Reef Tank Real Estate Layout: Is there a difference between creating a large vs. small aquascape?

[Peace River]

Reef Tank Real Estate Layout: Is there a difference between creating a large vs. small aquascape?

When planning an aquascape for a nano tank, is it just a smaller version of a standard aquascape or is there more to it? Similarly, when planning an aquascape for a monster tank that is 400 gallons or more, is it just a larger version of a standard aquascape or is there more to it? Aquascaping could be segmented into mini-me, normal, and super-size versions or all sizes could be covered by the same approach. Is there a difference between creating a large versus a small aquascape? If so, please share any tips that you have for small scapes and large scapes.

Photo by @Brandon McHenry; Innovative Marine Nuvo 40 All-In-One Tank


This QOTD is sponsored by Nutramar: https://www.qualitymarine.com/nutramar/

“Nutramar’s 100% natural food products are used by public aquaria and breeders around the world. They offer superior nutrition to your most finicky and delicate fish and invertebrates.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

In my 90 gallon I did the 1pound per gallon. Had to make it a tall wall and really doesn't look natural. My next build was a 75 gallon, but I had access to old pukani rock. So instead of 1 pound per gallon in the display, I made a smaller aquascape that looks natural. I then built a 40 breeder refugium and loaded that with the rest of the "1pound per gallon". I'm much happier, I just can't have as much coral. But my fish have lots of swimming space.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Most pico tanks go for packing in with some space allowing a little growth. The arrangements are usually simple either using a few pieces of rock stacked, stuck together or one piece. This allows for easy removal and cleaning. Its expected to either remove over growing corals, upgrade or trim.

As you get larger and larger people tend to focus more on ease of access where you can stick hand in to grab items, corals become less picky on what you get and instead focus on general placement. focus more on stability of rock and wanting flow through more. The larger the tank the more often people tend to take time and care of rock work and placement with stability. They begin to create their own shape without limitation of size as much. There is less concern with shading and overgrowth as you have more space.

My 2 cents and what I see. More people will slap small tanks together while larger tanks are more planned out. Doesnt mean everyone does this but general trend with exceptions going vice versa and what they are wanting.

 

[Alexraptor]

Honestly I think size is irrelevant and it's all down to the kind of style you want to go for.

My 25g reef and my new 38g aquascapes are like night and day. For my 25g I opted to create a classical rock wall from end to end.

For my new 38g setup I strived to create an impression of a few bommies in the middle of the sea floor and emphasizing the depth of the tank instead of breadth and height.

Choosing to also house a tiger pistol and YWG pair further enhances the naturalistic feel of the aquascape, as the entire sandbed is constantly shifting to and fro, with currents and eddies from the dual Tunze pumps shifting sand around, and the pistol shrimp creating new dunes and valleys every day!

 

[KrisReef]

From an artist perspective, the size of the canvas is going to dictate the amount of paint you can apply. In "nano" tanks the artificial ocean isn't really all that much smaller than a 400 gallon canvas with regards to art imitating life.

Monterey Bay Aquarium was the first big tank I visited that allowed the water depth and tank breadth and depth for the builders to explore realistic walls, caves, and scale that isn't available in a standard 400 gallon tank, much less a nano.

Love them all, and folks on here have much better artistic displays than me, just an observation on size and scale challenges for reef keepers.

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

Honestly I think size is irrelevant and it's all down to the kind of style you want to go for.

My 25g reef and my new 38g aquascapes are like night and day. For my 25g I opted to create a classical rock wall from end to end.

For my new 38g setup I strived to create an impression of a few bommies in the middle of the sea floor and emphasizing the depth of the tank instead of breadth and height.

Choosing to also house a tiger pistol and YWG pair further enhances the naturalistic feel of the aquascape, as the entire sandbed is constantly shifting to and fro, with currents and eddies from the dual Tunze pumps shifting sand around, and the pistol shrimp creating new dunes and valleys every day!

But with using the space would you do the same with the 38 as the 24?

Love the idea of the 38 moving the sand and changing the sand pattern of hills. Wouldnt mind doing this myself eventually. Both tanks look really nice.

 

[d2mini]

I think shape (and how you use it ) is more important than size.

 

[Digimes]

Here are 4 of my last tanks, the 5g nano being the current tank. Tall, wide or broad was dependant on each individual reef I was trying to get. I also like some of the multi towered looking ones I have looked at recently with little to no sand. Each look accomplished something different.

 

[shakacuz]

my 40b has a kind of "slope" style. where the left half is higher than the right, but it kind of trickles down. and then in the back right corner there is a "tower" of zoas. i'v'e since added a branching rock to the back middle after my CSB decided to go on a hike again, but this time i am going to refrain from putting it back in its cup.

 

[Stealthreefer]

I just find small rocks shaped like large rocks and try to scaffold stuff like I would any other tank in a little one.
I sneak ceramic cichlid caves into reefs because you can't really tell once they get encrusted in algae. Can't do that in nano tanks, it sticks out way more.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I think shape (and how you use it ) is more important than size.

Here we go.

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

I went with 2 Bommies and planned the coral types according to the design in my minds eye that would grow out and eventually fill in. Over 3 years now and u really don’t see the rock structure.

 

[Tangs-A-Lot]

I think shape (and how you use it ) is more important than size.

Yes, I agree …. and, must not forget the need to take into consideration: flow, the motion of the ocean.

 

[Sump Crab]

I really personally prefer a larger aquascape and really kinda detest the negative stuff. I went for a large aquascape but incorporated a ton of opportunity for ample flow by creating a lot of arches and minimizing dead zones

 

[d2mini]

Yes, I agree …. and, must not forget the need to take into consideration: flow, the motion of the ocean.

Very true.
This is all exactly why i prefer a deeper dimension tank vs something very narrow (front to back).
Doesn't matter if its 20g or 200g because rock can be found or created at any size. But the proportions of the tank will determine what you can do with that rock.

 

[littlebigreef]

Hard to make a nice looking arch that you can load with coral for a nano. I downsized from a 220 to a 125 during a move, I had to take the footers off my arch and its no where near as dramatic.

 

[Zoa.Mania]

I think the principles are the same, only the scale is different.

You need to keep in mind coral placement and space from different types to ensure growth space and reduce warfare

Aquascape need to support good flow in the tank for good turnovers

And space for fish and inverts to live in the scape


These are the principles I keep in mind when scaping

 

[Bruttall]

Honestly I think size is irrelevant and it's all down to the kind of style you want to go for.

My 25g reef and my new 38g aquascapes are like night and day. For my 25g I opted to create a classical rock wall from end to end.

For my new 38g setup I strived to create an impression of a few bommies in the middle of the sea floor and emphasizing the depth of the tank instead of breadth and height.

Choosing to also house a tiger pistol and YWG pair further enhances the naturalistic feel of the aquascape, as the entire sandbed is constantly shifting to and fro, with currents and eddies from the dual Tunze pumps shifting sand around, and the pistol shrimp creating new dunes and valleys every day!

Step into a 6 or 8 foot tank, you will change your view point pretty quick I bet. Not slamming on ya, but you're comparing Nanos to each other.

 

[o2manyfish]

Bigger is better! Says the man with the 750g tank. Using an 'Arch' as an example. In a nano sized aquarium an arch is going to be put together with maybe 3 rocks. While looking great, in my opinion this arch doesn't provide enough nooks and crannies for fish to live and hide in. Given in a smaller tank, there are going to be smaller fish - providing adequate spaces for them to feel comfortable it key.

Jumping up to a 400g you can build an arch that's bigger than a 'nano' tank on it's own. With size comes more support and structure. And if you aren't building this arch by cementing boulder rocks together, but by placing, pining, gluing, supporting the rock structure - you get a lot more places for fish to feel more comfortable.

You also will be using larger sized rock, so you have larger spaces for the larger fish to hide as well. Yes an adult Purple Tang sometimes needs to get away from another bully fish too......

The pound per gallon 'theory/methodology' came from salesmnn in fish stores when reef keeping started -- I know I was a kid working in a fish store in the 80's. It's such a flawed theory - Rocks from around the globe (when we had those kinds of options) were totally different. Carribean rocks were boulders, Tonga Rock was coral encrusted branches, Marshall Islands was Open and Airy. Back in the day, live rock was shipped at about 22 kilos per box. And a Tonga box of rock from Walt Smith was 2.5x larger than a box of dense Carribean rock.

My previous 400g tank had over a 1000lbs of rock in it. Now I did have the back wall covered in slab rock. But the tank was not a pile of rocks. It had big open swimming areas in it.

When we jumped to a 560g we used all the same rock except for the slab rock from the back wall. We built the aquascape a little taller for the increased height of the tank, but 50% of scape was the same as the 400.

When we jumped up to the 750g tank we dropped the tank height, and used the aquascape from 400-560 laid out in a mirror image (tank had switched sides of the room). The 560g was an island tank with 4 walk around sides - hence no slab rock. The 750g was up against a wall. We put the slab rock back plus added another couple hundred pounds of rock.

We also build a new 'rocking' island sculpture made up of 3 pieces of Marco Slab rocked pinned into a stack with a giat egg shaped boulder rock on top pinned to be balanced - and rocking on top of the stack. This stack of 4 rocks alone is about 75lbs. Plus the additional slab rock added onto the back wall and I would guestimate the weight of rock in the 750g tank is close to 1400lbs. And that's not a pile of rock - there is swimming room around all the rockscapes.


The more rock you can use - with good flow - the more spaces you have for fish to feel comfortable. As the tank gets bigger so does the fish population. I'm not a fan of big fish. I like all the lil critters that make up a natural reef. So our 750g tank has over 150 fish in it. Yes there are some big tangs and angels. But the population of Gobies, blennies, pseudochromis, basslets and assesors that bring the tank to life all have plenty of space to hide and live with each other.

Dave B

 

[Hhaynie]

I think detail is harder to achieve in a small tank, but not impossible. To keep scale, choose corals with large polyps/structure in the front, and smaller in the back (bird's nest in the back, acropora in the front for example).

Reef aquascaping is pretty standardized compared to freshwater. If you really want to make an impact with your scape:

Keep a consistent color scheme using complementary/supplementary palets. green/red is perfect for plants, corals, and macros; but orange/blue, yellow/purple, or green/magenta are all unique options to reef tanks.

Add movement/form to your rockwork. Arches, floating/wall mounted formations, and directional branches are great tools.

look at landscape photography and competitive freshwater scapes. Stick to an intentional composition, my reef tank is an island composition, with branch rocks pointing from the same direction.

this is some of my work

1 gallon

1 gallon

20 gallons