I also tried it standing up off to the left making a longer swim through behind the left structure. Let me know what you all think and which placement you prefer. Thank you.

Maritimer · Dec 25, 2017

Leaning against the other rock, it offers more refuge for fish. Standing alone, it offers a place to put something like xenia or GSP.

Which is of higher value for you?

~Bruce, liking the 'scape overall, either way

Susan Edwards · Dec 26, 2017

Like them all. Love the swim thru. Hard to tell but be sure there are enough crevices for the fish types you plan to keep.

Ento-Reefer · Dec 26, 2017

Maritimer said:
Leaning against the other rock, it offers more refuge for fish. Standing alone, it offers a place to put something like xenia or GSP.

Which is of higher value for you?

~Bruce, liking the 'scape overall, either way

Good point Bruce. I have a couple more pieces of rock from my current tank that I will be adding later so I may use one of those for a softy island.

Susan Edwards said:
Like them all. Love the swim thru. Hard to tell but be sure there are enough crevices for the fish types you plan to keep.

Yes it is hard to tell from the photos, but there are plenty of caves and swim thru areas for the fish. One of the challenges is trying to envision the tank several years down the road when the corals grow out. Thank you both for your input.

Mark Gray · Dec 30, 2017

Nice Article wow

Texas Reefer · Dec 31, 2017

Following

lapin · Jan 3, 2018

I need some feedback ideas for rock work. I took it out of the barrels to pressure wash and decided to stack a few pieces up. Sort of how I want it to look. Here are 3 views. The tall section is going near the back corner. 3 power heads will move water thru openings in the rock work. I have some more pieces that are not used in this layout Any suggestions before I start over again?

?

Susan Edwards · Jan 3, 2018

can you do a shot as if you are standing dead center of your tank to get an idea from the front of the overall look. Hard to get my bearings. Also size of tank. Looks to be huge.

ReefPress · Jan 3, 2018

Does anyone know anything that will work with already wet rock. I completed my scape and wanted to add some stuff.

Susan Edwards · Jan 3, 2018

What are some scaping ideas for a 125 dual mega overflow. Overflows are 5" deep. If I leave a min of 3 inches from front glass and 2" from overflow, that leaves me 7 inches in those areas in front of overflow boxes. Tank size is 72x18x22 approx. Top and bottom frame take away 1" from each dimension. Here is my cardboard mockup. Hope to order rocks in a couple weeks.

Thinking of leaving more open sand at each end for low light, low flow. Might be able to do rock island in back corner and sand in front and along side of glass and start the main scape from overflow on. Overflows have an inner and outer section. Outer allows water to seep in through vents that are low and mid of front of overflow box, rise to top and trickle into main overflow. So do not want to block those vents. I don't think...

Susan Edwards · Jan 3, 2018

ReefPress said:
Does anyone know anything that will work with already wet rock. I completed my scape and wanted to add some stuff.

gel superglue, epoxy for gluing frags to rock--the stuff in clear tubes that you cut and knead.

lapin · Jan 3, 2018

Susan Edwards said:
can you do a shot as if you are standing dead center of your tank to get an idea from the front of the overall look. Hard to get my bearings. Also size of tank. Looks to be huge.

The tank is 5x5x3. It will be viewed from 2 adjacent sides. I will shoot some more pictures at dawn. Not enough moon light now.

tdileo · Jan 3, 2018

Using a lot of tips from here, I am mostly finished with my scape. But since I assume a lot of the people on this thread are scape experts, I’d like to here what they think and maybe what I could put in the middle! The hit the 4th crosspoint for focal points I’m going to put a rock on magnets up there, but still unsure for the middle. I am thinking about a clam, elegance, or another rock structure.

Susan Edwards · Jan 3, 2018

@tdileo what is your goal for the tank?
Mainly fish?
Corals down low on Sand?
Do you have an idea/vision of what you are going for?
A tall tower makes it hard to place corals I'd think or limits what you can add to your display.
And you've only got 2 caves or hideouts for your fish. Is that enough?

I'm not a minimilist when it comes to rockscapes so I'm probably not the right person to give an opinion but I did have questions.

Also, is that enough rock for filtration? Are you planning to put a lot in your sump?

tdileo · Jan 3, 2018

Susan Edwards said:
@tdileo what is your goal for the tank?
Mainly fish?
Corals down low on Sand?
Do you have an idea/vision of what you are going for?
A tall tower makes it hard to place corals I'd think or limits what you can add to your display.
And you've only got 2 caves or hideouts for your fish. Is that enough?

I'm not a minimilist when it comes to rockscapes so I'm probably not the right person to give an opinion but I did have questions.

Also, is that enough rock for filtration? Are you planning to put a lot in your sump?

Not sure exactly what you mean by my goal but I’m thinking you mean what kind of corals? It’s going to be SPS dominated. My plan for fish is to stock light-medium with mostly small fish, none bigger than say 6” and most in the 3-4” range. In my sump I’m going to have a MarinePure block, they say the 1” one is enough to replace ~100 pounds of rock, but of course I will keep a little extra rock in the fuge and like 55 in the display.

Mini Coop · Jan 3, 2018

This was such a helpful article! I used exactly this to create my scape! Not sure its perfect, but I am happy so far! (Sorry - sand dust is still settling from yesterday).