I'm just in the process of setting up a 50 gallon mantis shrimp tank. I'm completely new to the hobby, so I'm learning everything as I go. I've ordered most of my gear, but I'm doubting the practicality of some of my aquascaping decisions, and I'd be very grateful for some opinions. To give some context of how little I understand aquascaping do's and don'ts at the moment, most of the photos I sent to the salesman to show him what I liked were of freshwater tanks because I had failed to recognise the difference 
The shop where I've ordered everything from doesn't really do reef rock of any kind - they do a sterile ceramic live rock imitation called aquaroche which I'm told can significantly reduce cycle time, but aside from a little impatience on my part I think that's more of an advantage for the shop than for me (I've ordered the mantis shrimp from them and it's taking up space in the shop until I'm ready for it). I wasn't massively keen on aquaroche - it seems pretty expensive, starts out as an inert concrete colour (though I know that will change over time) and it comes in a handful of large pre-designed pieces which can't be broken apart and rearranged, so I'd have to imagine the design based on photos or have the salesman endlessly rearrange and photograph it for me (the shop is a long way from where I live).
As an alternative the salesman suggested these faux rock grey ceramic ornaments which I ended up going for, along with this dark substrate, Seachem Gray Coast. However, I'm doubting my choices here so I've asked the shop to hold off sending out the order whilst I give it more thought.
I do like the look of those ceramic grey ornaments, but they aren't porous like aquaroche or live rock so they're no help with filtration - for that reason I've gone for a bigger cannister filter than I otherwise would have, which I worry might be louder than it otherwise needs to be. Also I want to start growing corals and/or macro algae in the tank, and I've just got a feeling that those ornaments are going to look stupid with corals growing on them (or perhaps regardless).
My gut is telling me to go with Caribsea life rock, which will start out a nicer colour, provide a lot of surface area for bacteria and give me a bit more freedom to create my own arrangement than aquaroche. It also seems a lot cheaper although it's hard to tell exactly because aquaroche generally isn't sold by weight.
I also wonder if a dark grey substrate is a bad idea. In the abstract I prefer it to a sandy coloured substrate and I think it should camouflage the entrances to my black PVC tubing mantis shrimp cave better. But I wonder if it's going to draw your eye to every bit of detritus in the tank like a black car shows up the dirt. I also worry it just might look naff compared to how I imagine it - I certainly haven't seen a lot of dark grey substrate used in saltwater aquariums.
I appreciate these are mostly subjective concerns but as I complete notice I'd value any input from more experienced enthusiasts.
The shop where I've ordered everything from doesn't really do reef rock of any kind - they do a sterile ceramic live rock imitation called aquaroche which I'm told can significantly reduce cycle time, but aside from a little impatience on my part I think that's more of an advantage for the shop than for me (I've ordered the mantis shrimp from them and it's taking up space in the shop until I'm ready for it). I wasn't massively keen on aquaroche - it seems pretty expensive, starts out as an inert concrete colour (though I know that will change over time) and it comes in a handful of large pre-designed pieces which can't be broken apart and rearranged, so I'd have to imagine the design based on photos or have the salesman endlessly rearrange and photograph it for me (the shop is a long way from where I live).
As an alternative the salesman suggested these faux rock grey ceramic ornaments which I ended up going for, along with this dark substrate, Seachem Gray Coast. However, I'm doubting my choices here so I've asked the shop to hold off sending out the order whilst I give it more thought.
I do like the look of those ceramic grey ornaments, but they aren't porous like aquaroche or live rock so they're no help with filtration - for that reason I've gone for a bigger cannister filter than I otherwise would have, which I worry might be louder than it otherwise needs to be. Also I want to start growing corals and/or macro algae in the tank, and I've just got a feeling that those ornaments are going to look stupid with corals growing on them (or perhaps regardless).
My gut is telling me to go with Caribsea life rock, which will start out a nicer colour, provide a lot of surface area for bacteria and give me a bit more freedom to create my own arrangement than aquaroche. It also seems a lot cheaper although it's hard to tell exactly because aquaroche generally isn't sold by weight.
I also wonder if a dark grey substrate is a bad idea. In the abstract I prefer it to a sandy coloured substrate and I think it should camouflage the entrances to my black PVC tubing mantis shrimp cave better. But I wonder if it's going to draw your eye to every bit of detritus in the tank like a black car shows up the dirt. I also worry it just might look naff compared to how I imagine it - I certainly haven't seen a lot of dark grey substrate used in saltwater aquariums.
I appreciate these are mostly subjective concerns but as I complete notice I'd value any input from more experienced enthusiasts.
