Aquascaping

[WaterDog]

I have a 46 gallon bowfront, and there aren't any fish in yet and while the quarantine tank is still cycling I was wondering if more live rock would be a good idea. There is currently about 40 lbs in all, maybe 10 lbs of Florida aquacultured, 20 lbs pompeii, and 10 lbs fiji (these are all just estimates, I don't know exactly how much of each type of rock there is).

My main questions are if I need more rock, if so where would be a good place to put it? Also, any opinions on how it looks currently?

[sdah0414]

Aquascaping is all personal preference. I like the way yours looks. A lot of people like the "minimalist" approach with less rock and a more open swimming space. The old standard of loading your tank full with rock seems to be on a downward trend. If you do want more rock, just for the filtration, you can always put it in the sump.

[epleeds]

I like it. the only thing i might change is putting the small rock that is in the upper middle part, on the sand in front of the left rock structure...it just seems like it might fall over.

 

also, since you have a sump, I would move the heater down there and get it out of the display. works just fine in the sump.

[Coral Hind]

It looks good to me. It just needs some corals on it.

[WaterDog]

Thanks for the input guys. Now I'm going to go comfort my Packer friends...

[davelin315]

The only bad part is that the team that dismantled my Bears didn't have a good showing...

 

As far as the rockscape, as was already said, it's personal preference. For me, part of the fun of having a tank used to be redoing the rockwork periodically. Now I get that fix with my school tanks. As far as the rock in my home display, I'm happy with what I've got but will probably add another arch at some point. I am still a fan of the rock wall, but mine has some character to it with caves, arches, and as many overhangs and outcroppings as I could build into it.

[chucelli]

Another benefit to a more open, less rock approach that should not to be overlooked is in the area of flow. Dead spots are minimized in more open designs. One can simply add more pumps at the expense of aesthetics (subjective of course).

-R

[Sikryd]

I like it.

 

As suggested, I'd put some the extra rock, assuming you have more, in the sump.

[Stu]

As a side note, it looks like there is an aiptasia anemone peeking over the top of the piece of rock in the upper lefthand corner. It looks like your setup is relatively new, so you may want to get rid of it before it reproduces and colonizes your rock.

[WaterDog]

As a side note, it looks like there is an aiptasia anemone peeking over the top of the piece of rock in the upper lefthand corner. It looks like your setup is relatively new, so you may want to get rid of it before it reproduces and colonizes your rock.

 

I just noticed that today. I have aiptasia-x, now it's just a matter of reaching my hand back there...

[ir0nma1den]

Looking at lots of planted freshwater tanks really gives me alot of inspiration and outlook in the areas of design and aquascaping. Using the rule of 3rd can be helpful as well as standard formats such as the concave or triangular scape.

 

Also, getting rock that is from the same area or has the same basic design helps make the scape look cohesive.

 

personally I am a fan of the islands scape because it is minimalistic, allow a good amount of open swimming space.

 

Try creating gorges, valley's, and cliffs for a bold scape.

[bluefunelement]

Goldilocks

just right.