"Bonsai Reef" (SPS style)

[tmc1313]

Hi guys, I started this thread in my local forum and thought I would post here too. I'm hoping this will be my last tank thread I'll be starting for quite a while. I've been through a total of 4 tanks this past year for various reasons (too deep, too shallow, broken center brace, etc...). Growth of my SPS has been pretty negligible, which is to be expected, but I've still managed to keep 95% of what I started with alive, dating all the way back to my 144 half circle tank. This new tank will be the final destination and now I'll finally provide the needed stability. Hopefully everything thrives and takes off. I've realized during all these tank moves that as tempermental as SPS can be, they are also pretty resilient (at least for a while) when given the basics. Anyway I was too lazy to take out the Canon and I'm still learning with the new macro lens (so no close ups). I snapped a couple of cell phone pics just to get this thread going. So here is the new tank in various stages of my lighting cycle:

Full lights

late evening

Just before lights out

Hopefully I'll have much better pics soon. Thanks for looking

 

[Acronic]

Really diggin the scape!

 

[plyle02]

Very nice, going to be a stunner when those corals grow out a bit, still looking awesome though, nice job!

 

[animalkingdom]

really diggin the scape!

+1...

 

[yano]

Sweet Reef! I love this scapes minimalists...left rock structure is awesome!
How old is the tank?

 

[aandfsoccr04]

Wow your rockwork is amazing. You definitely nailed the bonsai look!

 

[Rogerh]

Wow, cool aquascape... this will look really cool with some growth on those corals

 

[tmc1313]

Really diggin the scape!

Very nice, going to be a stunner when those corals grow out a bit, still looking awesome though, nice job!

Wow your rockwork is amazing. You definitely nailed the bonsai look!

Wow, cool aquascape... this will look really cool with some growth on those corals

Thanks for the compliments everyone. I think I'm finally happy with this one. Time will tell.

 

[tmc1313]

Yano,
The tank itself is new. The corals on the other hand I feel bad for. They've been moved around, hacked up, everything SPS don't really like. Most of them are over a year old, but have not had much growth, which I think is due to moving them around so much. Hopefully this will be their permanent tranquil home, full of stability. That's the plan anyway.

 

[Reef or Die]

Incredible aquascape!!

how did you get the base of that island on the right to stand straight up like that??
I see TOTM in your future

 

[tmc1313]

Incredible aquascape!!

how did you get the base of that island on the right to stand straight up like that??
I see TOTM in your future

Thanks, I can only take partial credit though. I've always had an idea in my head about how I wanted my reef to be, but could never get the look I wanted with actual live rock. This tank is actually void of any "real" live rock. It's called Vida Rock, which really isn't rock at all. They make different shapes and formations. I simply combined two different shapes to make the structure you see. I used what they call "bonsai" shape and combined it with "branch" shape. After turning pieces this way and that way, this is what I finally came up with. As for TOTM, time will tell, but this reef is a far cry from the incredible tanks I've seen here.

 

[Henry Colf]

Sweet looking scape!!

 

[biggles]

Very nice aquascaping mate, it's going to look amazing when the corals fill out and hang over those structures, great work

 

[1mbrews8]

love it!

 

[yano]

Uhmm, not live rock... you´ve use other filtration media ?

 

[diciple]

Just beautiful hope those get happy with new home I would"nt change a thing well done

 

[Polyp Envy]

very nice!

 

[Arkayology]

This is a great tank. I like the scape. Hopefully the SPS start to put out some growth and fill in. This will look great in 6 months!

 

[tmc1313]

Sweet looking scape!!

Very nice aquascaping mate, it's going to look amazing when the corals fill out and hang over those structures, great work

love it!

Just beautiful hope those get happy with new home I would"nt change a thing well done

This is a great tank. I like the scape. Hopefully the SPS start to put out some growth and fill in. This will look great in 6 months!

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the positive feed back. Especially from other reefers.

 

[tmc1313]

Uhmm, not live rock... you´ve use other filtration media ?

That's right. absolutely no live rock. However, the material is very porous for beneficial bacteria. I just skim and am using carbon at the moment.