SPS Aquascape

T

Talmier

New member
Hi

I was wondering if I could get some advice on my Aquascape

I have a cube that measures 60cm x 45cm x45 cms

This is my current aquascape I am not so sure it's great for SPS

Does any one have some advice?

I feel the single rock in the middle looks quite odd and needed to be more of a plate

I think I will also get rid of the LPS around the foot of the bommie


90E29CFF-8AEA-4B35-B3C5-C6580D9F84E0_zps8ozbzda7.jpg


Thanks
 
IMHO I don't like it for SPS. While it looks interesting like that, keep in mind SPS grow outward, so take that into account when considering the look you're after. Some of the best SPS tanks have the most boring rockscape when started and let the corals do the talking. In a tank that small, put a stag in the center and some tabling, bushy plating species around the periphery of the rock and you'll have a nice result.

Personally, I'd chop the upper half of the lower rock off and move that piece down. The way you have it you have limited room for mounting corals and when they do start to grow, it will look "top heavy". HTH!
 
Rovster is right, most of the best SPS tanks start with just a clump of rock and let the corals actually make the artwork. In a years time, your corals will be stopped by the water top and hitting the walls in that thing the way that rock work is..... Sorry to be critical.
 
Hey guys

Thanks for being critical that's exactly what I was chasing. I to was worried about it being top heavy

What sort of bushy species should I be looking at?

Do you have any pictures and ideas on what I should be chasing

I'm not sure where to start but I was sure that didn't look right

The tank volume is about 120 litres and with the sump its around 160

Thanks
 
start by asking your wife if she likes, then you can buy all the sps corals that can fill it till shes unhappy! ( her reflection is in the glass btw LOL) creeper status*
 
Yeah, if you want to go full blown SPS, I would probably remove the top rock and leave the bottom one. I made the same mistake early on when I aquascaped my 180 and it is really "top heavy". The top 1/3 of the tank shades the rest pretty bad and until I break it down I'm pretty much stuck with it.
 
I went with the stack of rocks method from the bottom to the mid-back wall leaving various shelves, caves and open bottom for LPS.



 
Talmier said:
Hey guys

Thanks for being critical that's exactly what I was chasing. I to was worried about it being top heavy

What sort of bushy species should I be looking at?

Do you have any pictures and ideas on what I should be chasing

I'm not sure where to start but I was sure that didn't look right

The tank volume is about 120 litres and with the sump its around 160

Thanks
Click to expand...

If it was me, because its a nano, I would stick with proven aquacultured corals. I would probably do 3-5 species of acro, and maybe some birdsnest or colorful stylos or poccis around the perimeter.

I would definitely consider a stag in the center (Green slimer, indigo tipped teal stag, lime in the sky, ORA Stuber stag).

Around the perimeter, consider some bushy or tabling species like a pink lemonade, any tenius, anything ORA like a red planet. Maybe a couple of milles?

A "deep water" like a red dragon or Hawkins echinata would be nice to round out the selection.

Select based on growth pattern and color.

If you want to keep it real simple, just do birdsnests, montis (digi, encrusting and caps) and stylos.

At the end of the day, do what makes you happy. I started with and love nanos. That said, my coral hoarding tendencies make it difficult to keep one, LOL!
 
Thanks guys

So in regards to the rock work

Would you just build a rock pile in the middle third of the tank?

Do all sps need to be on rocks?

How high would you build the pile?

Would you go wall to wall rocks ?

I'm going to have to move the tank in about 8 months time as we just bought a new place

I'm assuming it would be best to putty the new structure?

Thanks
 
Keep the structure compact and maybe go 1/2-5/8 way up the tank in terms of height. Gives room for things to grow up and out and when they are "good" size for that size tank, it will look proportionate and balanced. You can still use some interesting formations, caves shelves arches, etc, but in general you want to keep it compact. Think more about creating mounting points that give corals good flow and light and let them grow out.
 
That looks much better for acros mate. You could think about pulling the left end towards the front of the display 3-4" so the formation lets you have places to grow acros away from you. Many acros look much better when not viewed growing towards the front viewing glass. Most millis look much more colorful growing towards the back wall because of their style of curving upwards branch growth.
Placing the formation at an angle will help give a greater sense of depth from front to back for you. Just suggestions but as long as you like it that's all that counts now :thumbsup:
 
Much better for SPS. I'm with Andrew. Maybe angle one of those side rocks towards the front to get some added depth, but I think its also fine as is. Be patient, it takes some time to fill it out depending on how beg the pieces are you start with. Good luck!
 
Hi Guys

I have 5 peices of Acro on my rock work now

In the back 2 corners of the middle piece I have a Dallas and Aspera Stag
In the front middle of that piece I have a Blue Tenius acro which has improving colour at the moment

On the left I have a Strawberry Shortcake frag and on the right a Purple Acro with Green Polyps

I still have a Green Stylophora frag and a Pink Milli can I grow these ont he sand bed?

From what I have read with adequate spacing my rock work is now full

Thanks
 
Hi Everyone a quick update

This is what my rank looks like now

I still think I have a bit of room to fill on the ground and possibly on the right front

Anymore Aquascaping advice?

Currently I'm dosing 4ml of alk a day and 3 ml of Calcium

Alk sits steady between 8 and 8.3

Calc sits at 420

Mag is 1290

14L ASW change a week thinking of winding it back to 20L bi weekly



Thanks
 
Looks really good. I'm not good at scaping, but perhaps if you curl the front left around a but, adding to it, and place some smooth skins or something like a Red Dragon in the front?

Certainly looks good as is! :thumbsup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Coral placement and water flow
Replies
5
Views
968
wvned
wvned
K
Help: SPS peeling strangely.
Replies
5
Views
699
griss
griss
P
5G ADA Pico Reef with Cherub Angel
Replies
3
Views
682
Dustin07
D
Lebowski_
Why do SPS need "aged" tanks?
Replies
5
Views
1K
shred5
shred5
T
Back at it after a 13 year hiatus.
Replies
8
Views
1K
Cjs305510
C
Back
Top