Why does my tank look so blah...pics
- Thread starter ken123
- Start date
phil5613
Member
Your rockscaping is fine its kinda the point of keeping a reef tank so you can design it the way you want. What are you adding to the tank as suppliments? With as much baserock as you had you will need to add some type of calcium or kalk or something to help the coraline along. Also what flow do you have in the tank Coraline starts in high flow areas first and spreads from there. I dust/clean the rock every few days with a turkey baster and that helps spread the coraline too. Adding rubble or a piece or 2 of good covered rock.
alphaferret
Pitcher Hill Reef Society
I love the car tint idea- have it on my freshy- works great!- also keeps outside light out of tank
fareforce
Premium Member
To give you some ideas. Here are various pics of my tank after re-doing my rock.. over, and over, and over..... I am sure I am not the only one here that has done this either. It just takes time (ALOT of time) to get it how you will like it. But you do need to add some color!
Tank at first:
Tank later:
Next attempt:
Tank now:
Tank at first:
Tank later:
Next attempt:
Tank now:
Just have fun with your aquascaping. IMO no need to add any additives for coralline growth as long as you keep your calcium and alk up where they should be.
Here's an aquascape idea for ya
But honestly though I think it's tyime for you to start populating the tank with some corals it's dying for some.
Here's an aquascape idea for ya
But honestly though I think it's tyime for you to start populating the tank with some corals
it's dying for some.
EmergencyDpt
New member
I think your aquascaping looks great. I like the small island. I think it will look great with a clam or two in the sand and mabe a small zoo colony. Put a RBTA in there somewhere. Go to your LFS and see what he has. After four months it's time, buddy. Get moving. In four months I already bought a larger tank...Good luck and keep on reefin.
3S1K
New member
Re: Why does my tank look so blah...pics
My tank still looks a tad plain and its been over a year.Coralline is really starting to grow which adds alot of color to the rocks.Aquascaping is such a pain and seems to like nice at first gets dull real quick.It takes time and patients and you will get it were you want it.
My tank still looks a tad plain and its been over a year.Coralline is really starting to grow which adds alot of color to the rocks.Aquascaping is such a pain and seems to like nice at first gets dull real quick.It takes time and patients and you will get it were you want it.
Here is my advice on aquascaping after making several attempts................get a woman!! I'm a guy, so naturally I'm left brained. I called a friend of mine over, and she gave me some pointers (she has NEVER seen a reef tank before!!) One shot, and my tank looks better than it ever has. It looks more like a reef and a whole lot less than a rock farm.
DaveAngie79
Premium Member
add some corals and rearange the rock also try using purple up into the mix it does wonders for adding color to the rock
fambrough
Member
I think your aqua scaping is fine (pictures never do justice). I would suggest, however, moving the larger rock structure toward the back of the tank so that the aquascape is not all in the same plane. You have the height variance already, now establish some variance of depth.
Also, while I can't speak for coraline boosting additives, I think you might seed your tank better by getting another, small and totally coraline encrusted rock and scrape it in the tank then just add it to your rock work.
Of course, at four months, if all your levels are where they should be, it's time to add some corals. That is going to help you alot.
Please post updated pictures down the road.
Cheers,
Ben
Also, while I can't speak for coraline boosting additives, I think you might seed your tank better by getting another, small and totally coraline encrusted rock and scrape it in the tank then just add it to your rock work.
Of course, at four months, if all your levels are where they should be, it's time to add some corals. That is going to help you alot.
Please post updated pictures down the road.
Cheers,
Ben
serob
New member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6697351#post6697351 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dhnguyen
My first thought. What a waste of MH lighting when there's no corals
Time to go shopping bud
D.
If you have been running the MH the whole time, keep that in mind for the lifetime expectancy of the bulb. Would hate to see you get a lot of corals and in 3-6 months, wonder why all of a sudden they look...well, blah.
Good Luck,
Sean
RhodeIslandReef
In Memoriam
Hairy Yuma Shrooms will definately give your tank some color for a reasonably low price. Some grow huge and spread really quickly.
To get the purple coraline algae growing faster, you might want to find a friend with a 3" LR that has plenty of purple on it. Wish I was close I would give you one. Using a knife, scrape the coraline off the rock into a cup of salt water. Then turn off all powerheads and use a turkey baster to suck up the now coraline water in the cup. Lightly spray it over your LR. Make sure you have your magnesium levels good in your tank along with Calcium and Alk on the high side.
To get the purple coraline algae growing faster, you might want to find a friend with a 3" LR that has plenty of purple on it. Wish I was close I would give you one. Using a knife, scrape the coraline off the rock into a cup of salt water. Then turn off all powerheads and use a turkey baster to suck up the now coraline water in the cup. Lightly spray it over your LR. Make sure you have your magnesium levels good in your tank along with Calcium and Alk on the high side.
I am going in a different direction for you here.
I like your aquascaping. I would't change it. It is all personal preference - but I like it better than the single pile method.
I had the same issue with my tank when I first started. I added a couple peppermint shrimp, snails, and hermits. They all went to work cleaning the rock. Especially the pepps. They were reaching into every nook and cranny and pulling out all sorts of junk and debris. In just a few days, the rock was more bare and the coraline really started to take off. I was surprised at how much surface algea there was making the rock look dingy and uninteresting.
Give it a shot, and good luck.
I like your aquascaping. I would't change it. It is all personal preference - but I like it better than the single pile method.
I had the same issue with my tank when I first started. I added a couple peppermint shrimp, snails, and hermits. They all went to work cleaning the rock. Especially the pepps. They were reaching into every nook and cranny and pulling out all sorts of junk and debris. In just a few days, the rock was more bare and the coraline really started to take off. I was surprised at how much surface algea there was making the rock look dingy and uninteresting.
Give it a shot, and good luck.
davocean
Active member
Rock looks good, you just need some color via shrooms, corals.
Green chromis would be great.
Like fareforce said, your going to change things around from time to time to accomidate your new additions.
Just when I had my tank " perfect" my anemone moved behind the rocks and it was time to do it all over again.
I'm sure my neighbors think I'm mental.
And if you take old salty's advice on a woman, you better make sure she's reef safe!
Green chromis would be great.
Like fareforce said, your going to change things around from time to time to accomidate your new additions.
Just when I had my tank " perfect" my anemone moved behind the rocks and it was time to do it all over again.
I'm sure my neighbors think I'm mental.
And if you take old salty's advice on a woman, you better make sure she's reef safe!
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