*update 10/27*
ok, so I'm moving "My aquascaping Journey" form my blog, to the general forum so people can comment on it... Enjoy!!!
I just want to post this for anyone needing help with their aquascape!
from the begginging...
this was my first aquascape. nice tunnels, cave area, and arch.. nothing big.
then comes more live rock from a friend taking down their 28 nano. There were a bunch of odly shapped pieces that we just had to make work. so eventualy, we came up with this layout. stacking pieces in the middle, and moving large pieces to the outside, and bottom. this was major quascape change #1 (from the first layout)
then comes some new inverts. in the previous layout, we didnt have enough room to fit them all... so we ended up takin out a large piece in the middle, flipping the large white rock, and adding a fake white coral rock... this was major change #2
Major additions to the top and middle of the aquascape. Large tunnel going through the middle of the rocks, as well as swimming room in front, and behind the rocks.
and new bulbs, inverts, and fish!!. Basically, I moved the center coulomb of rocks back to create a large center hole. I will eventually put something there.... probably a clam (already have one, but I decided to put it in the rocks on far left).
As you can see, I took out a lot of rock. My guess would be about 20-30 pounds.
Why?? because there was not enough flow in my tank, and it was not looking very healthy. Now this should not throw anybody off of doing the "wall." I personally like the look, but had to sacrifice in order to get a healthier tank!
Another day, another aquascape! As you can see, I have created a space just for the clam. He has just grown more than expected, and i just dont want to get rid of hi! so rather than clearing the rock he was sitting on, why no just redo the tank completely? so there you are! I have plenty of frag spots for the SPS that i will get, plenty of flow, and plenty of caves!
Ok, well not a ton has changed, but we did have to move some rocks around because my anemone decided that it didnt like the corner anymore.
As you can see, the aquascape changes as time progresses. the aquascape you first put in in not always the on you end up with. I started with about 40 pounds or rock, and was 85 at one point, but now its back down to about 60 ish. So dont be worried if you are having troubble with aquascaping. Just go with what looks good to you (as well as providing adequate flow). Chances are, you will change it.
Much has changed on this update! The rocks are moved to create a much more open feeling. I did this because 1. the anemone decided to move to the back of the tank. 2. the clam needed more room. 3. I wanted to be able to siphon more sand. But I really like the new arch feeling. Plus, it leaved more room for corals!
Here is another example of great aquascaping.
This is starr's tank... This is an excelent example of aquascaping. She did a great job with a large group in the middle, and plenty of room on the outside of the rock. It looks very natural, in my opinion. This is the first aquascape of her tank, and looks very nice.
useful techniques....
Do not just throw the rocks on the sand... try to build up a small pile of them.. put some small rocks under the big ones and just stack... you will create some great caverns this way.
some styles of aquascaping...
the "wall" -- can see this in my 4th and 5th pic--
the "2 mountain + valley" (you can add "mountains" and "valleys depending on tank length)
^~~~~~~~~~~~^
^^~~~~~~~~~^^
^^^~~~~~~~^^^
^^^^~~~~~^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
of the 2 "valley" 1 "mountain" (you can add "mountains" and "valleys depending on tank length)
~~~~~~~^~~~~~~~
~~~~~~^^^~~~~~~
~~~~~^^^^^~~~~~
~~~~^^^^^^^~~~~
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"pillars" is very similar to the "mountain" and "valley" look, the only difference is that they are more vertical.. usually used for branching corals such as monti's or other SPS. They can free up tank space for swimming if that is what you are after. you can usually have a pillar and a mountain in the same tank, but should use "mountains" if you can't. you will get more growth area in "mountains" for LPS and anemones.
~~^^~~~~~~~
~~^^~~~~~~~
~~^^~~~~^~~
~^^^^~~^^^~
^^^^^^^^^^^
or you can combine the "mountain" and "pillar" in the same stack, but usualy doesn't get as much growth at the bottom as light is absorbed mainly at the top corals...
~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~^^~~~~
~~~~^^~~~~
~~~~^^~~~~
~~^^^^^^~~
^^^^^^^^^^
also, the pillar technique usually requires some sort of PVC inner working to keep it sturdy.
more ideas to come....
ok, so I'm moving "My aquascaping Journey" form my blog, to the general forum so people can comment on it... Enjoy!!!
I just want to post this for anyone needing help with their aquascape!
from the begginging...
this was my first aquascape. nice tunnels, cave area, and arch.. nothing big.
then comes more live rock from a friend taking down their 28 nano. There were a bunch of odly shapped pieces that we just had to make work. so eventualy, we came up with this layout. stacking pieces in the middle, and moving large pieces to the outside, and bottom. this was major quascape change #1 (from the first layout)
then comes some new inverts. in the previous layout, we didnt have enough room to fit them all... so we ended up takin out a large piece in the middle, flipping the large white rock, and adding a fake white coral rock... this was major change #2
Major additions to the top and middle of the aquascape. Large tunnel going through the middle of the rocks, as well as swimming room in front, and behind the rocks.
and new bulbs, inverts, and fish!!. Basically, I moved the center coulomb of rocks back to create a large center hole. I will eventually put something there.... probably a clam (already have one, but I decided to put it in the rocks on far left).
As you can see, I took out a lot of rock. My guess would be about 20-30 pounds.
Why?? because there was not enough flow in my tank, and it was not looking very healthy. Now this should not throw anybody off of doing the "wall." I personally like the look, but had to sacrifice in order to get a healthier tank!
Another day, another aquascape! As you can see, I have created a space just for the clam. He has just grown more than expected, and i just dont want to get rid of hi! so rather than clearing the rock he was sitting on, why no just redo the tank completely? so there you are! I have plenty of frag spots for the SPS that i will get, plenty of flow, and plenty of caves!
Ok, well not a ton has changed, but we did have to move some rocks around because my anemone decided that it didnt like the corner anymore.
As you can see, the aquascape changes as time progresses. the aquascape you first put in in not always the on you end up with. I started with about 40 pounds or rock, and was 85 at one point, but now its back down to about 60 ish. So dont be worried if you are having troubble with aquascaping. Just go with what looks good to you (as well as providing adequate flow). Chances are, you will change it.
Much has changed on this update! The rocks are moved to create a much more open feeling. I did this because 1. the anemone decided to move to the back of the tank. 2. the clam needed more room. 3. I wanted to be able to siphon more sand. But I really like the new arch feeling. Plus, it leaved more room for corals!
Here is another example of great aquascaping.
This is starr's tank... This is an excelent example of aquascaping. She did a great job with a large group in the middle, and plenty of room on the outside of the rock. It looks very natural, in my opinion. This is the first aquascape of her tank, and looks very nice.
useful techniques....
Do not just throw the rocks on the sand... try to build up a small pile of them.. put some small rocks under the big ones and just stack... you will create some great caverns this way.
some styles of aquascaping...
the "wall" -- can see this in my 4th and 5th pic--
the "2 mountain + valley" (you can add "mountains" and "valleys depending on tank length)
^~~~~~~~~~~~^
^^~~~~~~~~~^^
^^^~~~~~~~^^^
^^^^~~~~~^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
of the 2 "valley" 1 "mountain" (you can add "mountains" and "valleys depending on tank length)
~~~~~~~^~~~~~~~
~~~~~~^^^~~~~~~
~~~~~^^^^^~~~~~
~~~~^^^^^^^~~~~
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"pillars" is very similar to the "mountain" and "valley" look, the only difference is that they are more vertical.. usually used for branching corals such as monti's or other SPS. They can free up tank space for swimming if that is what you are after. you can usually have a pillar and a mountain in the same tank, but should use "mountains" if you can't. you will get more growth area in "mountains" for LPS and anemones.
~~^^~~~~~~~
~~^^~~~~~~~
~~^^~~~~^~~
~^^^^~~^^^~
^^^^^^^^^^^
or you can combine the "mountain" and "pillar" in the same stack, but usualy doesn't get as much growth at the bottom as light is absorbed mainly at the top corals...
~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~^^~~~~
~~~~^^~~~~
~~~~^^~~~~
~~^^^^^^~~
^^^^^^^^^^
also, the pillar technique usually requires some sort of PVC inner working to keep it sturdy.
more ideas to come....