Hardest but rewarding hobby to start. My first tank

[pureconcept]

This is a photo of my tank .i want honest opinions on the aquascaping. I like it but its so di

fferent from everything i see. Is there a reason others dont do a similar aquascape or is it just ugly to others. Its about 5 months old. Im obsessed and loving the hobby but something in my tank is killong my fiah and i cant figure it out. Im beggining to think its marine velvet without presenting the body dots and just attacking the lungs.

 

[A$AP-Reefer]

Welcome to the hobby, it's definitely addictive. It's an itch that will always be in your soul now. Can never leave no matter how long the break is. You'll now eat, sleep and breath coral and fish.

As for your fish problem, let's hope it's not marine velvet, I'm not to savy on that part. I'm sure others will chime in though!

Also it's a dope aquascape!

 

[mdb_talon]

I make a habit of not critiquing aquascapes unless the person asks lol! Really as long as it is functional for your fish, coral(ie flow considerations, hiding spots, etc) then otherwise it all personal preference.

Having said that I like what you have for the most part. The one thing that bugs me is the suspended ledge on right side going to the middle. I like suspended ledges generally, but in this case it just looks unnatural to me in a bad way. I would be curious how it looked if it was connected to other island.

Having said that once it has coral in it and grows out it will be very different and i may end up loving even that part of it.

If you like it i would say keep it!

 

[A$AP-Reefer]

I make a habit of not critiquing aquascapes unless the person asks lol! Really as long as it is functional for your fish, coral(ie flow considerations, hiding spots, etc) then otherwise it all personal preference.

Having said that I like what you have for the most part. The one thing that bugs me is the suspended ledge on left side going to the middle. I like suspended ledges generally, but in this case it just looks unnatural to me in a bad way. I would be curious how it looked if it was connected to other island.

Having said that once it has coral in it and grows out it will be very different and i may end up loving even that part of it.

If you like it i would say keep it!

I agree.. but once grown! It definitely will stand out and look totally different.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

-d

 

[fachatga]

Really like that huge overhang

 

[pureconcept]

Welcome to the hobby, it's definitely addictive. It's an itch that will always be in your soul now. Can never leave no matter how long the break is. You'll now eat, sleep and breath coral and fish.

As for your fish problem, let's hope it's not marine velvet, I'm not to savy on that part. I'm sure others will chime in though!

Also it's a dope aquascape!

Thanx for the kind words. I dont know what it is but my wateer tests well but fish keep dying. I am truly obsessed i spend hours researching and working on the tank. I snuck away from work 3 hours early and crossed state lines to gp to a fish store today lol. Its a strange hobby tjough in that most hobbies you can start slow amd test the waters. With this you go deep fast and its the hardest and most expensive in the beginning.glad you think the aquascape is nice. When you work on it for so long itz hard to stay objective and not attached. I just wish i didny have to use mortar but when i used crazy glue the first time it all fell apart when i tried to pick it up

 

[pureconcept]

Really like that huge overhang

I wanted to make it bigger but the tank wasnt big enough to have two structures if it was bigger and i couldnt figure out how to support it if it went the whole length of the tank.

 

[pureconcept]

-d

I like odd fish but that photo creeps me out lol

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

...good. lol
D

 

[pureconcept]

I make a habit of not critiquing aquascapes unless the person asks lol! Really as long as it is functional for your fish, coral(ie flow considerations, hiding spots, etc) then otherwise it all personal preference.

Having said that I like what you have for the most part. The one thing that bugs me is the suspended ledge on right side going to the middle. I like suspended ledges generally, but in this case it just looks unnatural to me in a bad way. I would be curious how it looked if it was connected to other island.

Having said that once it has coral in it and grows out it will be very different and i may end up loving even that part of it.

If you like it i would say keep it!

Yea it does look unnatural. It was kind of the point but i do see how it losing something by not feeling like a real reef and more like a statue

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

I like the big conch shell
D

 

[pureconcept]

Yea it does look unnatural. It was kind of the point but i do see how it losing something by not feeling like a real reef and more like a statue

I also wanted to have a place for coral to get high light and flow from the surface agitation while leaving space for the fish to swim. Plus its hard to see in the photo but there are multiple ledges and some archs for the fiah to feel hidem but still be visable to me. It was also on a three leg base to keep flow underneath to prevent detritus buildup but i miscalculated and it was too tall for the tank so i had to cut the legs off. I was also considering when i eventually have coral i wanted enougb negative space for the coral to grow into so that it didnt turn i to a wall. I dont know i might have overthought it. It was fun though and i would try again but rocks get expensive. I do appreciate the honesty though. It helps me reflect

 

[pureconcept]

I like the big conch shell
D

Thanx . Only problem is i wanted to emphasize the ability to see part of my fish when they hide so but when they go in the shell they cant be seen at all and just disappear for hours

 

[pureconcept]

Wow the community on this site is impressive. I honestly didnt expect any replies to this post.

 

[mdb_talon]

Honestly dont take any of my criticism too harsh lol because i really do like it overall and i do think it may end up looking fantastic with coral in it.

 

[pureconcept]

Honestly dont take any of my criticism too harsh lol because i really do like it overall and i do think it may end up looking fantastic with coral in it.

I hope youre right. Im a ceitical guy. No one is harder on me than myself. The criticism helps me get perspective and i like honest appraisals. I really hope the medication i ordered can get here before my fish die off one by one from this mystery disease but when this tank is stable and growing i do want to start a new tank and these opinions can only help me make my mext one nicer. I really am obsessed. Something about the simple beauty of the corals and fish mixed with the calm yet entertaining effect of watching the fish interact makes me feel nice. And on an intellectual level the challenge and complexity of creating a fully balanced self contained ecosystem makes it more fun, challenging and rewarding than a videogame to me. I even appreciate the things i learned but disnt expect. Like who knew even shrimp have personalities and individually unique behaviors

 

[shandoee]

Welcome to R2R! I say that scape looks cool. But dont mind my opinion. It’s your opinion that matters at the end. If you like it, keep it.

In the past, when we literally stacked rocks for aquascaping, I used to change my rock work around constantly. Fish and corals were definitely not happy. This time around, I picked a scape and I am sticking with it.

Cheers!

 

[mdb_talon]

Welcome to R2R! I say that scape looks cool. But dont mind my opinion. It’s your opinion that matters at the end. If you like it, keep it.

In the past, when we literally stacked rocks for aquascaping, I used to change my rock work around constantly. Fish and corals were definitely not happy. This time around, I picked a scape and I am sticking with it.

Cheers!

Haha i wish i could stick with mine. I never end up really being happy with it.

 

[shandoee]

Haha i wish i could stick with mine. I never end up really being happy with it.

Once u start getting corals in, it’s best to leave things as is. The less your hands are in your tank the better. But I agree, we are never truly happy with our scapes, are we? Lol