Tips and Tricks on Creating Amazing Aquascapes

[Reef_Noob]

Please don't take offense, but I'd probably break it into 3 pieces that I could incorporate into the design. That's a tough shape to use.

Like the tank. That's great!

Thanks for chipping in.
Hm I think this rock piece is a neat piece and though pretty hard to incorporate into the current scape maybe I can make a natural looking frag rack outta it rather than breaking it up

 

[Reef_Noob]

I would not even use it...your rock work is just right as is.

Hi swcc,
Thanks a lot
:beer:

 

[Reef_Noob]

Honestly, you need to move the center structure off center. Maybe even combine it with the one on the left and move the one on the right to the left just a few inches and put the new piece with it.

Thanks for the suggestion. Something for me to think about now

 

[ridetheducati]

What aquascape do you recommend for maximizing surface area for a SPS dominated setup? Historically, I would use the fruit stand method, but would like to change it up a bit, while allowing plenty of surface area for SPS collection.

 

[laugh]

Don't get me wrong I think the overall size and shape of your structures is great. I don't claim to be an expert, but in reading this thread and others about aquascaping and the rule of thirds it talks about avoiding centering your structures for visual interest. Of all the great pics posted in this thread the best looking ones do not have anything on center in the tank. Look at the example pics, the goat, the mountain peaks, nothing centered. Just some thoughts. I'm transferring to a new tank this weekend and I hope my structures come out as good as yours.

 

[Reef_Noob]

Don't get me wrong I think the overall size and shape of your structures is great. I don't claim to be an expert, but in reading this thread and others about aquascaping and the rule of thirds it talks about avoiding centering your structures for visual interest. Of all the great pics posted in this thread the best looking ones do not have anything on center in the tank. Look at the example pics, the goat, the mountain peaks, nothing centered. Just some thoughts. I'm transferring to a new tank this weekend and I hope my structures come out as good as yours.

Thanks a lot for the kind words of compliment.
I totally understand and thanks for taking time to review my scape and give suggestions.

 

[sabbath]

Cable ties break

Cable ties break

You can try something like this:

<img src="http://cdn.manhattanreefs.com/forum/images/magazine/2012-2/Whitby-ArticleImages/Whitby02.jpg" id="il_fi" height="533" width="399" style="padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 8px; ">

Then either drill a hole through the rock or use cable ties. If your tank can only be viewed from the front, the cable tie method may be easier. It is how I did both pillars in my tank.

I like the PVC idea but I work with those cable ties at work. They are known to crack open over time with any kind of a load on them.

 

[SaltwaterSensei]

Sabbath,

You're right they do become brittle, crack and fail. I used those ties too, but not as a final solution to holding tue rocks together. I initially use them as a mock up and to secure the rocks in the shape I want while the rock epoxy/glue/cement cures then I cut them off.

 

[adddo]

Here is my aquascape, tried thinking in 5-3 ratio. Corals abit browned out due to recent move.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

March 2006

NOW... pix from 2012

to see the journey between the beginning and now search RC for my New Canvas and Junior's Reef threads

aquascape tip: stack your rock so it can NEVER topple. Large rock is preferable to small rock. Work with the largest pieces of good quality LR that you can find. NO EGGCRATE ON THE BOTTOM!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

 

[Veganbrian]

Beautiful Gary, I love your tank

 

[meegwell]

Gary- beautiful tank. Two questions: how much sand do you have in that tank, and what are your corals you consider to be yellow?

 

[Patrick Cox]

aquascape tip: stack your rock so it can NEVER topple. Large rock is preferable to small rock. Work with the largest pieces of good quality LR that you can find. NO EGGCRATE ON THE BOTTOM!

Hi,
Thanks for the tip. Why do you emphasize these points? Does coral growth make rocks more prone to topple over? And then on the egg crate, why do you make this recommendation?

Thanks!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

thanks for the kind words, vegan- good thread

thanks for the kind words, vegan- good thread

Gary- beautiful tank. Two questions: how much sand do you have in that tank, and what are your corals you consider to be yellow?

I'm not sure which aquarium you're referring to but I prefer an extremely thin layer of sand in a reef aquarium display. Yellow corals: Sarcophyton elegans, Turbinaria reninformis and I have a couple of nice Montipora spp. that are yellow (not visible in these photos).

 

[swcc]

Hi,
Thanks for the tip. Why do you emphasize these points? Does coral growth make rocks more prone to topple over? And then on the egg crate, why do you make this recommendation?

Thanks!

rocks can topple over when one is maintaining the tank...
egg crate...very bad idea... it traps detritus in the little squares and shuts down flow through the sandbed. There is no need for it and it should not be used in the bottom of a tank.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Hi,Thanks for the tip. Why do you emphasize these points? Does coral growth make rocks more prone to topple over? And then on the egg crate, why do you make this recommendation? Thanks!

Hey, Patrick. Sometimes it's difficult to gain a size perspective from pix on the web. All of my pix above are of 6 ft. long 220 gallon aquariums.
The rocks are huge. Among many other reasons, large rock provides a huge anaerobic zone and it's easier to stack than many smaller rocks (or rubble). When creating an aquascape in a reef aquarium both form AND function are important. You want to be able to keep water circulating around the rock as much as possible PLUS leave room for coral growth. That means rock should have as few contact points with glass as possible but it MUST BE SECURE. Rockslides in reef aquaria are not anyone's idea of fun.
Yes coral growth can topple rock. Think how wild reefs expand. It's natural.

Eggcrate? Probably the worst choice for the bottom of a reef aquarium in my opinion.
There's usually no valid reason for it and it creates so many challenges I'm not going to go there in this aquascape thread... but I figured I'd mention it because it's a very important decision. I'd strongly suggest anyone THOROUGHLY research eggcrate use on the bottom of a reef aquarium if you're considering it.

 

[nbgen12]

Hey, Patrick. Sometimes it's difficult to gain a size perspective from pix on the web. All of my pix above are of 6 ft. long 220 gallon aquariums.
The rocks are huge. Among many other reasons, large rock provides a huge anaerobic zone and it's easier to stack than many smaller rocks (or rubble). When creating an aquascape in a reef aquarium both form AND function are important. You want to be able to keep water circulating around the rock as much as possible PLUS leave room for coral growth. That means rock should have as few contact points with glass as possible but it MUST BE SECURE. Rockslides in reef aquaria are not anyone's idea of fun.
Yes coral growth can topple rock. Think how wild reefs expand. It's natural.

Eggcrate? Probably the worst choice for the bottom of a reef aquarium in my opinion.
There's usually no valid reason for it and it creates so many challenges I'm not going to go there in this aquascape thread... but I figured I'd mention it because it's a very important decision. I'd strongly suggest anyone THOROUGHLY research eggcrate use on the bottom of a reef aquarium if you're considering it.

Gary - Do you have any pictures of your aquascape before being full of coral? That's a great looking scape with the coral all grown in...would love to see what it looked like before having all the corals.

EDIT: Just noticed you already have them up....that is nuts how much the coral changes everything....

 

[byronjbacon]

I was fortunate enough to find this gem at a LFS. It is all ceramic and has frag plug holes drilled in everywhere to help me out as soon as i start stocking the corals.

That is what I'm planning to do with my LR aquascape for the 65 gallon I'll be setting up after my move. I'm never happy with where I originaly set a coral. I move it all over the tank until I find a place that me AND the coral like. So drilling holes throughout the rock just seems like I'll get alot more options. Initially, it will look strange, but once that coraline algae grows all over it will not be noticeable. I'm glad that I'm seeing this method on this post.

 

[Lavoisier]

So it seems like the OP has given us some great tips and is also offering advice. I would appreciate some input on my new 500g 8'x4' build. Below are my current thoughts after this reading this thread with citations. The first two mock-ups include the 5::3 guides from all three perspectives. Thoughts?