Reef scape shapes: How many arches do you have in your reef tank?

[Peace River]

Reef scape shapes: How many arches do you have in your reef tank?

Arches are a key aquascape feature in many reef tanks that provide cover for the fish, mounting locations for corals, and visual beauty to onlookers. You can add different sizes, shapes, and numbers of arches. These may be DIY arches, prefab arches offered by multiple vendors, or arches created by the careful arrangement of an assortment of reef rock. What is your experience with arches in your reef tank? Please let us know in the discussion if you have any tips or thoughts to share about arches! Oh, and we encourage you to share pictures!!!

April 2021 Reef of the Month; Photo by @Jack Ravensbergen

 

[Magic031707]

Tank is 4 months old

 

[flyfisher2]

They do add character and depth to the tank. Creating arches was my main reason for going through the process of breaking up dry rock and then glueing it back together.
Not to mention the reduction of dead areas by not having excessive contact points on the bare bottom
Vacuuming is so much easier.

 

[Troylee]

Looks cool and is great for flow but on the down side the fishies got no where to hide or sleep lol.. I don’t have any in my current tank but next week in my big boy I’ll have a couple that comes with it..

 

[ReefGeezer]

I have a lot of arches built into the aquascape. Some are covered now but you see some of them. I had a lot of fun doing it. But I wouldn't do it again unless I could find a way to do it with live rock.

 

[PeterC99]

Once arch that formed naturally underneath my monti’s

 

[shakacuz]

0?

 

[srobertb]

Tank is 4 months old

Holy arches batman

 

[Jack Ravensbergen]

Reef scape shapes: How many arches do you have in your reef tank?

Arches are a key aquascape feature in many reef tanks that provide cover for the fish, mounting locations for corals, and visual beauty to onlookers. You can add different sizes, shapes, and numbers of arches. These may be DIY arches, prefab arches offered by multiple vendors, or arches created by the careful arrangement of an assortment of reef rock. What is your experience with arches in your reef tank? Please let us know in the discussion if you have any tips or thoughts to share about arches! Oh, and we encourage you to share pictures!!!

View attachment 3060585
April 2021 Reef of the Month; Photo by @Jack Ravensbergen

Thanks for the post , Update..
March '23

Just one arch left...
Grtz jack.

 

[Jack Ravensbergen]

Tank is 4 months old

Wow , got a archadiction ?

 

[EricR]

Single lame-o arch for me,,, although I have a little, full pass-through cave through my other rock pile that my PJ cardinal likes to swim through (almost counts):

*picture just to make all those with "nice" setups feel good about themselves... doh!

 

[cgonser9]

Mostly all arches. But like previously said, not many hiding spots or places to sleep for fish. Caves and other spots have been added. All rock work done by @Aquarocks

 

[Nemo&Friends]

No arches, but a few tunnels. I want my fish to feel secure and be able to hide completely. May be not as eye pleasing, but my aquarium is for the fish well being.

 

[srobertb]

I always include one because I like the way they look. We are currently trying to aquascape our tank and honestly, the hardest part is trying to get height in a 25” tall tank.

We have agreed we like this center arch. We like the idea of spires on one side (I need more rock). But we are still having problems with the other side (which is currently just a pile of rubble). We did try 2 arches and didn’t like the way it looked.

 

[Sly Element]

with only 22cm of water height. There isn't much to arch

 

[MoshJosh]

Only one. . . need a bigger tank

 

[zoomonster]

Lots of nooks, crannies and caves but no arches per se.

 

[Dweezilz]

Photo from early November, which was 2 months in and a crummy photo from today. I went for the negative space overhangs and multiple arches/paths through. Due to the angle, it looks taller and bigger in person than the photo, but for reference there's about 3 inches behind it and it's about half as tall as the tank.

 

[Floyd-]

I dont have an "arch" per say. I just stack rocks into nice piles and sometimes I bridge the gap between two with a long skinny rock. Ive never broken dry rock and rebuilt it. I just go for a natural piled up look.

 

[Petcrazyson]

I really like arches use them a lot. Sorry for the heavy blues