Tip's for Aquascaping nano's

[Fishy 1]

Hey everyone :wave: I'm about to aquascape my nano and was thinking that it would be great to have a thread for new nano reefers to learn how to get that "killer scape:uzi:" in their nano's. And a thread so new nano keepers can ask questions about aquascaping, placing corals for max impact etc etc. How do you get a WOW impact from a nano's scape, and as i'm sure you guys know that to make a nano sucsesful the scape needs to work. I'm interested in how you go about getting that "killer scape", like what are the steps in the planning.

1. Planning your design.

2. selecting your rocks.

3. How to get the rock to say the way you want it.

4. How to make sure you have no dead spots in your tank.

5. Maintaining your aquascape (keeping the rock healthy by blasting etc).

6. How to use corals to make a scape POP.

and things like that

I would like this thread to be a place where new nano keepers can ask questions and people that have gone through aquascaping nano's can tell us what they think goes into making a "killer scape", and what worked and what failed so we can all learn.

So let questions and experiences flow forth:dance:

 

[terrypercula]

The best tip I have is to great it like a big tank. The same rules apply you just need to do it ok a small scale. Hammer and chisel are your friend here lol

 

[Fishy 1]

The best tip I have is to great it like a big tank. The same rules apply you just need to do it ok a small scale. Hammer and chisel are your friend here lol

Thanks for your input Dave.

 

[KirbyBTF]

I learned the hard way, don't glue until you're SURE you like it.

 

[Fishy 1]

I learned the hard way, don't glue until you're SURE you like it.

Thanks Kirby that's what I'm after and I'll make sure to not glue until I'm ready :thumbsup:

 

[bobbravo2]

I'd say make sure you think about the tank 3 dimensionally, if possible. If not 3d, then definitely from the viewing planes. For my tank, that's Front, Left & Right Sides (& I guess top with the pumps off..).

I've always tried to look for pieces of rock that "speak to me." I'll play with one piece of rock in the LFS in many, many orientations. For a nano, it's also very helpful to find that one "ah-ha" centerpiece, to build around.

For my current build the "ah-ha" piece was an artificial piece of live rock, which surprised me, I'm a purist, and in the past I would have balked at such imitation. But the geometry of the rock was unique, in the sense that it created a nice wall, with a pronounced "foot" area, for an expansive feel.

Then, as others have mentioned, the hammer is your friend! In my case, it was one fated blow of the hammer which defined my aquascape. One of the pieces had an epoxy block from a prior owner, so I decided to use the hammer on it. What came off was pretty amazing, and I used it as an arch in my aquascape, which fit perfectly, and even had the ugly piece of epoxy hidden.

Finally - don't over do it! I've got lots of space for coral growth in my 30, as that's where the real aquascaping comes into effect!

Pictures are worth a 1000 words:

Side View

 

[Fishy 1]

WOW nice scape Bob

 

[bobbravo2]

WOW nice scape Bob

Thank you, sir! As I shared - it was that central piece of man-made rock that I based it around. 9.5# of that, and 21# of real rock.

Side note!
Found a really cool passage at the back of my scape. There's a full tunnel running behind the rock! (I'll try and capture it with a photo at some point!)

 

[brob22]

u agree wuth treating it like a big tank on a smaller scale.

i think using smaller rocks as oposed to big make for more caves and make the tank look bigger

 

[Fishy 1]

do you guys think a flatter scape or a scape with more height is better?

 

[G_Sanab922]

I learned the hard way, don't glue until you're SURE you like it.

Don't think you should glue any of it at all. You will most likely reaquascape in the future or add new pieces where you might have to move things around. Or if a certain rock has a pest you don't want then it would let you take out only that rock instead of pulling out the whole thing. Plus sometimes reaquascaping can help when fish are too aggressive since they think they are in a new environment.

 

[Amoore311]

Do not build a rock wall.

Seriously.... That is probably the #1 thing Scott Fellman hammers into your head anytime he does an aquascaping seminar. The fruit stand look of corals positioned on a rock wall is boring to the eye.

Use pond foam, zip ties, acrylic rods, and/or epoxy to create something unique. Don't be afraid to chisel where needed.

I prefer to keep the rock far enough away from the front/sides/back so that I can clean every bit of the glass with my magnet cleaner. That's a more personal choice though.

Here's my 100 Gallon and my new 29 Gallon. Nothing breathtaking by any means, but I like it

The 29 Gallon has only been up a couple weeks. I pull rock from the 100 Gallon for the 29 Gallon tank.

 

[Han Solo]

A tip I wish I had a shallow tank for I learned from another thread was:

BREAK the surface! Seems perhaps even devastating to the live rock at first, but would be perfectly acceptable once you think about it. A small part of a triangle shaped rock out of the water would have looked great on my round tank.

 

[bobbravo2]

I prefer to keep the rock far enough away from the front/sides/back so that I can clean every bit of the glass with my magnet cleaner. That's a more personal choice though.

+1 to that. I've always hated not being able to clean part of the glass! I always make sure my mag-float can reach whatever areas I scape.

 

[Fishy 1]

A tip I wish I had a shallow tank for I learned from another thread was:

BREAK the surface! Seems perhaps even devastating to the live rock at first, but would be perfectly acceptable once you think about it. A small part of a triangle shaped rock out of the water would have looked great on my round tank.

That's very interesting Han...but makes sense and in fact on the practical fish keeping website there is a shallow tank with a rock scape like a volcano, with crabs living on the volcano and water being pumped up the center of the volcano and flowing down the sides. It is stunning and worth a look for sure.

 

[Han Solo]

That's very interesting Han...but makes sense and in fact on the practical fish keeping website there is a shallow tank with a rock scape like a volcano, with crabs living on the volcano and water being pumped up the center of the volcano and flowing down the sides. It is stunning and worth a look for sure.

wow! any chance you have a link to that tank?

 

[Fishy 1]

wow! any chance you have a link to that tank?

Han just for you I'll try and get a link, you can't say i'm not a nice guy:lol:

 

[Fishy 1]

here you go
http://wwwpracticalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3355

 

[bobbravo2]

here you go
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3355

Fixed link.

 

[Han Solo]

Han just for you I'll try and get a link, you can't say i'm not a nice guy:lol:

Thank you! But Unfortunately Han Solo does not provide flattery.