Tips and Tricks on Creating Amazing Aquascapes.
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novahobbies
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I've got two tanks, a 110g and a 37g column. I went with column styles for both tanks, but they're slightly different in design. First, here's the 110g tank:
This is based off of three PVC frames with rock grafted onto the structure via black pond foam. It's similar to a "Live Frame" idea I read about and used back in the early 2000's, but instead of drilling holes in all the PVC and "hanging" the rock on the frame with smaller PVC plugs, the rock is glued permanently on the frame with the foam. After a few months of growth, everything blends in nicely as you can see here. It allows for more open layout with plenty of caves, overhangs, and ravines, but gives you almost as much coral placement spots as the old "rock wall" does. This photo was taken back in June 2015, before a massive heat crash (no AC in South Florida in August for a week is a death sentence) hit the system. It's back up and running if you want to see current photos, however.
The next images are of my 37g column. I tried for a Bonsai like rock bommie on this tank. All of this rock is glued together with fiberglass rod and hydraulic cement. Here it is RIGHT after the cycle:
And now, 8 months later. Most of the corals you see here are "rescue" pieces that I pulled from my 110 tank to save during the crash from August.
Sometimes keeping older photos around helps to let you know when to "put down the brush," so to speak. For instance, I'm not at all happy about the giant rock boulder that's covered in zoas that I moved into the bedroom tank. I think it completely messed up the flow of the design I had going on in there. That rock is due to be removed soon...hopefully I can get most of the zoas off of the rock and moved to a new smaller home.
This is based off of three PVC frames with rock grafted onto the structure via black pond foam. It's similar to a "Live Frame" idea I read about and used back in the early 2000's, but instead of drilling holes in all the PVC and "hanging" the rock on the frame with smaller PVC plugs, the rock is glued permanently on the frame with the foam. After a few months of growth, everything blends in nicely as you can see here. It allows for more open layout with plenty of caves, overhangs, and ravines, but gives you almost as much coral placement spots as the old "rock wall" does. This photo was taken back in June 2015, before a massive heat crash (no AC in South Florida in August for a week is a death sentence) hit the system. It's back up and running if you want to see current photos, however.
The next images are of my 37g column. I tried for a Bonsai like rock bommie on this tank. All of this rock is glued together with fiberglass rod and hydraulic cement. Here it is RIGHT after the cycle:
And now, 8 months later. Most of the corals you see here are "rescue" pieces that I pulled from my 110 tank to save during the crash from August.
Sometimes keeping older photos around helps to let you know when to "put down the brush," so to speak. For instance, I'm not at all happy about the giant rock boulder that's covered in zoas that I moved into the bedroom tank. I think it completely messed up the flow of the design I had going on in there. That rock is due to be removed soon...hopefully I can get most of the zoas off of the rock and moved to a new smaller home.
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Very nice you all!
Lonny
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Any chance you spoke at macna before?
I am so happy to see how many people this article is already helping out! Thank you for all the nice comments, it's much appreciated!
Most of your purple is on your rocks themselves. Best thing to do is remember that in the long run, if it's a coral reef tank, that rock will mostly be covered. It provides the skeleton to the outside. Try to concentrate more with coral coloring in the reef. Yellows would work if you are not going to fill the tank with coral though. :wink:
Hey there, The same rule of thirds will apply to every tank. The longer tanks are the easier ones to scape in my opinion. Picture a wide tic tac toe board and go from there. Three structures would be fine just make sure to hit those points as close as you can.
Here is a picture of my 20 Long that has a nice long footprint. The first picture I posted to show you haw i started with just three basic oval plain rocks and created my own forms. I did three structures but the two are the bigger main ones. I am going more minimalist on the rock as i plan to have corals fill the remaining 50% of the negative space.
Wow, Thank you! I'm new to this site and never knew they did stuff like that. Very cool!
I am so happy to see how many people this article is already helping out! Thank you for all the nice comments, it's much appreciated!
Most of your purple is on your rocks themselves. Best thing to do is remember that in the long run, if it's a coral reef tank, that rock will mostly be covered. It provides the skeleton to the outside. Try to concentrate more with coral coloring in the reef. Yellows would work if you are not going to fill the tank with coral though. :wink:
Hey there, The same rule of thirds will apply to every tank. The longer tanks are the easier ones to scape in my opinion. Picture a wide tic tac toe board and go from there. Three structures would be fine just make sure to hit those points as close as you can.
Here is a picture of my 20 Long that has a nice long footprint. The first picture I posted to show you haw i started with just three basic oval plain rocks and created my own forms. I did three structures but the two are the bigger main ones. I am going more minimalist on the rock as i plan to have corals fill the remaining 50% of the negative space.
Wow, Thank you! I'm new to this site and never knew they did stuff like that. Very cool!
Steve Maxwell
Well-Known Member
My aquascaping on my new 75G...took forever to find something I like:
Full scape:
left side:
Right side:
May add a bit more later, but for now I think I'm good.
Full scape:
left side:
Right side:
May add a bit more later, but for now I think I'm good.
Sully
Active Member
54 corner scape. Still not happy with it. I guess I'm to big a chicken to keep messing with it for fear of stressing fish or possibly crushing an invert by accident. I know that this isn't what I want to be the finished scape.
Brady Bunch
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Is the archway pegged or glued or just stacked?My aquascaping on my new 75G...took forever to find something I like:
Full scape:
left side:
Right side:
May add a bit more later, but for now I think I'm good.
mila sheehan
Community Member
impressive, they all look awesome 
Steve Maxwell
Well-Known Member
Sorry...just saw this
I used a combination of J-B WaterWeld (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BRQ0TW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00)...WalMart sells it also and cheap Dollar Store Super Glue Gel. They worked great!
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Biggles
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I went with very little rock at all and kept everything down very low so it looks like it's just acros floating on the sand, the more they grow and overhang the greater the illusion 
saltysilverado
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Biocube 29
Jonathan blackwood
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sawdonkey
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I went with very little rock at all and kept everything down very low so it looks like it's just acros floating on the sand, the more they grow and overhang the greater the illusion
Very cool and unique! You have a lot of live rock in your sump?
Lonny
Well-Known Member
Thank you[emoji4]
