aquascaping

nats · #1 03-01-2008, 08:20 PM

I will be starting my aquascaping next week on my 90 gal reef tank. I would like to know some do's and don'ts on placing live rock. What should I be considering in the placement. appox 90 to 100 pounds
Thank you

ElGuappo · #2 03-01-2008, 08:46 PM

i am a newbie but the one thing i have learned about aquascaping is that you need lots of little nooks and crannies between the rock for fish to swim throu and hide i personally find that the more cracks and crevaces you have the happier my rusty angel and tobbacco bass. the inverts really like it to gives them lots of hiding spots. keep in mind that you dont need huge gaps. my fish ar happy trying to make themselves fit into small holes.

digital-audiophile · #3 03-01-2008, 08:54 PM

The first lesson is that as soon as you think you have your aquascaping figured out.. you will want to change it

You just need to find what works for your tank and your stocking plans. I have an internal centre overflow in my 90 so I had to work around it, but I think I have what I want now.

I agree that it is good to have spots that your fish can swim through and hide/sleep in. Also depending on your stocking plans be sure to make lots of ledges and nooks to tuck in corals.. especially if you are going SPS as they seem to be on big *** plugs as upposed to the small little aquacultured rocks I always used to see.

My photo skills suck but this is what mine looks FWIW

nats · #4 03-01-2008, 09:20 PM

That Looks Really Nice. How Far Is The Rock In The Back And Sided From The Glass?

digital-audiophile · #5 03-02-2008, 12:14 AM

I kind of have it in a pyramid shape. At the bottom on the sides there is just enough room to get a cleaning magenet through. At the back it is just about at the glass, I left enough room fro the fish to make a complete lap behind all the rocks even in the front against the overflow. In hindsight I would have made a PVC frame and attached the rocks to that to give more space.

Myka · #6 03-02-2008, 01:43 AM

I also like to create a lot of different nooks and crannies. I like to make caves that fish can swim in. Also, be sure to lay the rock on the glass and have the rockscape stable before you put the sand around it. If it's stable without the sand, then it will be even more stable with the sand. Plus, if you have a fish that burrows, it won't topple your rock from removing the sand around the rock.

Try to have a few rocks touching the sand as possible. In my tank there are only 4 rocks in the sand. Everything else is balanced on top of those 4 rocks creating caves and overhangs. Be sure to use some 2-part expoxy to secure your rocks to eachother.

I like to use a bit less rock than most people as well. In my 33g I have about 28 lbs of rock, and I definately don't want any more.

Once you start adding corals you'll probably redo your aquascape to make room for more corals!

ElGuappo · #7 03-02-2008, 04:37 PM

my 34 g has about 33 pounds of LR but you cant see about 5 because it is burried. i had to pull alll my rock out and burry 3 pieces to stack the rest on as my JAWFISH helped my struture fall by mining out every bit of sand under the rock. now he has an undergound maze that basically runs from one side of the tank to the other.

Best picks of pearly jawfish on last page of pics.