Attempted to aquascape

[PghReef]

This is my second reef tank to aquascape. Attempted to learn from previous mistakes, my last tank had some hard to reach places and certain areas where a mag float couldn't fit between the rock and the glass. Also attempting to allow for good future coral placement as that was an after thought with the previous tank.

Tank is a 90 gallon and I have probably a solid 100 lbs of pukani, 15 lbs reef saver, and another 15 of Fiji dry rock to work with as well as a box of branch to add later. I have hand carved almost every pukani boulder to shape it and carve out caves and tunnels with a chisel and drill. The pieces are so big they're very hard to scape naturally but when you get it right nothing looks better IMO.


I have a long ways to go I find it's best if I find a piece I like to start with and build off of. I hate the rock wall by the overflow but really like the large rock on the right. It's comprised of a 25 lb pukani boulder, before carving, and a small piece of Fiji. Has about 3 caves in it and 2 good overhangs.

 

[cracker]

Can You open up the pile on the left a little bit?

 

[hijinks7]

Pukani is tough to scape in smaller tanks.. I'd try to chisel some of the rock to make is smaller to add some depth on the left side. It looks like a rock wall.

 

[WWIII]

That one big piece is amazing! Careful with moving those big ones around in empty tank, maybe put a little cardboard or blanket around the edges/bottom while aquascaping. Nothing worse than a chipped tank before it even sees water!

I agree maybe move the left side pile around a bit to open it up some. Corals will eventually give you morw height!

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Be careful with that top heavy piece and make sure it is well supported and stable before you add water. Are you going to add sand? If so, it will help keep the rock steady but I would still make sure the base is touching the bottom glass.

 

[Somuchflo99]

What if you split the wall and made the round one your center piece in the tank

 

[Somuchflo99]

Would look like a cool trench

 

[PghReef]

Pukani is tough to scape in smaller tanks.. I'd try to chisel some of the rock to make is smaller to add some depth on the left side. It looks like a rock wall.

Agreed my last tank was a 46 gallon with pukani. Took a lot of work to get it to fit in. Im ready to scrap this tank already and go for a 120 for depth not sure how the wife would feel about that though or how it'll got where it's eventually going

That one big piece is amazing! Careful with moving those big ones around in empty tank, maybe put a little cardboard or blanket around the edges/bottom while aquascaping. Nothing worse than a chipped tank before it even sees water!

I agree maybe move the left side pile around a bit to open it up some. Corals will eventually give you morw height!

Thanks I am being extremely cautious but it's hard. I thunk I'm gonna epoxy or cement the big one on the right to the Fiji base so it's easier to move around and then work from there.

 

[PghReef]

I do have other rockto work with from my previous setup. Needs bleached and cleaned well as it was from my first tank that had a crash. Picture of from a long time ago built this arch with pukani and the main piece was 3 pieces epoxyed together.

 

[PghReef]

What if you split the wall and made the round one your center piece in the tank

Interesting idea always though if a double island scape but a large center piece with 2 smaller trench/islands might be cool.

 

[hijinks7]

You can easily cut Pukani flat with a hacksaw.. that's what I do for pieces like the one on the right.

 

[PghReef]

You can easily cut Pukani flat with a hacksaw.. that's what I do for pieces like the one on the right.

Idk if I'd cut the one on the right I already love the shape of it. I have cut pukani before maybe some of the longer awkward pieces on the left I can saw to make a stable bottom to build up from.

 

[leahfiish]

I like what you came up with so far, the height is really nice. I have a 90 too and it's tough.

 

[madweazl]

If you want to add corals down the road, I'd remove at least half of the rock altogether.

 

[kswan]

I started with some large pieces like that and before filling the tank decided to chisel out some caves. Really glad I did. It is a lot of wasted real estate and gives the fish more places to hide.

 

[kswan]

I started with some large pieces like that and before filling the tank decided to chisel out some caves. Really glad I did. It is a lot of wasted real estate and gives the fish more places to hide.

 

[kswan]

Hard to tell but I am referring to the cave on the right.

 

[PghReef]

Attenpt number 2. Spent a few hours sculpting the 1 massive boulder a little further. Carved put more of the back to make a neat overhang and worked on the caves to make them connect so No one gets cornered. Also attached it to a base rock so it won't be 2-3 inches buried in sand and give extra support.
Also opened up and rearranged the rock like on the left. Still have work to do but much better IMO
Excuse the horrible picture tank is in the storage room and tucked in a hard to reach spot due to the kitchen remodel.

 

[WWIII]

Attenpt number 2. Spent a few hours sculpting the 1 massive boulder a little further. Carved put more of the back to make a neat overhang and worked on the caves to make them connect so No one gets cornered. Also attached it to a base rock so it won't be 2-3 inches buried in sand and give extra support.
Also opened up and rearranged the rock like on the left. Still have work to do but much better IMO
Excuse the horrible picture tank is in the storage room and tucked in a hard to reach spot due to the kitchen remodel.

Looking good! Much better imo

 

[PghReef]

Looking good! Much better imo

Thanks. Still have a ways to go I have lots of open room for fish and nooks and crannies. I like the amount of spots I have to mount sps but feel like I would be very limited with LPS and all the eyphyllia corals I love.