Aquascaping design request

[DaMan]

I have been lurking and searching your site for a while, and even though there is a tremendous amount of information relating to husbandry of macroalge and vascular plants, I have found very little relating to design concepts of planted tanks. Can someone point me to a thread of pictures of SW planted tanks? I have found there are many differences between design concepts in FW vs SW planteds, the most obvious is the use of red. Do you use red as a solitary focal point, or as a main plant? Red being so much more abundant than green in SW, I find I want to use it a main grouping and use a lime green as an accent.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Samala]

Planted marine tank in an aquascaping contest

Halophila's beautious seagrass tank, some adds from Eleodes (all macro)

This one, while rock heavy, has great color contrasts and should be pretty cool once it grows in a bit

There are a couple threads that were attempts to get more pics of marine 'scapes but my pics are the only ones left in the threads in most cases. People musta pulled their originals from the hosted sites.

Basically, a lot of the design elements of freshwater fit while others do not. We have great color variety - reds, blues, greens, browns, whites (nearly). Substrates are different though.. no driftwood, but we can use lots of different rock formations and substrates. I think making canyons and valleys and small piles of rock as focal points is a very interesting idea. Like freshwater I think the number of focal points is key.. one or two for small tanks and more as the size of the tank increases. But there should be plenty of interesting things for the eye to concentrate on across the layout.

We also have an advantage in the various shapes and sizes of the plants. Just look at the Caulerpas! Sawtoothed, spheres, blades, mini-blades, cups, mushrooms, etc etc etc. Oh.. and we mustn't forget that several of the algaes fluoresce (Distromium, Halymenia, Dictyota). Show me a freshwater weed that can do that.

I'm sure you've seen this but for others who havent, this is great inspiration: AGA Aquascaping contest. AGA scoffs at marine for now.. we'll see if we can tempt them to think otherwise in the future.

Anywho.. I still think we are very much behind in simple husbandry of the plants and that we need to understand this best before jumping into husbandry. But... considering more.. if we dont have really pretty tanks to look at from toying around with aquascaping then we wont get any more people interested.

>Sarah

 

[Samala]

To expand upon what I was saying above.. here are some quick links from that AGA contest through the years.

This one, and a few others in the contest, always make me wonder why AGA isnt interested in doing marine. There aren't any plants in this setup, but it was admitted. N. multifasciata tank

Freshwater tank somewhat reminiscent of seagrass meadows at the very edge leading to patch reefs

Mangrove tank.

The mangrove tank back in 2000 was the original inspiration for me to setup seagrass aquaria actually. I figured if a mangrove tank was possible, why not seagrass? I love the above tank, I just wish there was a way to see what it looks like now, some six years later. It must be amazingly dramatic (well, if its still setup).

>Sarah

 

[graveyardworm]

Those are some great links Sarah, I'm always amazed at how beautiful halophila's tank is. It really makes me wish I was in a better position to complete the set up of my 100 gal lagoon. I noticed a shot of yours in there which was full of alot of thalassia, is that the same you tank you currently have?

 

[DaMan]

Thank you for the links. I agree that there is not much in the competitive arena for SW tanks at this time. I do expect that to change as more become aware of the possibilities marine systems provide. When AGA sees what marine can do, they will accept or....

So, those that do have planted tanks, do you feel there should be a limit to use of reds? With red being so dominating in our choices, do you feel green could be the accent? Are the "rules" of red not being in the middle, not overpowering, ect, still applicable?

 

[graveyardworm]

I'm not sure there are "rules". Choose what you want to be a focul point and build the rest around it. There are so many possibilities.

 

[Samala]

If you want a predominantly red tank with little accents of green I say go for it! The freshwater guys have a hard time with reds because they tend to need the most light out of all the plants.. and keeping the coloration good can be problematic. Not so with red algae.. they are some of the lower light requiring species and tend to hold their coloration very well.

Bluenassarius has reported that one of his red Gracilaria types fades with nutrient declines, so thats something to consider with reds. My Halymenia has faded in intensity as the light got higher. Still, if you like red keep some of these things in mind (med light or place in shady areas of the tank, keep nutrient level good). I like the blues, Ochtodes and fluorescing Dictyota. Waiting to get my paws on a few of them.

I would still not put a red (or anything else) directly in the middle. Go for splitting the tank in thirds, I think there is stuff on golden ratio and its applications to aquascaping on a few of the freshwater planted sits.. maybe plantedtank.net or similar. Still, we can do whatever we'd like with marine, dont have to follow completely in freshwater's footsteps. In particular we have a great advantage in building the illusion of depth and height in marine.. as the macro can holdfast to rocks and such.. instead of having to grow the plants really tall to fill in the whole view.

David - the earlier tank shots with lots of Thalassia, most of those plants are still in my tank. I think I've sent three or four off to people who wanted to play with it a little. You just cant see them for all the Halodule now.

>Sarah

 

[icyuod2]

just started my macro/planeted tank.
big als had macros for $5.99 here in london ontario. (including codium)

here it is so far , its a 23g long with 25g sump

 

[DaMan]

Well, so far, red is the dominate force. I will try using the browns to increase the depth. Thank you for your assistance.

 

[graveyardworm]

icyuod2, your tank looks great what kind of lighting are you using?

DaMan, yours looks very nice as well, what is that red in the upper left? I notice you have a tubastrea what and how are you feeding it?

 

[icyuod2]

well if i tell you, you'll probably laugh at me. but i'll tell you anyway.

i went to home depot and spent $60 on my canopy. its consists of some pine,black lacquer, a cheap 6 bulb vanity fixture and cheap flouresent twists and some thin dryer vent as a reflector.

right now im running 4 27watt 6500k phillips daylight energy saving spirals($6 each-5 for $20 also avail in 13 and 23 watt) 2 noma spirals (blue-from there new line of colored energy saving spirals.)

in the pic
the white lights are the phillips, blue the noma. i threw in the 50/50 coralife and the standard 2700k energy saver for comparison. the camera plays tricks with the light. its alot brighter than it looks in the first pic. (the blue noma is powered up. )

sorry bout the mess, as you can see the pic's were taken in the tanks early stages.

 

[Samala]

A+ on the DIY ingenuity!

>Sarah

 

[graveyardworm]

Excellent, it looks very clean, all I have on my macro tank right now is one of LOA 65 watt 6500k outdoor fixtures in a ratty 2x4 frame.

 

[icyuod2]

do you guys think i'd be better off using the6 27watt 6500k bulbs on my macro tank.
or a 36inch dual powercompact. 9375k 110watts. (just got it)
whats the better spectrum for growing macros?

 

[graveyardworm]

I would think for shallow water species 6500k would be good, and for deeper or lower light species then the 9375k. Although either one would probably be just fine.

 

[icyuod2]

thanks gyw. or would you prefer grave yard?

 

[graveyardworm]

As long as you dont call me late for dinner.

 

[bluenassarius]

haha gotta love that that DIY! can you make me a canopy also
did you purchase the daylight bulb that has bright white w/ a blue hue to the bulb from HD?

 

[icyuod2]

top to bottom

1 standard 2700k energy saver-home depot.
2 phillips daylight 6500k -hd
3 coralife 50 50 - my local lfs
4 phillips day light-hd
5 noma blue light energy saver- canadian tire hardware (but im sure i saw them in walmart)
6 phillips daylight -hd