Cameronbherring Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 I keep changing my aquascape about every month. I'm never pleased with it for more than a week. I've tried so much and I know it really doesn't help my tank but how do yall aquascape? Pictures and advice helps. I'll post a pic of my one I did earlier. Forgot to snag a pic with the lights on though Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Check out KimP's videos either in the club video section or on her build thread for some ideas on building rock structures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 This is how I did mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Cameron. I can definitely understand the frustrations of aquascaping. Honestly, Being that my goal is to have the rocks be completely covered with coral, I don't pay too much attention to the fine details of the rock work in a scape. As long as it has caves, and plenty of surfaces for coral, that's good enough for me. A bad thing about constantly rescaping your tank is you never get a chance to really develop good sponge life and anaerobic zones for denitrification. Constantly moving and pulling the rocks tends to prevent them from truely maturing and will put your corals in a constantly irritated and annoyed state. Best plan I'd say is to pick a scape you can live with and load the tank with coral to hide the rocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronbherring Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Ok thanks! That really helps. I'm just going to leave it after I aquascape it one more time this summer. I'll draw it out and plan it. Then cover it in coral like you said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 I agree with BPb in that I don't take a lot of concern in fine detail of rock since eventually it will be <90% covered. But I will add that having had a few visual art courses in various forms I am a BIG believer in the rule of thirds. If you don't know what "the rule of thirds" is google it, it's a very simple concept with countless applications. I selected my current standard 90 gallon because the deminsions allow a great balance of rule of thirds on four major planes; verticle, horizontal, depth and length. I don't have the time or skillz to add a visual diagram, but, whether looking from above, in front, or either side of my tank the rule of thirds is applied on all viewing planes. Lots of experience in landscape photography makes this come naturally to me, but that wasn't always the case! The set up in the below picture took about 20 minutes to set-up and putty in place; still allowing for lots of surface area for filtration and glueing, and lots of caves and pass throughs for swimming area. I had a very similar look in the previous tank (a 46 BF) with about 50% of the rock. When building the new 'scape, I mostly just added rocks at the base and aimed for aprox similar height to surface of water with the top most SPS already existing on the "old rocks" My cube was (duh) a cube and so the 'scape was completely different, but still rule of thirds on all flat planes. I don't have any uploaded shots, but think about a volcano cone in which the front portion had "blown away" leaving 2/3 of a "cone" facing you...so, incomplete semi-circle when looking above (2/3 complete) with 1/3 left open in the center... get it...?every thing done in thirds not 1/2's or 1/4's. The basic principal is that your brain has an easy time breaking down even numbers, and finds odd numbers more complicated. Go to a fancy restaurant and try to find 4, 6, or 8 of anything on your plate, it doesn't happen, everything is either 3, 5, 7, or A LOT. Same exact thing works in aquaria, photography, and pretty much any visual based "art". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronbherring Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Ok that helps a lot actually. Makes a lot of sense too. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 This may be my favorite rule of thirds aquascape ever: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Jim. Unrelated, but that's the 3rd time I've seen that tank referenced this week. Once in text, once on a big forum, and now here. Who's is it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 This may be my favorite rule of thirds aquascape ever: chris-krien-fts-12-14.jpg it's like "reversed split up-side-down rule of thirds" and I love it. I don't know how many times I've seen this design in just a couple tanks but the style always reminds me of advanced japanese style plating. Spot on call Jim! Add a 5 or 7 school of fish in that scape and I'll sit in awe for weeks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Jim. Unrelated, but that's the 3rd time I've seen that tank referenced this week. Once in text, once on a big forum, and now here. Who's is it search "chris's algae farm" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronbherring Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 Any tips? This is my current aquascape. 8-9:30 lights just came on, so it's more blue than normal. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Yes, the three main structures are are the same relative height, make a height change to either the center, or outer two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Tip #2 Adjust your negative space wher it varies across the front of the tank. It helps create depth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 I've seen quite a few different styles of aquascaping since I have been reefing. Maybe it's a sign of the times or maybe it's due to increased understanding of our systems. Here are some random pictures I pulled from the internet. None of these are from my tanks. When I started in the 90's knowledge was limited. I would read all kinds of books from all of the libraries in my area. Some books would recommend undergravel filters and minimal rockwork. They might have a small pile of rocks in the center of the tank or a single layer of rocks in the center of the tank. In the late 90's and early 2000's people started filling their tanks with rocks. It looked something like stadium seating where they would start in the front of the tank and stack towards the back like a movie theater. They got the nickname "fruit stands" because the bright colors looked like a grocery store display. I never liked this design because the flow is awful, detrius builds up behind the rocks and there isn't much room for fish. Tangs and angels have a hard time in tanks with this design, but some people still use it. Lastly, around 2005 or so people started to use foam, sand, and liverock to create walls to cover the glass of the aquarium. It's not very hard to do but it can be time consuming. This is especially popular in cube tanks where space is limited. I think it looks really classy when done properly. I seriously considered doing this with my last tank and I might do it if I ever move. I drilled my rocks because they would always fall down and I got tired of breaking corals. I want things to be stable that I don't have to worry about it every time I put my hands in the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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