Creating amazing aquascapes: What is your primary focus when designing your aquascape?

[Peace River]

Creating amazing aquascapes: What is your primary focus when designing your aquascape?

There are so many aspects to consider when putting together an aquascape or rescaping the aquascape that you currently have. However, there is often a leading area of focus whether it is more form or function. The emphasis may be on ease of maintenance, aesthetic appeal, coral growth and health, water circulation, habitat and natural behavior for the livestock, or something else. Whatever it is, please let us know what your primary focus is when designing your aquascape.

Photo by @ChristopherKriens

If you are looking for some help with your aquascape, please check out the R2R article about Tips and Tricks on Creating Amazing Aquascapes.


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com

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[Stealthreefer]

circulation and areas the fish can hide from me and from other fish.
I try to have caves small enough that the tangs can't get in them to harass the dwarf angels and I try to have pathways that stop chases when a smaller fish ducks into them.
Only negative is my tangs scratch their fins a lot but not had any deaths from it so far.

I don't do the negative space thing that is so popular today. That picture looks like fish stress city to me.

 

[Paul B]

I go for natural and the health of the fish. Fish need natural hiding places where they can get out of view or they will be stressed. They like to hide in places where you can't see them and they can't see you.

I have been diving all my life and I was born when Eisenhower was President so I did a lot of diving.

I took these in the Caribbean







This is mangrove roots in the Florida Keys where fish spawn.



This is Tahiti.


And outer Islands in Hawaii.

 

[KQuillan]

I think you need an "all of the above" so I chose other.
I hated my aquascape so redid it last weekend. I ended up with less room?? So, I redid it again this weekend and I like it a lot better.

Fish have enough room to swim or hide and plenty of room for the coral to grow. I also have a lot of flow going on in my tank.

 

[SPS2020]

More than one choice for me: Aesthetics, circulation, coral health and ease of maintenance for my Acropora tank.

 

[Reefer Matt]

I'm a rock stacker. I don't follow trends. I do keep water circulation and fish habitat in mind though. My sps tank has the rock stacked in the middle of the tank. The coral became the glue over the years.

 

[Floyd-]

I stack rocks and give plenty of caves and nooks for the fish to hide. Coral placement comes second to the fish needs.

 

[Borat]

I am a rock star, okey, Kazakistan Rock Star!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

I only have one rock.....

 

[AKL1950]

Focus was mainly on light requirements for the corals. Since it’s sort of a mixed reef with priority on Acro, I wanted several high ledges to house lots of Acro, but have lower light areas for the others. The bare bottom was strictly for avoiding sand bed problems and high flow with sand.

 

[shwareefer]

Other. Not falling over.

 

[MnFish1]

I think some (many) people don't plan on the growth of their corals - so when planning an Aquascape - I try to look ahead as to what its going to look at when the corals I've bought are growing all over. Beyond that its I the eye of the beholder

 

[maroun.c]

Many aspects to aquascaping.
Based on tank viewing angles I tend to have visible side scape slop up.as u go back. My tank is visible from front and part of the right side so my scape goes higher from front to back and right to left.
Also making sure to have brindges and over hangs goes a long way adding I Teresa in a scape as well as some.negative or empty spaces which add to the 3 D effect.

 

[Haggisman14]

My main goal has always been an aesthetic appeal, that leans well towards good coral growth, and happy tank inhabitants. Making some nooks and crannies for certain animals to hide. Overhangs for corals to grow over and encrust, and some shady parts as well.

End of the day we do this hobby to enjoy how the tank looks, so that's my mine goal!

 

[maroun.c]

I might have overdone things when planing my scape but here are some.consideeations.
Using newspaper to plan ur scape is easy and allows for easier planning than playing with the risk of manipulating rocks in the tank. I went with ceramics which came as large pieces already shaped but having a clear shape and dimensions from newspaper will allow you to scape a tank with rods abd epoxy outside then move strictures easily in the tank

Tank scape planning

Monster Build - Maroun.c 400 G build thread

That is awesome!!!!

www.reef2reef.com

Rocks planning in my case ceramics can be easily done on front of cardboard cut to tank size to experiment with different dimensions and see how they look in the tank before commiting

Monster Build - Maroun.c 400 G build thread

That cabinet is so nice. Tank looks great. Will look great once all together and filled up. I like seeing the differences in our countries to acheive the same result. Russian plywood. Something I'll never see unless I come to your house. I would love to see pics of your local fish store some...

www.reef2reef.com

Setup

Monster Build - Maroun.c 400 G build thread

Wow! Amazing build so far! Looking forward to seeing more updates as your build progresses.

www.reef2reef.com

Monster Build - Maroun.c 400 G build thread

Wow! Amazing build so far! Looking forward to seeing more updates as your build progresses.

www.reef2reef.com

12 years later after colonies have matured
The beauty of the scape is replaced by the beauty of the corals that take over, looking at the tank I still see the effect of the initial scape. Another less discussed challenge would be how to trim ur corals and cleanup to keep the shape of ur tank after tank has matured

 

[MnFish1]

I might have overdone things when planing my scape but here are some.consideeations.
Using newspaper to plan ur scape is easy and allows for easier planning than playing with the risk of manipulating rocks in the tank. I went with ceramics which came as large pieces already shaped but having a clear shape and dimensions from newspaper will allow you to scape a tank with rods abd epoxy outside then move strictures easily in the tank

Tank scape planning

Monster Build - Maroun.c 400 G build thread

That is awesome!!!!

www.reef2reef.com

Rocks planning in my case ceramics can be easily done on front of cardboard cut to tank size to experiment with different dimensions and see how they look in the tank before commiting

Monster Build - Maroun.c 400 G build thread

That cabinet is so nice. Tank looks great. Will look great once all together and filled up. I like seeing the differences in our countries to acheive the same result. Russian plywood. Something I'll never see unless I come to your house. I would love to see pics of your local fish store some...

www.reef2reef.com

Setup

Monster Build - Maroun.c 400 G build thread

Wow! Amazing build so far! Looking forward to seeing more updates as your build progresses.

www.reef2reef.com

Monster Build - Maroun.c 400 G build thread

Wow! Amazing build so far! Looking forward to seeing more updates as your build progresses.

www.reef2reef.com

12 years later after colonies have matured
The beauty of the scape is replaced by the beauty of the corals that take over, looking at the tank I still see the effect of the initial scape. Another less discussed challenge would be how to trim ur corals and cleanup to keep the shape of ur tank after tank has matured

Very nice tank!

 

[Alexraptor]

In general I tend to stack rocks towards the rear of the tank, maybe not the best thing, but I do like my the rock wall i built in my 25G reef.

In fact, I just recently found the last rock to plug the gap underneath the right-hand pump. Initially i built the aquascape to completely conceal a small stream pump and a Tunze 9004 in the left-hand corner.

My 15Gallon has a very mixed aquscape, rocky aquascape. my 25G mantis tank has a central mountain stacked up towards the back of the tank, and my new 38G setup is much more open with just a couple of islands as oases in a vast desert sand bed.

 

[SoggyNW]

I don't think I would be happy till I had all of those boxes checked to my satisfaction.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

There are so many things to look at and consider. Having the end result in mind can help you plan. Since I deal with small tanks, I go for ease of maintenance mostly. I try to setup where I can remove everything and clean if need be but provide enough structure for hiding and waste management so to speak. I try to have it all one piece or 2 unless individual coral.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

There are so many things to look at and consider. Having the end result in mind can help you plan. Since I deal with small tanks, I go for ease of maintenance mostly. I try to setup where I can remove everything and clean if need be but provide enough structure for hiding and waste management so to speak. I try to have it all one piece or 2 unless individual coral.

I am going to do this on any tank I do from here on out regardless. If it's not modular where I can take it apart section by section and pull it all easily, I will never put anything else in a tank.

One of the hardest things is having issues and not being able to get to them because of the rockwork

Ideally each coral would be on its own to plug and unplug