Tips and Tricks on Creating Amazing Aquascapes

[davocean]

Thanks, those held when my pillars when we had that big quake on Easter a few years ago, what a 6.1-6.3 or something like that?
Any bigger quake than that and I'd be surprised if the glass even held up, I was surprised it did not fail then.

 

[shred5]

I have mixed feelings on this. It is pretty damn creative. But imho maybe a bit over the top. It doesn't look "possible" to be natural. The bonsai is right on the edge of cool as hell but still believable as a natural formation. This one almost makes me nervous. Wanting to watch until it falls over lol

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I tend to agree while it looks cool it is not practical.. Most of the surface area of the rock where you can put corals is too close to the surface. He already has two stags growing out of the water, just not enough for the corals vertically.

 

[stinkyreef]

Jumping in on this thread! So I am setting up a 90 with a corner overflow. This rock covers about 38" or so wide and 15" deep and about 20" high. total is about 80#. I have some other pieces not using just yet.

 

[Mina_40]

Aquascape and equipment opinions please

Aquascape and equipment opinions please

I have set up a 93 gallon cube.

I am almost done filling it with water. I will put the light on when done.

Would like opinions on my aquascape, stock list and equipment.

Equipment list:

Sicce 3.0 pump
2 x Finnex titanium 150w heaters
Reef Octopus classic 150 skimmer
2 x Jebao PP-20 wavemakers (are two overkill?)
Radion xr30w pro

20 gallon sump. It's the largest I could fit in this stand.


potential fish stocklist:

1 true percula clownfish (from my 34 gallon) I may add another. It is in my 20 gallon long qt till tank is cycled.
potter's angel
McCosker's or Carpenter's wrasse
Saddleback butterfly
Kole or other smaller tank need tang

This tank is barebottom.

Please let me know what you think.

Thank you!

 

[karimwassef]

Great designs. My tip is this - leave lots of open room for your corals to grow into. Your rockwork is kind of like the backbone of the reef, so you need to leave plenty of space.

My coral ledges were too high and the coral grew out of the water surface... Now I keep cutting and pasting the tips. I wish I had set my rockscape lower.

Also, my coral filled the "cool" openings and tunnels and become overgrown into each other. I would have been a lot more sparse with my rockwork if I could do it over.

Less is more.

Here's a top down view of my "crowded" space

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/118BA57F-6096-46F5-AD45-385CBBCBEABD_zpsfen9wuod.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/118BA57F-6096-46F5-AD45-385CBBCBEABD_zpsfen9wuod.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 118BA57F-6096-46F5-AD45-385CBBCBEABD_zpsfen9wuod.jpg"/></a>

And front
<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/E87FCADA-D6CF-4E49-9E3C-E1EB4D6909F5_zpsxaf5pgv3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/E87FCADA-D6CF-4E49-9E3C-E1EB4D6909F5_zpsxaf5pgv3.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo E87FCADA-D6CF-4E49-9E3C-E1EB4D6909F5_zpsxaf5pgv3.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/18BFD3A2-F4BE-4DCD-86FD-836F0F5EF971_zpsij6jzhhq.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/18BFD3A2-F4BE-4DCD-86FD-836F0F5EF971_zpsij6jzhhq.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 18BFD3A2-F4BE-4DCD-86FD-836F0F5EF971_zpsij6jzhhq.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/63F77D78-1F73-4418-B587-D2AD6E9F7093_zpskomymare.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/63F77D78-1F73-4418-B587-D2AD6E9F7093_zpskomymare.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 63F77D78-1F73-4418-B587-D2AD6E9F7093_zpskomymare.jpg"/></a>

Here is how it was when first set up

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/7A8D1E39-3B52-442F-A612-C4F19AC36EFA_zps8poh4uv9.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/7A8D1E39-3B52-442F-A612-C4F19AC36EFA_zps8poh4uv9.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 7A8D1E39-3B52-442F-A612-C4F19AC36EFA_zps8poh4uv9.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/AE3AF3DC-85D5-4FAC-AE84-044F0AB39A6D_zpsersvu1dm.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/AE3AF3DC-85D5-4FAC-AE84-044F0AB39A6D_zpsersvu1dm.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo AE3AF3DC-85D5-4FAC-AE84-044F0AB39A6D_zpsersvu1dm.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s1062.photobucket.com/user/karimwassef/media/DB1A1E02-55F2-46DE-8A49-22FCD7685A95_zpsiqvqigi3.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums/t496/karimwassef/DB1A1E02-55F2-46DE-8A49-22FCD7685A95_zpsiqvqigi3.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo DB1A1E02-55F2-46DE-8A49-22FCD7685A95_zpsiqvqigi3.jpg"/></a>

 

[martinrselva]

Hi guys!

Here is my first sw tank which is 90 gallons... it was like this but after adding some live rock all the structure collapsed

Now it looks like this but will be moving to a 120 gallons and make the aquascape again.

Look forward to hearing some feeds about it..

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[karimwassef]

It is easier to shape a reefscape if you can make it yourself out of concrete.

 

[Chicagoreef2016]

Hi folks, interested in feedback on the below photos; I love the cave/U shaped form but am wondering if there is a better way with the 5 large rocks I have. I think I may break one up and put a small/medium island at the front of the cave I have a 60 gallon cube. Thanks!

 

[reef thief]

Drill, screw driver, and super glue your 5 large rocks into one rock that looks and functions exactly as you want it to. Don't settle for what you were shipped.

 

[HippieSmell]

What are people using to stick rocks together? I was looking at paleobond. Is that stuff strong and permanent?

 

[SFish]

IMO one of the best aquascapes on the net.
Insane space/natural beauty here

I like this one better

 

[maxxII]

This is one of my very favorites as well, and it was driving me nuts to remember who's this is, thanks to FB friends, this belongs to Christopher Kriens.

I'm sure that island on right must be on a rod and platform for stability.

Google searched his name and found this: http://www.reefedition.com/reef-spotlight-chris-algae-farm-elos-160/

 

[morgank]

Just redid my scape after moving:



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[vipertaj]

Love it


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[Hoopz87]

Just redid my scape after moving:



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Great squascape my next tank will be similar to this

 

[dancewithethan]

This tank belong to Mr. Chingchai Uekrongtham (in Thailand). If you have been following his amazing tank at his house which sadly has been taken down and now being rebuild at his new restaurant. I hope it's ok with him to share his amazing aquascape and rock works.



He dose not post much on RC anymore but you can follow his current build on Facebook.

 

[dancewithethan]

Here some more better pictures.







Again, I hope it's OK with him that I share these pictures.

 

[Jndragon79]

is that structure floating of the brace? awesome, more pics please

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[Kymaro]

Thank you everyone for so much idea's and examples, I so want to change my tank around now.

 

[dancewithethan]

is that structure floating of the brace? awesome, more pics please

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From the pictures, it looks to me braced/mounted on acrylic bar that run across the top of the tank. It looks like it serve the purpose of hiding the power heads. I think the ideas hear is to hide all mechanical and electrical as much as possible.