I'm tired, I'm so tired, help me please.

hmello@bermexin · 09/21/2007, 07:53 AM

"What are you tired about Spanko" you ask?
Well even if you didn't here is what makes me tired. And this just came about recently. My biocube 29 gallon is now about 9 months old. It is doing great. The requisite fishes and corals all of which are a hodgepodge of different things that I have come to like.
Rockwork is a wall of sorts.
I am tired of it. I am tired of islands of rock. I am tired of valleys of rock.

(couldn't find a whiney butt smilie or would have used it too)

"So what Spanko, who gives a rats patoot" you say?

Well to get down to it finally I like the look of reef shelves. Those areas of the reef where the bottom is completely covered with a layer of rock on which is attached monti cap, acro, and varied encrustiing SPS.
Like this:

And this:

And the first but mostly the second picture in post #15 in this thread. The second one is what got me to thinking.
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/inde...30545&hl=Today's+Experiment

So my question to you all, what would you think would happen if I took all of the nice but mismatched (as far as where they are normally located in the wild) corals in my tank out, took all of the sand out, save the rock but spread it out across the entire bottom of the tank leaving spaces in between for flow and whatever small fish reside on a reef shelf like this to swim through, covering about 1\4 to 1\3 of the way up the entire bottom. Maybe even far enough up to cover the bottom sump inlet. Then start to add Monti caps and Acros and encrusting type corals that research would tell me (after I did the research of course) live in this environment. Now knowing already that this type of reef shelf has the most turbulent varied flow on it I could make this will a couple of Koralia's and not worry about blowing sand all over.

Anyone think this is doable and have some critique and suggestions about it?

nauticac4 · 09/21/2007, 08:21 AM

It sounds interesting. I'd say go for it. I see alot of problems with detrius and debris settling between the rocks and causeing imbalances in the chemical levels in the aquarium. Def. sounds interesting. If you can get the crap off the bottom I don't see why it wouldn't work.

hmello@bermexin · 09/21/2007, 08:29 AM

Yes that is why I am thinking of the Koralia' along with the stock filter. I know this type of reef needs pristine water so keeping the flow almost hurricane force is a must. May even have to have a small power head sitting on the very bottom blowing through the rocks to keep the detritus suspended so my skimmer and sump can get it out.

LobsterOfJustice · 09/21/2007, 08:35 AM

I've thought of this before. Many asian tanks do this. Just put the corals directly on a rocks, and put the rocks directly on the bottom. Dont stack more than one rock high. Would make for an interesting tank I think.

rssjsb · 09/21/2007, 10:31 AM

I would think you would still want to create a slight rise from front to back and left to right (or right to left) to create some visual interest. This may be challenging in a 29 gallon tank. Still, it sounds like an interesting idea. Be sure to post pictures.

AquaKnight · 09/21/2007, 11:01 AM

Maybe this would be the case in which an undergravel filter could work for SW? Just spinning my wheels here, but, what if;

you sealed the filter to the sides of the glass so nothing would be stuck there

no substrate or gravel, just a layer of rocks

incorporated a strong pump into the filter so it would have a nice strong pull and get the gunk out

Could go on from there, but hopefully you get the main idea I was trying to say.

hmello@bermexin · 09/21/2007, 08:16 PM

I am thinking some type of maze or aisles through the base rock that the fish can swim through under the shelf. If I mount one of the small Tunze power heads or run some lockline from the stock pump outlet down to the bottom and across through the maze it should keep the stuff suspended in the water column for the sump to pull out. what do you think?

09/21/2007, 08:21 AM	#2
nauticac4 Baby Fish Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,237	It sounds interesting. I'd say go for it. I see alot of problems with detrius and debris settling between the rocks and causeing imbalances in the chemical levels in the aquarium. Def. sounds interesting. If you can get the crap off the bottom I don't see why it wouldn't work. __________________ Put Wings on it and Let it Fly!!! PBITAWA !!! Current Tank Info: 180 Cube 3x3x3. 29Gallon Sump 20 Gallon Fuge (1) Lumenarc Reflector w. 250W ARO Ballast and - Modded GS1 Skimmer - Eheim 1262 Return - Vortech MP40W and Swirler Stein

09/21/2007, 08:29 AM	#3
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	Yes that is why I am thinking of the Koralia' along with the stock filter. I know this type of reef needs pristine water so keeping the flow almost hurricane force is a must. May even have to have a small power head sitting on the very bottom blowing through the rocks to keep the detritus suspended so my skimmer and sump can get it out. __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue

09/21/2007, 08:35 AM	#4
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	I've thought of this before. Many asian tanks do this. Just put the corals directly on a rocks, and put the rocks directly on the bottom. Dont stack more than one rock high. Would make for an interesting tank I think. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

09/21/2007, 10:31 AM	#5
rssjsb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,243	I would think you would still want to create a slight rise from front to back and left to right (or right to left) to create some visual interest. This may be challenging in a 29 gallon tank. Still, it sounds like an interesting idea. Be sure to post pictures. __________________ Robin

09/21/2007, 08:16 PM	#7
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	I am thinking some type of maze or aisles through the base rock that the fish can swim through under the shelf. If I mount one of the small Tunze power heads or run some lockline from the stock pump outlet down to the bottom and across through the maze it should keep the stuff suspended in the water column for the sump to pull out. what do you think? __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue

09/21/2007, 07:53 AM	#1
hmello@bermexin Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,205	I'm tired, I'm so tired, help me please. "What are you tired about Spanko" you ask? Well even if you didn't here is what makes me tired. And this just came about recently. My biocube 29 gallon is now about 9 months old. It is doing great. The requisite fishes and corals all of which are a hodgepodge of different things that I have come to like. Rockwork is a wall of sorts. I am tired of it. I am tired of islands of rock. I am tired of valleys of rock. (couldn't find a whiney butt smilie or would have used it too) "So what Spanko, who gives a rats patoot" you say? Well to get down to it finally I like the look of reef shelves. Those areas of the reef where the bottom is completely covered with a layer of rock on which is attached monti cap, acro, and varied encrustiing SPS. Like this: And this: And the first but mostly the second picture in post #15 in this thread. The second one is what got me to thinking. http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/inde...30545&hl=Today's+Experiment So my question to you all, what would you think would happen if I took all of the nice but mismatched (as far as where they are normally located in the wild) corals in my tank out, took all of the sand out, save the rock but spread it out across the entire bottom of the tank leaving spaces in between for flow and whatever small fish reside on a reef shelf like this to swim through, covering about 1\4 to 1\3 of the way up the entire bottom. Maybe even far enough up to cover the bottom sump inlet. Then start to add Monti caps and Acros and encrusting type corals that research would tell me (after I did the research of course) live in this environment. Now knowing already that this type of reef shelf has the most turbulent varied flow on it I could make this will a couple of Koralia's and not worry about blowing sand all over. Anyone think this is doable and have some critique and suggestions about it? __________________ Henry Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. Current Tank Info: 29g BioCube, AI SOL 12" Super Blue

09/21/2007, 11:01 AM	#6
AquaKnight Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Emerald Coast Posts: 2,030	Maybe this would be the case in which an undergravel filter could work for SW? Just spinning my wheels here, but, what if; you sealed the filter to the sides of the glass so nothing would be stuck there no substrate or gravel, just a layer of rocks incorporated a strong pump into the filter so it would have a nice strong pull and get the gunk out Could go on from there, but hopefully you get the main idea I was trying to say.