Birds eye view: do you take top-down shots of your reef?

BRS

Do you take top-down shots of your reef?

  • Yes, I have successfully taken top down shots of my reef.

    Votes: 131 34.5%
  • I’ve tried with mixed or limited success.

    Votes: 104 27.4%
  • No, I haven’t tried.

    Votes: 143 37.6%
  • Other

    Votes: 2 0.5%

  • Total voters
    380

KrisReef

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Drunk Spring Break GIF by The Lonely Island
partying jersey shore GIF


Fish are ok through the glass but the reef tank was designed for a 'God's eye viewing' experience, imo.

Sadly, my phone pictures taken form either direction are corrupted by the spectral intensity of the tank lights and the surfaces i am picturing through. I forgot about submersible cameras. I might want to get one for fun and sharing?
 

maroun.c

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Top down is a more "realistic" view of the reef as when u dive I tend to look at most corals top down and not from the side.
Most of our tanks are a bit on the low sode and scape and coral growing up leads to one looking at many corals from below or at non optimal viewing angle when looking through tank glass so top.dowm.allows us to better appreciate looking at coral colors and structure.
Glass also has a tint so takes away from the beauty of looking at one's corals.
Taking pics through glass has its own challenges with distortion caused by the glass and reflections which makes it tricky, topndown shots are way easier and nicer and at of better quality as a 10-20mm glass always takes away from the clarity of a picture.
Water ripples from fish motion or wave makers as well as reflection of tanknlighting are a challenge so a top down viewing box or a porthole for camera or phone makes it much easier.
And on the bright side you can participate in the pic of the month contest in the photography forum and win an Avaast porthole every month
 

Kristopher Conlin

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I have had good luck with shooting top down. I turn off all the flow and move my lights around to reduce glare. The colors of the coral seem much more intense when viewing them from above.

20230214_180323.jpg
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20221112_225951.jpg
 

DanyL

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I rarely do, maybe once a year.
But boy it looks good even when I'm not trying.

These are about 1/2-1 year old pics, looking back at the display pic now and I realized some of these little frags not only grew to fully blown colonies, but already been taken apart and grew back to mid-large size frags again now lol

Display:
1679239049599.jpeg


Sump ("frag chamber"):
1679239354249.jpeg
 
BRS

Polyp polynomial: How many heads do you start with when buying zoas?

  • One head is enough to get started.

    Votes: 27 10.6%
  • 2 to 4 heads.

    Votes: 145 57.1%
  • 5 heads or more.

    Votes: 65 25.6%
  • Full colony.

    Votes: 10 3.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 7 2.8%
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