Have a look at this thread MTG posted up
http://www.thereefuge.com.au/threads/aquascaping-demystified.540/
http://www.thereefuge.com.au/threads/aquascaping-demystified.540/
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Reef Discussion
Well the good news is that you are pretty much starting from scratch. The 'red rock' you have in there is not suitable, nor are the fake and dead coral skeletons you have. That's why you are having algae blooms, because you have nowhere near enough surface area for nitrifying bacteria to handle the load from the fish you have.
So as @firebird says, look to get some good live rock, or at least some porous dead base rock, and lose everything you currently have in there.
One good way to do this is using dead base rock. Measure out a cardboard template of the base of your tank, same size, and then build an aquascape on that. This allows you to play with structures and layouts, even time to post on there to get feedback, before transferring to the tank. Then just find one piece of good live rock which will seed the tank as a whole.
It would be ideal if you could remove the fish while you go through this process ... is there any way your LFS or someone else would hold them for you?
So as @firebird says, look to get some good live rock, or at least some porous dead base rock, and lose everything you currently have in there.
One good way to do this is using dead base rock. Measure out a cardboard template of the base of your tank, same size, and then build an aquascape on that. This allows you to play with structures and layouts, even time to post on there to get feedback, before transferring to the tank. Then just find one piece of good live rock which will seed the tank as a whole.
It would be ideal if you could remove the fish while you go through this process ... is there any way your LFS or someone else would hold them for you?
I've recommended tub cycling for the live rock Chim, no stress for the fish then. But Toby, you could also use dry base rock and seed it with live rock as Chim suggested, that would certainly be easier and you wouldn't have to buy a spare heater etc. The benefit of only using live rock is you get plenty of interesting microfauna with it, if you are not interested in that, just use base rock and seed with one piece of live rock as Chim said above.
What do you think about this design Toby?
A basic principle is to do things in odd numbers as that is more pleasing to the eye (so 3 zones in this case). I personally really like this look where you have a large triangular shaped bommie in one corner of the tank. It stretches away from you into the top corner, creating depth when you look at it and leaving space for corals to grow & fish to swim. In the middle is a medium sized upright rock structure, using about 5 pieces of rock (I'll post an actual pic below). Then in the other corner is a very small low version of the triangular bommie.
Here's how to create it and a suggestion of what you could do with this tank.
I'm going to leave the largest bommie for now as I haven't found a good eg. and I'm writing this post before I go out today so will come back to it later. Best eg. I could find so far (on the left):
For the middle bommie, something like this:
Here is the link to where I got this image from, it shows you a pic of all of the pieces this was made up of so you can see what sort of pieces to look for to create your own version.
http://reefbuilders.com/2011/02/08/fish-heads-shelf-nano-live-rock/
Ignore how they put it together for now (I am going to suggest you just use putty only). Take particular note of how, once its in the tank, the light hits pretty much all visible surfaces - which is perfect for the corals that will be placed onto it.
For the last corner, this is very low and would be a perfect place to put a large feature soft coral with a 'lawn' of green star polyps around it. Just like these I have circled:
.
If you like this, you could use your red rocks for this area as they will be grown over with green star polyps and you won't be able to see the red. The rest - the coral skeletons, I would remove from the tank, bleach them and put them somewhere in the house as an ornament - that would be very 'Revenge the TV show decor' of you ;) This tank pic is also an example of a tank where the live rock is minimal and has been placed in such a way that the corals are the main feature and they can all grow upright. Tick from me! A little over crowded though... If you want to read more about this tank here is the link. http://azarmi.com/reef/profile.html
What do you think about this design Toby?
A basic principle is to do things in odd numbers as that is more pleasing to the eye (so 3 zones in this case). I personally really like this look where you have a large triangular shaped bommie in one corner of the tank. It stretches away from you into the top corner, creating depth when you look at it and leaving space for corals to grow & fish to swim. In the middle is a medium sized upright rock structure, using about 5 pieces of rock (I'll post an actual pic below). Then in the other corner is a very small low version of the triangular bommie.
Here's how to create it and a suggestion of what you could do with this tank.
I'm going to leave the largest bommie for now as I haven't found a good eg. and I'm writing this post before I go out today so will come back to it later. Best eg. I could find so far (on the left):
For the middle bommie, something like this:
Here is the link to where I got this image from, it shows you a pic of all of the pieces this was made up of so you can see what sort of pieces to look for to create your own version.
http://reefbuilders.com/2011/02/08/fish-heads-shelf-nano-live-rock/
Ignore how they put it together for now (I am going to suggest you just use putty only). Take particular note of how, once its in the tank, the light hits pretty much all visible surfaces - which is perfect for the corals that will be placed onto it.
For the last corner, this is very low and would be a perfect place to put a large feature soft coral with a 'lawn' of green star polyps around it. Just like these I have circled:
If you like this, you could use your red rocks for this area as they will be grown over with green star polyps and you won't be able to see the red. The rest - the coral skeletons, I would remove from the tank, bleach them and put them somewhere in the house as an ornament - that would be very 'Revenge the TV show decor' of you ;) This tank pic is also an example of a tank where the live rock is minimal and has been placed in such a way that the corals are the main feature and they can all grow upright. Tick from me! A little over crowded though... If you want to read more about this tank here is the link. http://azarmi.com/reef/profile.html
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I would also add that it is at this stage that you plan out your layout, species and the overall plan for how you are going to stock the tank.
Set a list, ensure they are compatable, work out how high they are going to grow and then stick to that list. You want to balance out colours, heights, textures and movements styles. The flow of the tank that is influenced by the scape has to also be suitable for these species as well as the placement of the light intensity
One of the things that people always forget is that things grow, my two bombies have virtually merged into one on the right hand side of my tank, which was semi intentional, as it can still be seen as diffferent up close but from standing back it sort of flows in. My scapes are never the best example but to give you an idea of how much height you gain from sofites and lps here is some before and after pics around a year on
So just remember that the scape by itself can look fairly dead, its the coral and fish that you are going to layer ontop of it that gives it life
It all sounds a little daunting but the planning and research at this stage will change it from something that you struggle with to something that you really enjoy.
Rather than rehash what has already been put together by others, Paul has spent alot of time on these write ups and I generally follow the same methodology;
http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/100520-aesthetics-aquascaping.html
http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/111388-aesthetics-aquascaping-part-2-a.html
http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/119589-aesthetics-aquascaping-iii.html
Set a list, ensure they are compatable, work out how high they are going to grow and then stick to that list. You want to balance out colours, heights, textures and movements styles. The flow of the tank that is influenced by the scape has to also be suitable for these species as well as the placement of the light intensity
One of the things that people always forget is that things grow, my two bombies have virtually merged into one on the right hand side of my tank, which was semi intentional, as it can still be seen as diffferent up close but from standing back it sort of flows in. My scapes are never the best example but to give you an idea of how much height you gain from sofites and lps here is some before and after pics around a year on
So just remember that the scape by itself can look fairly dead, its the coral and fish that you are going to layer ontop of it that gives it life
It all sounds a little daunting but the planning and research at this stage will change it from something that you struggle with to something that you really enjoy.
Rather than rehash what has already been put together by others, Paul has spent alot of time on these write ups and I generally follow the same methodology;
http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/100520-aesthetics-aquascaping.html
http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/111388-aesthetics-aquascaping-part-2-a.html
http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/119589-aesthetics-aquascaping-iii.html
I say involve the wifey (it'll hopefully make her more accepting of the tank too) She'd know all about depth of field, negative space & the rule of thirds, which are essentially the main principals involved in making an attractive rockscape.
Me personally, I don't think I'd want to rescape around 2 lionfish in 400 litres so you're a brave man =)
Me personally, I don't think I'd want to rescape around 2 lionfish in 400 litres so you're a brave man =)
Its amazing how you know what you want after you get what you think you wanted.
Reading through this thread has made me think hard about my scape and this morning I decided to re-scape. Seeing as I dont have fish or coral yet i thought its best to toss it around now than to do it later when fish are here. I am glad I did for what a mess it made and turned my whole tank upside down.
Biggest suggestion is to wear sort of scuba glove to protect from rock cuts as they are pretty sharp and when your hands have been in the water for a while they become super soft.
Reading through this thread has made me think hard about my scape and this morning I decided to re-scape. Seeing as I dont have fish or coral yet i thought its best to toss it around now than to do it later when fish are here. I am glad I did for what a mess it made and turned my whole tank upside down.
Biggest suggestion is to wear sort of scuba glove to protect from rock cuts as they are pretty sharp and when your hands have been in the water for a while they become super soft.
An aquascaping thread is what it took to get an updated photo of @NiCd s tank
This thread is helping me understand how I can scape my tank I'm a big person for putting a lot of rock to fill the tank but love seein before an after pics to help show how a small scape can turn into something big
Hi everyone, thanks for all the input, i've been thinking about this nonstop for the last few days.
Agent M - i love your triangular design but unfortunately think my tank is the wrong dimensions to hold it, especially as i have a weird box for my filter, my fault for buying an all in one tank i know!!
I love the tank pics NiCd posted up and think i want to go with something similar to that. ie a 2 bommie design.
I love the clean look and its very pleasing to the eye and as importantly it should be reasonably low maintenance and easy to clean?? My wife loves this layout as well. which is great.
so heres what i'm thinking, i have drawn my tank to the right dimensions, do you think this will work??
My tank is 100cm Long by 55cm High by 50cm Deep. The cut-out in the picture is the filter.
So the first questions I have are………….
1. What corals do you think I should put on them? Ideally I am looking for a range of low maintenance corals which I don’t need to spot feed
2. Logistically how do I go about doing this?
a. Do I go to a LFS (aquaristric or similar) and source the rock first
b. Or do I need to source the corals in at the same time?
I am happy to go with either base rock and seed with live or cycle live in a tub myself, what do you think is the best way forward?
I am happy to do either method but would like the least disruption to my fish as i want to work round them, ideally moving them out for a few hours as i do the work.
I also returned my 2 green brittle starfish at the weekend so have a fish only tank now (2 lionfish, one blue tang and a coral beauty).
Many thanks again for all your help, cheers!!!
Agent M - i love your triangular design but unfortunately think my tank is the wrong dimensions to hold it, especially as i have a weird box for my filter, my fault for buying an all in one tank i know!!
I love the tank pics NiCd posted up and think i want to go with something similar to that. ie a 2 bommie design.
I love the clean look and its very pleasing to the eye and as importantly it should be reasonably low maintenance and easy to clean?? My wife loves this layout as well. which is great.
so heres what i'm thinking, i have drawn my tank to the right dimensions, do you think this will work??
My tank is 100cm Long by 55cm High by 50cm Deep. The cut-out in the picture is the filter.
So the first questions I have are………….
1. What corals do you think I should put on them? Ideally I am looking for a range of low maintenance corals which I don’t need to spot feed
2. Logistically how do I go about doing this?
a. Do I go to a LFS (aquaristric or similar) and source the rock first
b. Or do I need to source the corals in at the same time?
I am happy to go with either base rock and seed with live or cycle live in a tub myself, what do you think is the best way forward?
I am happy to do either method but would like the least disruption to my fish as i want to work round them, ideally moving them out for a few hours as i do the work.
I also returned my 2 green brittle starfish at the weekend so have a fish only tank now (2 lionfish, one blue tang and a coral beauty).
Many thanks again for all your help, cheers!!!
thinking about it maybe i could make the left bommie (the big one) the triangular shape you recommended AgentM, i really like the idea of it sloping up to a high point at the back.
i think the problem i have is my tank dimensions are not ideal, its too high for the length.
i think the problem i have is my tank dimensions are not ideal, its too high for the length.
First time I have had a chance to look over this thread - @toby4 :welcome.
Please ensure you build in some overhangs/caves for your two lionfish - they will appreciate a place to hangout during the day.
Please ensure you build in some overhangs/caves for your two lionfish - they will appreciate a place to hangout during the day.
Yes low maintenance, IF you keep it open just like @NiCd has shown in the first pic - that way the water can circulate in and around the rocks. You want the flow in your tank to kick up any sediment so the skimmer can remove it from the water.
Rock/aquascaping first, then corals. Save the best bit for last :)
I personally prefer all live rock because the life on it is fascinating to discover and also everything matches (no stark white rock and then one purple one). The reasons to go for base rock is ease of working with it dry, less expensive, no cycling in a tub - it can go straight in the tank after a quick rinse. So up to you.
Tub cycling is the easiest, stress-free option for you if you go with all live rock. All you need is a tub, a heater and a small powerhead. Put the new live rock into it and monitor the cycle by testing the water. Once your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are at 0, then you can add the rock straight into the tank without removing any fish & without causing a cycle. Adding the rock to the tank should only take a few minutes as you do all the designing and constructing outside of the tank.
To assemble your live rock structures, lay a plastic tarp out on the floor or a table and start creating. You can get a chisel & hammer if a rock shape isn't working for you & you want smaller pieces, but try to pick pieces you don't need to change. Don't leave your live rock out of the water for too long, I personally won't keep it out for longer than 2 hours.
There are a few ways to assemble your rock structures but I like using Selleys AquaKnead It (from Bunnings - someone please correct me on the full name). It is like a non-sticky clay that sets like concrete within 24 hours. Once you get to that part we can offer more specific advice on how to use it so that the bonds between the rocks are secure, but basically, after you have let it firm up for an hour or so, you can carefully place the rocks back in the tub of water and let it set overnight. I prefer to create manageable sized pieces that fit together rather than putty an entire bommie together. Then I can change the aquascape around if the mood takes me, and also if I need to take the rocks out for any reason, it is in manageable sized pieces - I have been there done that with trying to remove a rock wall one rock at a time, bad memories! Now my tank is in 6 decent sized pieces. :)
Hi, thanks for the input, i have a pretty good idea know of how to start now.
I am going to go to aquaristic this weekend to have a look at the live rock they have, once i've got a idea of sizes and prices i'll post on here again to get some input.
hopefully i will be in a position to buy some LR next weekend and start the process of making my tank into something i am proud off!!
ps i had some good news this week, my lionfish are now taking frozen krill, they didn't like it at first but they now they go made for it, which is great as my wife doesn't like me feeding them live food.
I am going to go to aquaristic this weekend to have a look at the live rock they have, once i've got a idea of sizes and prices i'll post on here again to get some input.
hopefully i will be in a position to buy some LR next weekend and start the process of making my tank into something i am proud off!!
ps i had some good news this week, my lionfish are now taking frozen krill, they didn't like it at first but they now they go made for it, which is great as my wife doesn't like me feeding them live food.
Hi, so I went to aquaristic yesterday and had a good look around, they didn’t have much live rock in but are getting a big shipment this Thursday, which is good timing.
I chatted to a guy (Billy) for a while about introducing the LR and cycling.
He said I should introduce the LR directly to my tank over the course of 3 weeks or so (1/3 a week) and then wait a couple of weeks, do my aquascaping and then introduce the corals.
I asked him about cycling it all in a tub (with a powerhead) and he wasn’t keen on that as he thought the rock is more likely to die in a tub than in my tank. I asked him how could I glue it all together if I introduced it in 3 lots, he acknowledged that wouldn’t be possible but said if I aquascaped properly I could get away with just stacking pieces.
He thought I could use some of the red rock I have as a base for my big boomie.
Ideally I don’t want to move my fish out as I have nowhere to put them but also don’t want to introduce the LR directly to my tank and risk a big cycle and then end up losing all the fish.
AgentM - i think your i will go with your tub cycling suggestion but i wanted to check again first.
I suppose my key questions are
1. If the LR has been properly cycled when I buy it how big is the cycle when I introduce it to my tank normally going to be, could it endanger my fish?
2. and if i tub cycle the LR instead do i risk losing it?
I would be really keen on suggestions on how I should move forward from here please.
cheers
I chatted to a guy (Billy) for a while about introducing the LR and cycling.
He said I should introduce the LR directly to my tank over the course of 3 weeks or so (1/3 a week) and then wait a couple of weeks, do my aquascaping and then introduce the corals.
I asked him about cycling it all in a tub (with a powerhead) and he wasn’t keen on that as he thought the rock is more likely to die in a tub than in my tank. I asked him how could I glue it all together if I introduced it in 3 lots, he acknowledged that wouldn’t be possible but said if I aquascaped properly I could get away with just stacking pieces.
He thought I could use some of the red rock I have as a base for my big boomie.
Ideally I don’t want to move my fish out as I have nowhere to put them but also don’t want to introduce the LR directly to my tank and risk a big cycle and then end up losing all the fish.
AgentM - i think your i will go with your tub cycling suggestion but i wanted to check again first.
I suppose my key questions are
1. If the LR has been properly cycled when I buy it how big is the cycle when I introduce it to my tank normally going to be, could it endanger my fish?
2. and if i tub cycle the LR instead do i risk losing it?
I would be really keen on suggestions on how I should move forward from here please.
cheers
when they get the LR in it is usually NOT fully cycled-you'll have to double check this with Billy. if this is the case I would be reluctant to introduce it to your tank where you already have your animals.I would then still cycle it first in a separate tub-if you keep the tub heated and it has flow you should still retain all/most of the organisms that you would have had if you put the LR directly into the tank but without endangering your fish as much
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