xtm's 'Wide Open Shallow Reef' aquascape

[Leonardo_]

Very Nice Joseph, I'm also inspired by the Reefscapers images... Found them a while ago and immediately knew I wanted that look.

Leonardo

 

[xtm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15383350#post15383350 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SunnyX
Looks great! I say the more open the better! :thumbsup:

Thank you Sunny!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15385471#post15385471 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Leonardo_
Very Nice Joseph, I'm also inspired by the Reefscapers images... Found them a while ago and immediately knew I wanted that look.

Leonardo

Hi Leonardo,
Thanks, I actually found the reefscapers from your Lagoon thread. I haven't been posting much but I'm following your great build thread.

 

[Leonardo_]

Thanks Joseph. Keep us updated! Such coralscapes only get better in time.

Leonardo

 

[GSMguy]

I like it

 

[Reefer08]

My honest opinion is that I don't like it. I have the same exact tank dimensions also. The tank looks naked in my opinion. I would add some more live rock.

 

[bogg]

Looks good, so clean, with lots of room for coral growth.
So nice to see something different than the wall of rock/fruit stand look. I'll keep my eye on this one. good job.

 

[Cantonesefish]

I like it a lot. It will only look better over time as corals grow out.

Personally, I would add just a little more live rock to fill it in somewhat, and give some more places to put corals. You still have some creative space to add rock but still keep the same clean lines and openness.

Nice job with the Purple tang rescue !

 

[zdawgnight]

I have to respect your restraint a lot. After my tank crashed, I promised myself that I wouldnt put more then five sps corals in the tank 6 months go by and I now have about 10. Im a fan good luck and keep up the good work

 

[Lyfey]

What about Nitrite /Nitrate issues? Ammonia? With having little live rock, dont you run the risk of not having enough filtration? Are you running bioballs also? I opt for more LR than less for that reason alone, I wouldnt like to come home from work to see everything dead because I wanted it to look pretty.

 

[Tobit]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15397928#post15397928 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lyfey
With having little live rock, dont you run the risk of not having enough filtration?

NO!

 

[Lyfey]

I wasnt trying to be rude or anything, but I was always taught at least 1 lb. of LR / gallon. You could use less if your rock was lighter and more porous for beneficial bacteria to grow on. This bacteria turns ammonia? into nitrite into tollerable nitrate. Without sufficient surface area and enough Live rock (the reason its Live) harmful toxins will build up and kill everything in the tank. I would love to have a very open aquascape but I personally dont risk it. Its the basis of the berlin method of reefing. I try to stick to the basics. Rock, Flow and Light.

 

[Lyfey]

I could be wrong, just my 02c. I just dont want a fellow reefer that enjoys this hobby as much as the rest of us, come home to something horrible.

Btw, I really like the design and the only reason I said anything was because you said to keep it coming, positive or negative. The bonsai type theme is really nice and you have alot of room for your corals to grow in. Do you have any LR in your sump? If you have more LR in your sump thats another story!

 

[Tobit]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15398201#post15398201 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lyfey
I wasnt trying to be rude or anything, but I was always taught at least 1 lb. of LR / gallon.

Old marketting ploy to sell more rock than anything. .

 

[GQuinn]

I like it. I also liked your old aquascape as I thought it was unique. I like the new one better.

Gary

 

[MADtanks]

sick man, i love the simplicity and open swimming room, cant wait to see it again in about 6 mos unless you have a CA Rx then i cant wait to see it in 3months! lol

 

[Logzor]

With some really big corals growing out from those islands it will look amazing. I would be banging my head on the wall trying to find room for more stuff, though.

 

[SWINGRRRR]

I love it. Looks great with the wide open space.

 

[Leonardo_]

Hello XTM, I just redid the aquascape the past weeks with the Reefscapers pictures in the back of my mind Posted some photo's yesterday.

Any updates for us?

Leonardo

 

[t4zalews]

I def want to have an open look with my big tank, I'm guessing you use the diamond goby to keep the sandbed nice and white...that will be the only challenge. Anyway to keep it nice and white without it? used to have one..but he wiped out my fauna and bugs, that's my only problem with them

 

[xtm]

t4zalews I def want to have an open look with my big tank, I'm guessing you use the diamond goby to keep the sandbed nice and white...that will be the only challenge. Anyway to keep it nice and white without it? used to have one..but he wiped out my fauna and bugs, that's my only problem with them

Yes you're right about the diamond goby, however I've become frustrated with him lately because he piles up the sand ON TOP of my corals. If I don't clean it up for 2 days, some of the corals would bleach. I also keep a sand sifting star which came from back when I had the cube.. so I've had the star for more than 2 years!

Leonardo_ Hello XTM, I just redid the aquascape the past weeks with the Reefscapers pictures in the back of my mind Posted some photo's yesterday.
Any updates for us?
Leonardo

Hi Leonardo! I'm excited to see your new aquascape. Just a side note.. if you look at my tank, the biggest piece I have there is the A. Formosa with blue tips. It's glued to the 2nd piece of rock and is growing nicely. Can you guess whose tank inspired me to do that?

SWINGRRRR I love it. Looks great with the wide open space.

thanks!

Logzor With some really big corals growing out from those islands it will look amazing. I would be banging my head on the wall trying to find room for more stuff, though.

haha.. yeah, my old tank had more LR packed in and as the pieces grew, I started having space issues. I'm lovin the open tank!

MADtanks sick man, i love the simplicity and open swimming room, cant wait to see it again in about 6 mos unless you have a CA Rx then i cant wait to see it in 3months! lol

thanks. I will put the Ca Rx back online soon, but for now I'm dosing B-Ionic.

GQuinn I like it. I also liked your old aquascape as I thought it was unique. I like the new one better.
Gary

Thank you Gary! When I upgrade the tank (hopefully this year) I might do a mix of the old design and new design.

Lyfey I could be wrong, just my 02c. I just dont want a fellow reefer that enjoys this hobby as much as the rest of us, come home to something horrible.

Hello Lyfey.. no problems with biological filtration. There is plenty of sand for the bacteria to colonize.

Btw, I really like the design and the only reason I said anything was because you said to keep it coming, positive or negative. The bonsai type theme is really nice and you have alot of room for your corals to grow in. Do you have any LR in your sump? If you have more LR in your sump thats another story!

Hey please don't worry about commenting. I am very open to any criticisms. Afterall, we're here to share opinions, right? I don't have any LR in my sump... it's clean.

Lyfey I wasnt trying to be rude or anything, but I was always taught at least 1 lb. of LR / gallon. You could use less if your rock was lighter and more porous for beneficial bacteria to grow on. This bacteria turns ammonia? into nitrite into tollerable nitrate. Without sufficient surface area and enough Live rock (the reason its Live) harmful toxins will build up and kill everything in the tank. I would love to have a very open aquascape but I personally dont risk it. Its the basis of the berlin method of reefing. I try to stick to the basics. Rock, Flow and Light.

I don't think there's a hard and fast rule about LR weight/per gallon, just like the Watts per gallon thing. Everything has to be factored in and there are so many variables when running a reef tank.

zdawgnight I have to respect your restraint a lot. After my tank crashed, I promised myself that I wouldnt put more then five sps corals in the tank 6 months go by and I now have about 10. Im a fan good luck and keep up the good work.

Thanks! I think by designing my tank like this, I won't get tempted to buy something new.. and it's working! Well at least for now. lol. When you have a clean empty rock sitting there staring at you, it's basically begging you to buy more frags to mount. The question is.. how long can I restrain myself?

Cantonesefish I like it a lot. It will only look better over time as corals grow out. Personally, I would add just a little more live rock to fill it in somewhat, and give some more places to put corals. You still have some creative space to add rock but still keep the same clean lines and openness.

Thanks! I *will* add some rocks soon, but I really want the openness. For some reason I quickly get tired of the rock-stacked aquascapes that I had before. Also I noticed that by "opening up" my tank, the fishes now swim and behave differently, in a good way.

bogg Looks good, so clean, with lots of room for coral growth.
So nice to see something different than the wall of rock/fruit stand look. I'll keep my eye on this one. good job.

Thanks so much! When I took the pics, the rocks were still bare and clean. Now they are starting to show a "seasoned" look and some coralline have started to grow. I need to post some updated pics to document some growth.

Reefer08 My honest opinion is that I don't like it. I have the same exact tank dimensions also. The tank looks naked in my opinion. I would add some more live rock.

Knowing myself, I know I'll add more LR later on.. thanks for the comment!

GSMguy I like it

thanks!