Aquascaping......the rock setup

[thump9]

Are there any of you out there like myself that can be very particular about having the perfect arrangement for your rockwork in aquascaping ? I mean to the point even when youve arranged for like the 12th time that day on initial setup it still "just aint right" ? Arms tired, frustrated, u remove all the rock and try and save the perfect piece for that perfect spot......to get that nice deep or tall cave/overhang.

Im trying to get that nice combo of deep caves and ravine/canyon wall in the middle of the tank but nothin ever looks right..doesnt look natural. Ive thought of resortin to blindfolding myself and just placing whatever i touch in the setup and goin with it.

Anybody else out there like me...........? Hard to satisfy on the rockwork ?

 

[Rosengrant826]

ME, I have a regular 55 gallon so it is hard to scape as it is. But, I have changed it plenty of times and cant figure it out. I was just thinking the other day of rescaping it again.

 

[vorm]

I think I've finally gotten one side of my tank to be pretty good, the other side "just ain't right" still.

I don't think the blindfold method is that effective for getting it right. Usually before I can get done I've stirred up such a sand storm that it combined with not having my lights on means I can't see what I'm doing, then after I put my lights back on I don't like it, but by then I'm tried, wet, and frustrated and don't feel like redoing it right then. Hopefully I'll get it there eventually, think I might need some different pieces of rock though to get it.

 

[thump9]

The bottom pieces and mid-level pieces seem to always look best in their positions. Its the crown rocks that throw things off for me. Im not a huge fan of flat shelf pieces but i also dont like those stray pieces that u dont wanna waste so u gotta put em somewhere--they dont work as a base and nothin looks that good adjacent to em so u place em up top........and they still look forced. I dont like that artificial forced look to my rockwork. I think i can be as picky as they come. Might take a month to satisfy the look im goin for.

 

[rhactopia]

We have that problem, too. I think it's pretty common.

 

[rhactopia]

One choice is to drill holes in your rock & use a rod to put them together... this will allow you to rotate them but they can't move very far. We've been able to use smaller rocks as spacers through this method; when we tried to do this without the rods, they never stayed in place.

 

[timistim]

One choice is to drill holes in your rock & use a rod to put them together... this will allow you to rotate them but they can't move very far. We've been able to use smaller rocks as spacers through this method; when we tried to do this without the rods, they never stayed in place.

Do you just use acrylic rods? I like this idea. :fun4:

 

[david1983]

Ive been doing mine for 3days now using plastic coat hangers for rods.I need more flat pieces of rock now as i have too many stupid round ones.

 

[aleonn]

The wife yells at me for having my arms in the tank too often and too long. You can drill 3/16" holes and zip-tie some pieces together that way as well. I drilled with a 7/8" drill bit and used 1/2" PVC to stabilize my rock structures.

 

[rysher]

i just pile them up in columns then use devcon marine grade epoxy.
eventually the rocks will be covered by corals anyways.

 

[john_blaze]

I think the biggest issue with scaping comes when its a bare tank with no corals. I ripped my rocks apart a couple times before settling on what I have now. Now I am pretty much stuck with what I have because of my coral placement

 

[biecacka]

i have small pillars in my tank and overall im pleased. my only concern is with vertical rock scape as horizontal i think it reduces the coral placement......

 

[rhactopia]

Do you just use acrylic rods? I like this idea. :fun4:

Yes, that's what we're using. Can't believe we didn't think of this when we were setting up the tank, but we're slowly learning the tricks.

 

[greech]

Ive thought of resortin to blindfolding myself and just placing whatever i touch in the setup and goin with it.

Let us know how that works for you

I'm definitely the same way. Took me a year and a half to get it to where I am "ok" with my scape. My corals are growing in now too and all seems well with where everything is so I am just going to leave it be.

 

[arsenic]

I usually get it to where I want it pretty quickly. Maybe a few adjustments in the days after innitial setup but not much after that. I like to get it setup and let it grow!

 

[ATinPGH]

Aquascaping was one of the most frustrating things I've ever done in my entire life. I don't have an artistic bone in my body so the trial and error process lasted a long time.

 

[chull13]

Just cover it in lots of coral and call it a day :dance: You won't notice it after a while