Tips and Tricks on Creating Amazing Aquascapes.

[juniorrocketdad]

 

[ReefPress]

Scape I came up with for my "re-done" Innovative Marine Nuvo 40. Was having major issues from dry rock because I never knew about "curing". And it was one thing after another. Lost a bunch of euphylias.


But this is with Carib Sea Life Rock using epoxy.

Does anyone know of anything that'll hold with the rock wet, because I wanted to add some small platforms on the right. Thanks!

 

[norfolkgarden]

The perfect tank.

Well done.

 

[LDH]

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.

what are the dimensions of this tank?

I like this scape !

 

[lapin]

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.

Tank is 5x5x3.
The tank will be anemones w/clowns, gobies, jawfish and a few urchins and maybe a clam or 2 and some other soft wavy stuff. The open spots in the front sides will have some sort of structure buried in the sand allowing for deeper sand for the jawfish. Hope they get the hint.
I made a frame to replicate the tank. It will go into the wall. 2 adjacent sides are visible.
I plan on drilling and sculpting some more holes thru the rock. It will sit on a pvc framework. I will drill holes and hold it together with pvc pipe, so no rockslides.
First is the hallway at eye level then hallway from above.

Next is around the corner into the living room. Eye level then from above.

Last is a shot of the front corner from above.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to make this better?
Thanks in advance

 

[Ento-Reefer]

what are the dimensions of this tank?

I like this scape !

Thanks. It is a standard 180. 6 x 2 x 2.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Tank is 5x5x3.
The tank will be anemones w/clowns, gobies, jawfish and a few urchins and maybe a clam or 2 and some other soft wavy stuff. The open spots in the front sides will have some sort of structure buried in the sand allowing for deeper sand for the jawfish. Hope they get the hint.
Anyone have any suggestions on how to make this better?
Thanks in advance

Nice! And huge! I might take that lone rock in the back, second pic, and bridge it or add a shelf or some more layers there for interest. Make a second focal point? Building the frame helped tons! Can't wait to see what you do iwth it.

 

[Doclight]

I have a question for all of you. Why do you use the rods if your cementing the other rocks to a main rock? Seems as long as they balance as your gluing them down, then what purpose does the rod make?

Nothing is perfect in nature..

Enlighten me..

 

[norfolkgarden]

I have a question for all of you. Why do you use the rods if your cementing the other rocks to a main rock? Seems as long as they balance as your gluing them down, then what purpose does the rod make?

Nothing is perfect in nature..

Enlighten me..

The glue sucks. [emoji53]
Even the 2 part epoxy can be usually separated from the rocks with a good twist.
Spearing a "mostly" stable conglomeration of random rocks goes a lot further in guaranteeing they won't come crashing down.

It also gives you a lot more opportunities to get carried away with arches and other sketchy but beautiful arrangements.

 

[Ento-Reefer]

Tank is 5x5x3.
The tank will be anemones w/clowns, gobies, jawfish and a few urchins and maybe a clam or 2 and some other soft wavy stuff. The open spots in the front sides will have some sort of structure buried in the sand allowing for deeper sand for the jawfish. Hope they get the hint.
I made a frame to replicate the tank. It will go into the wall. 2 adjacent sides are visible.
I plan on drilling and sculpting some more holes thru the rock. It will sit on a pvc framework. I will drill holes and hold it together with pvc pipe, so no rockslides.
First is the hallway at eye level then hallway from above.

Next is around the corner into the living room. Eye level then from above.

Last is a shot of the front corner from above.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to make this better?
Thanks in advance

I really like what you have done here. There are many swim through areas and plenty of room for corals to fill in the space. The only thing I think I might try is to add an arch or two between one or 2 of the rocks. I think it is great as is though.

 

[dowsetts101]

My first attempt at laying rock for my new build of my 320 litre corner aquarium.

I’ll need to get some more rock as I want to make the left hand structure a fair bit higher as the tank is pretty deep

 

[Susan Edwards]

Nice. I think I'd turn the right side a bit to the right and try to follow the flow from the left (the foot sticking out) and maybe add a "foot" to the right. My eye went to the left first and flowed to the right but stopped abruptly. You could also when you add more rock, make the left side taller. Great start

 

[tropicalmarc]

It's all about aquascaping for me. I've been in the hobby almost 50 years I lost my tank my reef tank during Hurricane Irma and now I've gone synthetic polymer resin corals. What do you think?

 

[tropicalmarc]

I see that a few posts above mine is use real reef rock, big fan of the product. I used it in my tank for the first time and will never use anything else

 

[dowsetts101]

Nice. I think I'd turn the right side a bit to the right and try to follow the flow from the left (the foot sticking out) and maybe add a "foot" to the right. My eye went to the left first and flowed to the right but stopped abruptly. You could also when you add more rock, make the left side taller. Great start

Thanks Susan...I can see what you mean about the left to right flow...though hadn’t planned it that way!!! I’ll make that tweak when I pick up some more rock.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Am excited. Will be getting marco rock and pukani rocks Mon and Tue I think, and reef cleaners rock on Thur. Then the fun begins

 

[Daltrey]

Here is my attempt at setting up a new tank. I drilled the rock and used fiberglass rods to tie it all together. Tank is 6x2x2 or close to it.

 

[Susan Edwards]

@Daltrey Are you adding more rock to the right side? Are there several crevices for swim thrus which are also used at night to hiding? hard to tell. Fish need lots of crevices and swim throughs or caves large enough for their adult size. I'd still add a bit more rock to the right and place it so there is fish space.

 

[Daltrey]

@Daltrey Are you adding more rock to the right side? Are there several crevices for swim thrus which are also used at night to hiding? hard to tell. Fish need lots of crevices and swim throughs or caves large enough for their adult size. I'd still add a bit more rock to the right and place it so there is fish space.

I set a 12 oz can in there for size comparison and a pic of the cave on the right. I plan on running a tank full of mixed corals and I'm afraid if I add too much rock I won't have enough room for the corals to grow out.

 

[A_game43]

Really great article, I have been moving and changing my rock scape for about 6wks now - as the article says, not liking the balance and focal point. I just spent today about 3hrs again moving and changing the rock and finally have something that I like. I will post a pic soon. Thanks for sharing the really useful information! ;Happy