Tank Journal Archive

[jart]

A fortnight ago I made my first attempt at acquascaping my new tank (click here for thread).

Received some helpful feedback and advice. A few more rocks also became available from their cooking process. So:

* Taking onboard the advice that maybe a bit more height would be good, I added one more piece of rock to the central structure.

* Also moved the whole central structure slightly closer to the back corner and rotated it a bit to leave more of a channel between the two structures when viewed from the side.

* Put a PVC lift under the right hand structure to hopefully minimise detritus buildup around the base of the rock. Had the welcome benefit of substantially increasing the volume of the cave structures under that rock.

* Am in the process of nuking/cleaning my last few pieces (3) of LR that I plan to use in the DT. These pieces had some stubborn patches of bryopsis and 2-3 aiptasia. As it appears as though the new tank is proceeding well through its cycle, more LR is not essential at this stage and I have a strong desire to minimise the risk of future bryopsis outbreaks, I decided to nuke the three LRs before adding to the tank.

* Intention is to add these last rocks to the left side of the tank when viewed from the front. If what I see in my head manages to come to fruition, I will end up with a rough C/horseshoe shape with a zoa garden front and centre.

Apologies for the poor pics, reflections and the change in perspective between them. It was either phone pics or none today. :)

Before - from side

After - from side

After - from front

Now that I have decommissioned my old tank, we have lights! (which also goes some way to explaining the major colour shift in the before and after photos above), plus a second wavemaker (Jebao WP-25). :)

 

[mscott]

Just me, but I'd probably add twice as much rock, same places and shapes, but yeah, there just doesn't seem to be enough room for variety of corals and homes for all the fish.
But could also just be that my phone makes it look smaller than it actually is

 

[dino]

Just a couple of tips.

If you're planning on a lot of corals then consider arranging the base rocks like a house of cards
^
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^^^
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^^^^^^

If you're planning on adding attaching frags to the rocks - pre-drill holes for the frag plugs now.

 

[jart]

Just me, but I'd probably add twice as much rock, same places and shapes, but yeah, there just doesn't seem to be enough room for variety of corals and homes for all the fish.
But could also just be that my phone makes it look smaller than it actually is

Thanks for your comments. I will think about what you have said over the next few days.

I had a "rock wall" in my previous tank and wanted to try something different this time. Have seen some amazing tanks on here with a lot of SPS, but minimal scaping, and I was trying to do something along those lines (the minimal scaping, not the SPS).

The plan for the tank is that it will remain basically as shown for the next few weeks (exception being the addition of my other rock as noted in my orig post). Hoping that the algae cycle comes eventually....still waiting...and goes. Then I will slowly move across my handful of current corals (some zoas, a few morphs, a small hammer, a large cushion coral and a green scolly). The tank will then stay essentially like this (with a new fish or two) for quite a while.

Main reason, besides limited funds and being a newbie reefer, is a potential multi-week holiday in a few months time. Want to minimise the amount of maintenance and risk of dramas for whoever I ask to look after the tank. The hope is that I leave a reasonably mature tank with a handful of easy corals, a few healthy easy fish and good stable params for my friend(s) to oversee. Once we get back, we will take stock and see.

Thanks again.

 

[jart]

Just a couple of tips.

If you're planning on a lot of corals then consider arranging the base rocks like a house of cards
^
---
^^^
------
^^^^^^

If you're planning on adding attaching frags to the rocks - pre-drill holes for the frag plugs now.

Hi Dino, Thanks for taking the time to comment and for the tips. What size drill bit is best for the pre-drilled frag plug holes?

 

[dino]

You'll need to make the holes at least 12mm to fit most frag plugs. A smaller drill bit is fine - just move it around until the hole is big enough.

 

[MagicJ]

You'll need to make the holes at least 12mm to fit most frag plugs. A smaller drill bit is fine - just move it around until the hole is big enough.

And take it nice and slow - and don't use a hammer drill or the rock will just break into pieces.

 

[Agent M]

I just snap the stems off the frag plugs and put a dab of superglue to secure them to the rock. Once they have encrusted onto the rock enough, I remove the original frag with its frag plug.

 

[jart]

Thanks @dino and @MagicJ for the tips about drilling for the frag plugs. Much appreciated.

 

[jart]

I just snap the stems off the frag plugs and put a dab of superglue to secure them to the rock.

I like this idea too. Would give me more flexibility in placing frags.

Once they have encrusted onto the rock enough, I remove the original frag with its frag plug.

A little confused confused here about how to remove. Could be because i have not yet tried my hand at any SPS (most of my corals have been zoas and hammer).

Do you mean something like: I get a zoas frag with 10 polyps. I superglue to rock. When the zoas encrust and I have polyps on the LR I carefully remove the frag plug, along with any polyps still attached to the plug and then......?

I can picture the above scenario, but not if the frag is some SPS were the coral is not made up of separate polyps. Would love if someone could enlighten me. Thanks.

 

[Agent M]

Do you mean something like: I get a zoas frag with 10 polyps. I superglue to rock. When the zoas encrust and I have polyps on the LR I carefully remove the frag plug, along with any polyps still attached to the plug and then......?

I can picture the above scenario, but not if the frag is some SPS...

Yep thats the idea. With SPS, that would depend, if its an encrusting monti you can remove the frag plug once its grown across some rock, that is if you think that would look better - if its an encrusted acro, I'd either snap off the acro and glue it to the rock, or just leave the frag plug in place indefinitely.

I reuse the frags in other places in the tank where I want it to go, or you can sell it on, pass it on, etc. But the main reason I remove them is for looks.