Suggestions re: rockscaping

[Stickgal]

Have a 46 bow front. Live rock and base rock combo. Still cycling. I have aqua scraped with what I have so far, but need suggestions. Too much free swimming area? Enough live rock? Any other suggestions? Sand is 40 pounds live sand.

Thanks.
P.S. Plan to have softies, and a few lps, but no sps.

 

[rags111875]

I would take those 3 rocks on the left side and group them a little closer to form a nice base. Then take the rock that is slightly left of center and place it on top. and if the arch is long enough, have it arch from that towards the middle.
Hard to explain, harder for me to illustrate
It'll give u nice depth and give u a different height between the left and right structures. i like the one on the right as-is. nice job.

 

[RayAllen3422]

I think you need to create more of a mountain. Different corals like different light levels. Now all the corals would be pretty low to the sand.

 

[neededahobby]

If you havent yet looked check out the thread
"Tips and Tricks on Creating Amazing Aquascapes"
It really helped me

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2217633

 

[Sk8r]

Pyramid against the back wall, with plenty of swimming caves is the best stable arrangement. You put rock down before sand (if you didn't, don't worry too much, but do worry about rocks rolling and hitting the glass. They'll 'sink' over time.) I put down a triangle of buried rocks, widely separated, and then arranged rock atop the projecting tops of those rocks, and so on up. You need about 2 lbs of holey (not dense) rock per gallon of water. My stack in a similarly proportioned 105 goes 3/4 of the way up to the top.

 

[Stickgal]

Thanks for the great Suggestions! I figured I'd need to add more, but wasn't quite sure how. Thanks for the thread suggestion. Will check it out.

 

[fairl80z]

Do something like this

 

[A1t2o]

It looks like you have very little rock in there. How many pounds is that?

 

[gottalikesharks]

Pyramid against the back wall, with plenty of swimming caves is the best stable arrangement. You put rock down before sand (if you didn't, don't worry too much, but do worry about rocks rolling and hitting the glass. They'll 'sink' over time.) I put down a triangle of buried rocks, widely separated, and then arranged rock atop the projecting tops of those rocks, and so on up. You need about 2 lbs of holey (not dense) rock per gallon of water. My stack in a similarly proportioned 105 goes 3/4 of the way up to the top.

I thought stacking the rock up against the back wall was considered old school and not recommended anymore?

 

[bat21]

Make sure you have multiple caves. Fish will claim them as their hidey holes/sleeping rooms. It makes them feel safe. Certain fish that is. Piling rocks like you did on the right side is the way to go.

 

[fairl80z]

I thought stacking the rock up against the back wall was considered old school and not recommended anymore?

Typically you want it not touching any glass on the sides it allows for better flow and less places for nasty things to settle .

 

[Stickgal]

A1t2o, I have about 20 base rock and 12 live

 

[fairl80z]

A1t2o, I have about 20 base rock and 12 live

Do you have a sump or a fuge? If not then you are going to need more rock for biological filtration

 

[spiraling]

I like that rock scape. Be sure you can get your mag float between the rock and the glass or else it will be a pita to clean.

Do you have a sump or a fuge? If not then you are going to need more rock for biological filtration

More rock is better, but there are many people doing "minimal" approaches successfully too. There are nitrate removers that can help, as can water changes.

 

[gottalikesharks]

Typically you want it not touching any glass on the sides it allows for better flow and less places for nasty things to settle .

I left enough room to get a gravel vac all the way around.

 

[Stickgal]

Thanks everyone! Here's attempt two. And just to clarify, I will be adding more live rock.

 

[Stickgal]

One piece on the left is touching the glass in one small spot, but I'm still working on that one.

 

[davehead86]

You really are going to want to have space between the glass and the rocks. I currently dont and have a nasty algae problem in one corner which my snails wont solve (go figure).

I have to wait till i move tanks to rework the rock and it bugs the crap out of me. Just trying to help you the most.

 

[Stickgal]

I will work with it till I can do so, Phil. Thanks