Tips on Aquascaping the DREAM SPS tank?

Reefer87 · 02/08/2007, 10:33 PM

Currently with a 120 (standard 48x24x24), im looking to re-aquascape my tank in the next couple of days.

I know there's PLENTY of amazing SPS Reefers out there with great tips to aquascape.

Are there any pictures or tips one can give to better create a SPS dominated reef tank? Photos would be excellent and any advice is welcome. Thanks all in advance for your great help.

proboscis · 02/09/2007, 02:03 AM

look around they are everywhere

Unarce · 02/09/2007, 02:21 AM

Nice dimensions. How many sides are viewable?

I've always been partial to Paletta's 'peaks' and 'channels' formation. Anytime you're able to avoid the usual fruit stand look, you've accomplished something. You don't have to stick to the 1 lb of liverock for every gallon rule. Open things up.

DarkXerox · 02/09/2007, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Unarce
Nice dimensions. How many sides are viewable?

I've always been partial to Paletta's 'peaks' and 'channels' formation. Anytime you're able to avoid the usual fruit stand look, you've accomplished something. You don't have to stick to the 1 lb of liverock for every gallon rule. Open things up.

amen! I'm all for the open tank look and my 29g is just like that in my red house link.

Big E · 02/09/2007, 06:07 AM

We could all learn a lot from the freshwater planted tank hobbyists. They seem to get it......reefers don't.

Everything is about composition, design, ect. to them. It's what makes these setups so beautiful in their own way.

Many reefers jam too many corals & rock into the tank without any regard to design. They just can't resist adding just one more piece. Others spend hours setting up the rock only to litter the bottom of the tank with frags, zoas, ect. & kill the affect of all those hours of work.

Letting corals grow out of control ruins the setup's asthetics, as well as crowding too many pieces together not allowing for growth.

Open it up is a good suggestion...........at least half the tank should be open area.

SptfireXIV · 02/09/2007, 07:03 AM

Try to find pics of Edward's (invincible569) old 180.

IMO, the tank should have a lot of open space, and the rockwork should be low. Here's a thread that has a fair few tanks in it. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...s&pagenumber=1

I'll definitely agree that it seems like most reefer's just can't wrap their minds around what a good aquascape should be. It needs to be simple. There shouldn't be a lot of strange archways, nor should it be just a wall of rock. If you just start with the right base to build off of, your corals are what makes the aquascape look interesting, not the rock itself.

Kip · 02/09/2007, 07:33 AM

another vote for "open" 'scape

i re'scaped my tank to be much more open and like it much better now

dacro · 02/09/2007, 08:18 AM

For our 180, we stole some ideas from this:

http://www.oregonreef.com/images/photos/p_005_l.jpg

Love lots of caves and swim throughs...

Reefer87 · 02/09/2007, 08:54 AM

Great replys awesome!!

thanks all for the great advice

atzak · 02/09/2007, 09:28 AM

Nothing has symmetry in nature, so if your wanting a natural look, keep it uneven

Reefer87 · 02/09/2007, 11:07 AM

thanks for the advice guys more tips welcome

!!

Big E · 02/09/2007, 11:09 AM

Some good info in this thred............read Steve Weasts comments. He explains it well & makes some good points.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1

epon · 02/09/2007, 01:43 PM

thorite

invincible569 · 02/09/2007, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SptfireXIV
Try to find pics of Edward's (invincible569) old 180.

Believe it or not, its a 100g.

You guys are finally getting the right ideas. Think of it as landscaping your garden. Some plants need shade and some need high. Lower plants in the front so you can see the higher ones in the back. You get the picture. Good luck!

Giovanni · 02/09/2007, 11:09 PM

Yea the 1:1 rock to gallon rule should be a max. If you want 1:1 or more then put it in the sump. Leave the tank open enough so you can see the back, on both side from the from. Put as little equipment as you can in the tank. Leave space in the rock work so that a large fish could swim from the front to hind in the back several places. Start more open than you want as you will fill in the space as you go with nice large SPS.

Giovanni · 02/09/2007, 11:25 PM

This kind of thread is almost usless with out photos. Here is a link to my latest tank shot. I posted a link because it is a 1 MB file. The tank was a little dirty at the time.

Tank 02/05/07

143gadgets · 02/10/2007, 12:49 AM

Here is a pic of mine. I recommend the two island scape.

Giovanni · 02/10/2007, 12:51 AM

I do like the open structure you have and two islands.

mboley1 · 02/11/2007, 08:24 PM

Recently built a reef in a 150 ( 60 x 24 x 24) that has two viewing sides. It was the first time I had ever had the opportunity/ challenge of building a rock structure right down the middle of a 24 inch tank. Nothing to lean against except the two 24" square ends. What I ended up doing worked well. I used black silicone and attached black zip ties to both ends in a somewhat random fashion. Once I got the structure built and glued together with Epoxy, I removed all the zip ties (Just pull hard ). I used lots of epoxy, in fact, too much. I was asking myself " what did you do that for, after it was built. But in a year it will unoticeable anyway.

What I have is a permanent rock structure that I will never have to mess with or worry about shifting. It is 8 to 16" wide. Three high points withing 4 " of surface. Flow through every part of the structure and 10 feet of viewing in a five foot tank.

IMO, you need to cherry pick the rock and not buy boxes site-unseen. Buy more than you need; better ot to have to find a place for a rock that just won't work. Round rocks don't work. BIG pieces with flat/irregular pieces work best for the middle part of your reef. Rocks used as your base need to be such that there is an orientation that allows for a firm base while at the same time space underneath. Test them on the floor at the LFS if possible. Space those firm base rocks apart across the footprint of you reef. Put those BIG flatter pieces bridged across the base rock. Minimize contact points to acheive better flow-thru. Bridge as much as possible to make caves, and make high and low points. Plan out spaces for coral as you build. Add your sand after you are finished.

I used 220 pound of rock in a 150. It was not too much. Mixture of Fiji, Marshall Island and some Caribean. Gotta have something to put the Corals on. I have some pics I will attempt to upload.

Giovanni · 02/11/2007, 08:54 PM

mboley1,,
Sounds interesting. Where did you get the idea? Hope to see photos.

wonhunglo · 02/11/2007, 09:46 PM

Photos would be great as I am plannig a major reaquascape

mboley1 · 02/11/2007, 10:45 PM

This is my first attempt at downloading a photo Any advise?

mboley1 · 02/11/2007, 11:16 PM

Sorry! Note that some places you can see thru the reef. Dark areas are caves. There is an irregular tunnel that runs the entire length. Another Goal was to wrap the Overflow with rock. Turned out pretty good. I felt I lucked out on some of the perfect rock. E-mail me for more photos. I still haven't figured out the photo function yet

02/08/2007, 10:33 PM	#1
Reefer87 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 63	Tips on Aquascaping the DREAM SPS tank? Currently with a 120 (standard 48x24x24), im looking to re-aquascape my tank in the next couple of days. I know there's PLENTY of amazing SPS Reefers out there with great tips to aquascape. Are there any pictures or tips one can give to better create a SPS dominated reef tank? Photos would be excellent and any advice is welcome. Thanks all in advance for your great help.

02/09/2007, 02:21 AM	#3
Unarce Unshackled Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Rocklin, CA Posts: 4,941	Nice dimensions. How many sides are viewable? I've always been partial to Paletta's 'peaks' and 'channels' formation. Anytime you're able to avoid the usual fruit stand look, you've accomplished something. You don't have to stick to the 1 lb of liverock for every gallon rule. Open things up. __________________ ¡pɹɐɥ os noʎ ǝlppnɔ plnoʍ I Current Tank Info: starting to get that itch again

02/09/2007, 06:07 AM	#5
Big E Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: South Euclid, OH Posts: 4,281	We could all learn a lot from the freshwater planted tank hobbyists. They seem to get it......reefers don't. Everything is about composition, design, ect. to them. It's what makes these setups so beautiful in their own way. Many reefers jam too many corals & rock into the tank without any regard to design. They just can't resist adding just one more piece. Others spend hours setting up the rock only to litter the bottom of the tank with frags, zoas, ect. & kill the affect of all those hours of work. Letting corals grow out of control ruins the setup's asthetics, as well as crowding too many pieces together not allowing for growth. Open it up is a good suggestion...........at least half the tank should be open area. __________________ 80g Rimless Acropora System reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2197142&page=31 Ed

02/09/2007, 07:03 AM	#6
SptfireXIV Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 1,247	Try to find pics of Edward's (invincible569) old 180. IMO, the tank should have a lot of open space, and the rockwork should be low. Here's a thread that has a fair few tanks in it. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...s&pagenumber=1 I'll definitely agree that it seems like most reefer's just can't wrap their minds around what a good aquascape should be. It needs to be simple. There shouldn't be a lot of strange archways, nor should it be just a wall of rock. If you just start with the right base to build off of, your corals are what makes the aquascape look interesting, not the rock itself. __________________ Jason Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless SPS Reef

02/09/2007, 07:33 AM	#7
Kip Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dropping 2, hitting 3 Posts: 2,495	another vote for "open" 'scape i re'scaped my tank to be much more open and like it much better now __________________ Sept'06 TOTM Taking a break from the hobby while we move to a new house.

02/09/2007, 02:03 AM	#2
proboscis Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: DFW, TX Posts: 278	look around they are everywhere

02/09/2007, 08:18 AM	#8
dacro Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Florida Posts: 59	For our 180, we stole some ideas from this: http://www.oregonreef.com/images/photos/p_005_l.jpg Love lots of caves and swim throughs...

02/09/2007, 08:54 AM	#9
Reefer87 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 63	Great replys awesome!! thanks all for the great advice

02/09/2007, 09:28 AM	#10
atzak Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Jupiter NC Posts: 1,191	Nothing has symmetry in nature, so if your wanting a natural look, keep it uneven __________________ smokers suck butts Current Tank Info: 210 reef, 55 gallon planted fresh water

02/09/2007, 11:07 AM	#11
Reefer87 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 63	thanks for the advice guys more tips welcome !!

02/09/2007, 11:09 AM	#12
Big E Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: South Euclid, OH Posts: 4,281	Some good info in this thred............read Steve Weasts comments. He explains it well & makes some good points. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1 __________________ 80g Rimless Acropora System reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2197142&page=31 Ed

02/09/2007, 01:43 PM	#13
epon Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: High Desert, Az. Posts: 2,146	thorite

02/09/2007, 11:09 PM	#15
Giovanni AKA Flippa Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: KY Posts: 2,207 Blog Entries: 8	Yea the 1:1 rock to gallon rule should be a max. If you want 1:1 or more then put it in the sump. Leave the tank open enough so you can see the back, on both side from the from. Put as little equipment as you can in the tank. Leave space in the rock work so that a large fish could swim from the front to hind in the back several places. Start more open than you want as you will fill in the space as you go with nice large SPS. __________________ Giovanni Most of My Money I Spent On Whiskey, Women and Reefing, The Rest I Just Waisted! Current Tank Info: 180 Mixed Reef

02/09/2007, 11:25 PM	#16
Giovanni AKA Flippa Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: KY Posts: 2,207 Blog Entries: 8	This kind of thread is almost usless with out photos. Here is a link to my latest tank shot. I posted a link because it is a 1 MB file. The tank was a little dirty at the time. Tank 02/05/07 __________________ Giovanni Most of My Money I Spent On Whiskey, Women and Reefing, The Rest I Just Waisted! Current Tank Info: 180 Mixed Reef

02/10/2007, 12:49 AM	#17
143gadgets Moved On Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 3,151	Here is a pic of mine. I recommend the two island scape.

02/10/2007, 12:51 AM	#18
Giovanni AKA Flippa Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: KY Posts: 2,207 Blog Entries: 8	I do like the open structure you have and two islands. __________________ Giovanni Most of My Money I Spent On Whiskey, Women and Reefing, The Rest I Just Waisted! Current Tank Info: 180 Mixed Reef

02/11/2007, 08:24 PM	#19
mboley1 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 87	Recently built a reef in a 150 ( 60 x 24 x 24) that has two viewing sides. It was the first time I had ever had the opportunity/ challenge of building a rock structure right down the middle of a 24 inch tank. Nothing to lean against except the two 24" square ends. What I ended up doing worked well. I used black silicone and attached black zip ties to both ends in a somewhat random fashion. Once I got the structure built and glued together with Epoxy, I removed all the zip ties (Just pull hard ). I used lots of epoxy, in fact, too much. I was asking myself " what did you do that for, after it was built. But in a year it will unoticeable anyway. What I have is a permanent rock structure that I will never have to mess with or worry about shifting. It is 8 to 16" wide. Three high points withing 4 " of surface. Flow through every part of the structure and 10 feet of viewing in a five foot tank. IMO, you need to cherry pick the rock and not buy boxes site-unseen. Buy more than you need; better ot to have to find a place for a rock that just won't work. Round rocks don't work. BIG pieces with flat/irregular pieces work best for the middle part of your reef. Rocks used as your base need to be such that there is an orientation that allows for a firm base while at the same time space underneath. Test them on the floor at the LFS if possible. Space those firm base rocks apart across the footprint of you reef. Put those BIG flatter pieces bridged across the base rock. Minimize contact points to acheive better flow-thru. Bridge as much as possible to make caves, and make high and low points. Plan out spaces for coral as you build. Add your sand after you are finished. I used 220 pound of rock in a 150. It was not too much. Mixture of Fiji, Marshall Island and some Caribean. Gotta have something to put the Corals on. I have some pics I will attempt to upload.

02/11/2007, 08:54 PM	#20
Giovanni AKA Flippa Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: KY Posts: 2,207 Blog Entries: 8	mboley1,, Sounds interesting. Where did you get the idea? Hope to see photos. __________________ Giovanni Most of My Money I Spent On Whiskey, Women and Reefing, The Rest I Just Waisted! Current Tank Info: 180 Mixed Reef

02/11/2007, 09:46 PM	#21
wonhunglo Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1	Photos would be great as I am plannig a major reaquascape