Tips and Tricks on Creating Amazing Aquascapes

[ktownhero]

Would love some feedback from others. When I started envisioning this tank a while back, this is the rough drawing I came up with:



So based on the rock I received, this is the core structure that I feel pretty happy with:



And then for fun I just experimented with stacking the rest of the rock to see what it looks like. I actually somewhat like how it turned out:





The primary viewing position for the tank will be off center to the left, so I want to be sure that from that angle you get the coolest view. It's hard to convey in pictures, but that layout actually has a pretty nice "3d" effect due to the angle of the structures and the way they overlap when viewed from the left.

Thoughts?

[Becks]

It looks good but I think when you fill it with water it will look really full and if you add corals you will loose more swimming space, but I do like jt

[skiingfast]

Originally Posted by ktownhero

Thoughts?

Overall I think it looks great. The L7 shape does great to give depth. I like the tall piece on the left too.

It has a lot of nooks and small caves, but those may fill in by growth. Can you view into the crater in the front rock? You would like the two small front caves to lead into it. Light at the end of the tunnel is a good effect.

[ktownhero]

Originally Posted by Becks

It looks good but I think when you fill it with water it will look really full and if you add corals you will loose more swimming space, but I do like jt

Thanks! Well here's the interesting thing about a scape like this. It sort of sacrifices what we often consider a standard viewing experience for the desire for depth and a more natural appearance. I'm not saying that is good or bad, but that's what is in my mind as I think about what I want to create. So, for example, the left rock being so close to the glass does obstruct some view but I also think that's what makes this scape fun. I'm weighing that now and am happy to hear any opinions!

Originally Posted by skiingfast

Overall I think it looks great. The L7 shape does great to give depth. I like the tall piece on the left too.

It has a lot of nooks and small caves, but those may fill in by growth. Can you view into the crater in the front rock? You would like the two small front caves to lead into it. Light at the end of the tunnel is a good effect.

Thanks for the feedback! I think the light at the end of the tunnel concept is interesting. I'll try to incorporate it.

The "rock" on the left side is actually about a dozen small pieces, so I have a lot of flexibility there. My only concern is how will I be able to transfer whatever design I have to the tank? I'm afraid that I'll take it apart and not be able to do it again hah.

Since the tank will be primarily viewable from the left (similar angle to the pic I took), I'm wondering if the layout should be flipped. But I'm afraid that having that channel dead on from the left view will really kill the depth.

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[skiingfast]

I think you have it set up correctly for you primary view. Though one thing, in the diagram it looks like it's taller behind. In the actual scape it looks like the forefront is taller. You may not want the piece in front to block what's behind it.

It can be challenging to move a scape to the tank. I think it help because of the time you put into setting up it at first sets it well into your memory. You get to know the rocks well from handling them. You can always take more pictures or use video.

[ktownhero]

Originally Posted by skiingfast

I think you have it set up correctly for you primary view. Though one thing, in the diagram it looks like it's taller behind. In the actual scape it looks like the forefront is taller. You may not want the piece in front to block what's behind it.

It can be challenging to move a scape to the tank. I think it help because of the time you put into setting up it at first sets it well into your memory. You get to know the rocks well from handling them. You can always take more pictures or use video.

Thanks and yeah I agree. Likely the final design will be similar but that left rock will be cut back and be a bit simpler. Also I'll def look into carving out some sand-level pass throughs

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[JPMagyar]

I said it at the beginning of this thread and I'll say it again now . . .

Aquascape can be so much more than rockwork. If you are interested in growing a reef at home the rockwork is almost irrelevant as it merely acts as a platform for corals that grow and become the focus of the aquarium.



January 2015





November 2016
[

[ktownhero]

Originally Posted by JPMagyar

I said it at the beginning of this thread and I'll say it again now . . .

Aquascape can be so much more than rockwork. If you are interested in growing a reef at home the rockwork is almost irrelevant as it merely acts as a platform for corals that grow and become the focus of the aquarium.

I'm not sure I understand the significance of saying that? It's kind of obvious, and the concepts that rock work is important and that it merely serves as a base for coral are not mutually exclusive. You can absolutely put time and care into rock work even if it's eventually covered in coral. And it's weird to say it's "almost irrelevent" considering it's the entire basis for the appearance of the tank pre and post-coral. And that doesn't even take into consideration the fact that not everyone aspires to cover every inch of their tank in corals.

[skiingfast]

Originally Posted by ktownhero

I'm not sure I understand the significance of saying that? It's kind of obvious, and the concepts that rock work is important and that it merely serves as a base for coral are not mutually exclusive. You can absolutely put time and care into rock work even if it's eventually covered in coral. And it's weird to say it's "almost irrelevent" considering it's the entire basis for the appearance of the tank pre and post-coral. And that doesn't even take into consideration the fact that not everyone aspires to cover every inch of their tank in corals.

Over the long run, the rocky mountains turn into gentle hump of forest.

You need to make very dramatic rock features so that they stay visible in the long run.

I think in your plan spacing out the rocks with that angled canyon will be showing up for a long time.

[JPMagyar]

Originally Posted by ktownhero

I'm not sure I understand the significance of saying that?

. . . the concepts that rock the work is important and that it merely serves as a base for coral are not mutually exclusive.

Just expressing an opinion.

I am saddened that this thread turned into a discussion on rock work. I disagree absolutely with what you are saying. I think rock work is totally irrelevant. I think the word "aquascape" should be about color and growth pattern not rock work. The aquariums I have seen that I like the best do not feature interesting rockwork. They feature interesting coral growth and layout. I wish this thread was about what mix of corals to use to best afffect. Which corals grow fast and what colors are available to everyone and what corals come in what colors.

Again, just one guys opinion.

Aquascape can and should be much more than rockwork.

[ktownhero]

Originally Posted by JPMagyar

Just expressing an opinion.

I am saddened that this thread turned into a discussion on rock work. I disagree absolutely with what you are saying. I think rock work is totally irrelevant. I think the word "aquascape" should be about color and growth pattern not rock work. The aquariums I have seen that I like the best do not feature interesting rockwork. They feature interesting coral growth and layout. I wish this thread was about what mix of corals to use to best afffect. Which corals grow fast and what colors are available to everyone and what corals come in what colors.

Again, just one guys opinion.

Aquascape can and should be much more than rockwork.

I totally respect your opinion, I just think you think it's a contradiction where it isn't. Like I said, what you are saying and "rock work is important" are not incompatible concepts. They are complimentary concepts.

A great example are the pictures above that you used. You showed a before and after huge coral growth pic of an amazing tank, but what makes that tank great is that even after all of the coral growth the fundamental structure of the original rock is still in place. Without that original rock work, it's just a successful SPS tank. With it, it's a great SPS tank. A well designed underlying hardscape is what separates a good tank from a great one.

All in all, looking at many of the designs in this thread and saying they are "irrelevant" and therefore equal to just randomly throwing rock in the tank is silly. The hardscape is the skeletal structure of the tank. On a personal level, my design above was inspired by my favorite types of reef structure that I find while scuba diving. Even in the most coral-covered areas that I've been to, they were always most interesting when the rock structure was intriguing. Swimming by giant pieces of coral is neat. Swimming by giant pieces of coral and finding a hidden canyon down to the sand is awe-inspiring. So my goal was to envision that type of scenario and try to create a microcosm of it

And I write all of this without in any way dismissing the value of coral color and placement. Like I wrote in the beginning, they aren't mutually exclusive concepts. A great aquascape pays attention to all of these things. And also, you have to remember that not everyone intends to cover the whole tank in hard corals, which is a big underlying assumption to what you are expressing.

[NewToReefHobbby]

Originally Posted by JPMagyar

I said it at the beginning of this thread and I'll say it again now . . .

Aquascape can be so much more than rockwork. If you are interested in growing a reef at home the rockwork is almost irrelevant as it merely acts as a platform for corals that grow and become the focus of the aquarium.



January 2015





November 2016
[

Looks really amazing

[ktownhero]

This is the final design I'm going with:

[ktownhero]

Well final aquascape is in place I'm very proud of this and poo poo to anyone that says rocks don't matter!

[Dice750]

Thoughts on my new aquascape? I'm personally wondering if the left rock island is too big.

[RIGUY314]

Originally Posted by JPMagyar

I said it at the beginning of this thread and I'll say it again now . . .

Aquascape can be so much more than rockwork. If you are interested in growing a reef at home the rockwork is almost irrelevant as it merely acts as a platform for corals that grow and become the focus of the aquarium.



January 2015




November 2016
[

that is amazing. How did you get the anemone to stay on the island?

[ClownsRCoo]

Can I get some feedback and tips on the best way to create arched scapes like this or some of the ones that are one large island with part of it suspended like the last pic.

[biecacka]

Use zip ties, epoxy, or quick set mix to build the arches or floating pieces.

Corey

[ClownsRCoo]

Do you need to really run anything like fiberglass rods or PVC inside some of the rocks? I'm hoping that just using some Marco rock emacro cement to slowly bond the rocks together as I go to make the arch. I don't see how I could make a fluid arch with PVC in the center


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[apt220]

You should be ok with that marco cement if you take your time and you have a way to hold the pieces in place while the cement cures. That stuff is strong. But using fiberglass rods to give you a piece of mind is not a bad idea either.

[ClownsRCoo]

Thanks for the responses guys. I know about the fiberglass rods from lowes that a lot of people recommend but wasn't sure if that would work for my type of scape since I don't think they bend much at all.

I really like the 1st one and think I might go that route. I like that the arch but also that the base on one side extends out on either side to give it some stability.

My next favorite is the 3rd picture but that one seems harder to make and more risky. You need a really solid base so it won't topple over when you extend out to one side for the overhang.


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[bdunn12]

great thread. marked for use later.

[davocean]

Ok, a recent moce called for a redo/rebuild of my tank, so I'm playing w/ the scape a little, this is what I have right now.

[Jndragon79]

I like the right side. that shelf is nice

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[davocean]

Thanks, funny I was happy w/ the left until I redid that side, now I think that needs some tinkering.