# RE RE aquascaped



## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

i picked up 10 lbs of based rock over the weekend hoping i would be able to mor interesting layers and got spots for corals but now im not sure i should have messed with it..

before:








after pilling the new rock in 








and now 








in some ways i do like it more but let me know what you guys think


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

nismo driver said:


> i picked up 10 lbs of based rock over the weekend hoping i would be able to mor interesting layers and got spots for corals but now im not sure i should have messed with it..
> 
> before:
> View attachment 156010
> ...


I dont see any pics..


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## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

hmm i guess when i cleaned up the double post it removed teh attachments

i will have to repost the pics to night since im at worka nd dont have them.

kind of better anyway since the tank has cleared up more since last night


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Teaser-

You tramp...LOL


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

AKSkirmish said:


> Teaser-
> 
> You tramp...LOL


NICE thats awful!


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## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

redbellyman21 said:


> Teaser-
> 
> You tramp...LOL


NICE thats awful!
[/quote]

hes right im a c tease


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Although this way may be more beneficial-
I really like the first one better....


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## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

AKSkirmish said:


> Although this way may be more beneficial-
> I really like the first one better....


thats exactly how i feel, this way i have a nice "reef shelf" for frags and there are still alot of openings in the rock even though is not as noticeable but the other way looked more more evenly balanced between rock and open space and the monti plates looked cool, the corals could be spread out at differnt levels..

i need to get some aquamend (water proof epoxy putty) so i can put the frag in place and let them grow out for a few months and let the new base rock cure. then maybe i will try to re accieve something similar to the way i had it..

who knows maybe when i re adjust the positiong of teh corals this set up might look better or ill repoeition a few rocks and see if that improves it.. maybe just recreating the arch at the top of whats there now will do the trick


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

nismo driver said:


> Although this way may be more beneficial-
> I really like the first one better....


thats exactly how i feel, this way i have a nice "reef shelf" for frags and there are still alot of openings in the rock even though is not as noticeable but the other way looked more more evenly balanced between rock and open space and the monti plates looked cool, the corals could be spread out at differnt levels..

i need to get some aquamend (water proof epoxy putty) so i can put the frag in place and let them grow out for a few months and let the new base rock cure. then maybe i will try to re accieve something similar to the way i had it..

who knows maybe when i re adjust the positiong of teh corals this set up might look better or ill repoeition a few rocks and see if that improves it.. maybe just recreating the arch at the top of whats there now will do the trick
[/quote]
personal tastes, I do like the first setup, but the new setup looks good too, there are def pros and cons of both, but I say leave it, we all know the hassle of having to move a hole bunch of stuff, knowing that everything, right down from the rock to sand and most importantly coral are alive, and when u take them out to adjust they are being stressed, so u want to do it quickly, and you can nver get the rock work to be the same as ever before. I suggest only aquamending rocks that would be unstable without it. If you start aquamending all the big guys togteher u will prob run into a problem dont you think, if you ever had to move something again, u wouldnt be able to. Again if theres rocks that are tipsy u gotta glue or something but otherwise I am a bigger fan of stable rockworking them. looks good post some followups of what it looks like with all lights and settled I think you will have a nice setup!


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## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

redbellyman21 said:


> Although this way may be more beneficial-
> I really like the first one better....


thats exactly how i feel, this way i have a nice "reef shelf" for frags and there are still alot of openings in the rock even though is not as noticeable but the other way looked more more evenly balanced between rock and open space and the monti plates looked cool, the corals could be spread out at differnt levels..

i need to get some aquamend (water proof epoxy putty) so i can put the frag in place and let them grow out for a few months and let the new base rock cure. then maybe i will try to re accieve something similar to the way i had it..

who knows maybe when i re adjust the positiong of teh corals this set up might look better or ill repoeition a few rocks and see if that improves it.. maybe just recreating the arch at the top of whats there now will do the trick
[/quote]
personal tastes, I do like the first setup, but the new setup looks good too, there are def pros and cons of both, but I say leave it, we all know the hassle of having to move a hole bunch of stuff, knowing that everything, right down from the rock to sand and most importantly coral are alive, and when u take them out to adjust they are being stressed, so u want to do it quickly, and you can nver get the rock work to be the same as ever before. I suggest only aquamending rocks that would be unstable without it. If you start aquamending all the big guys togteher u will prob run into a problem dont you think, if you ever had to move something again, u wouldnt be able to. Again if theres rocks that are tipsy u gotta glue or something but otherwise I am a bigger fan of stable rockworking them. looks good post some followups of what it looks like with all lights and settled I think you will have a nice setup!
[/quote]

the current set up is actually much more stable then that last setup, the aquamend is for the frags, i hate plugs and discs because they have unnatural shapes so i create a base for the corals witht he aquamend and the coral will usually encrust the aquamend within a month or two.. when i re aranged the rocks i broke one of my milli frags and chiseled off a couple of other frags so now i need to get them in place. right now there just resting on the rock and the hermits have alreeady knowed a few off the top sheld so i need to get them out of the rock work and attach them some where..


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## Piranha_Rage (Sep 12, 2007)

I agree with the others I dont think you should have messed with it. I like the first setup much more.


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

This aquamend-
Is it all it's cracked up to be-

Can stuff be moved after useing this product-Or once it's placed-it's placed?

I really have to do something similar here..I'm in need or a rearranging also in a bad way now....Also gonna go and pick up a few more new things today...


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## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

AKSkirmish said:


> This aquamend-
> Is it all it's cracked up to be-
> 
> Can stuff be moved after useing this product-Or once it's placed-it's placed?
> ...


the aquamed it self doesnt really bond to live rock that great but if you put crazy glue on it then mash it into the rock so it gets pushed into the little cracks and pores of the rock it will hold pretty tight.

the main thing i use the aquamed for is to create a base for frags to encust, for this you would work the putty till the two parts are blended then put a drop of crazy glue on teh base of the frag and shape the base then put some crazy glue on the bottom of the bas and press it into place on the rock..

a good example of and application for you would be if you wanted to put that large LPS pice you have on to one of your rocks, crazy glue alone wouldnt do it because there are too many rough edges that wont make good contact with each other between the rock to make a solid bond BUT if you make a solid bond of the lps to teh aqua mend then the aqua mend to teh live rok it would be fairly solidly attached.. if you needed to move it usually you could seperate it with screwdriver to pry it apart or chisle or pliers..


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

I just use reef glue, but yes they do work when used properly, the type I use needed to be dry, so that kinda sux for some corals, but I glued a monti frag to LR rubble and it worked like a champ I set it outside blew air on it, and then placed in tank. Aquamend is more clay like right? Lol I just knhow I only have seen 3 types.


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## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

redbellyman21 said:


> I just use reef glue, but yes they do work when used properly, the type I use needed to be dry, so that kinda sux for some corals, but I glued a monti frag to LR rubble and it worked like a champ I set it outside blew air on it, and then placed in tank. Aquamend is more clay like right? Lol I just knhow I only have seen 3 types.


yeah aquamend is a two part epoxy putty, there are prduct marketed specifically for reef use but they cost way too much and are pretty much the same thing, they ahve one at a lfs near me thats 15 bucks, aquamend at homedepot is about 3 bucks for the same amount of stuff. pretty much any product that has "reef" in the name or use discription is going to cost WAY more then an identical product that isnt marketed for that specific use..

i have a monti digi frag that cracks of a piece every time i move it, there are small spots of encrusted green monti digi on parts of my rock and 1 to 2 inch frags littering the sand bed, the stuff grows like a weed. even my scrolling montis are growing super fast since the light upgrade, the rim of one grew about a cm last month..


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## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

made a few adjustments as i discussed earlier to re achieve the arch structure at teh top and BAM much much better, i also fastened most of the frags.. 
side by side before and after


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

looks great man!


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## Elongatus cockus (May 28, 2005)

Yeah the 3rd one is MUCH better. The 1st layout looks artificial and the 2nd one looks like it was thrown together.

Nice work! That's exactly how I want my setup to look like...


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## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

i should update this i did a few minor adjustments on the right side looks a little differnt and some of th corals have been moved around.


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## pirayaman (Nov 3, 2007)

man i dont know squat about saltwater tanks but i think they all look great 2nd does look a little messy

but is still awesome i like the first and the 3rd


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## assclown (Dec 12, 2005)

i liked the final result N/D


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## Apott05 (Jul 19, 2005)

i also like it this way. And i love those pink zoanthids you have that are so bright under your led's


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## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

first here is a picture of an anomilyi have to share, i had a free flaoting mushroom land of all paces on my bali green slimer frag, fortunatlly i stare at my tank for hours a night so i saw this immediatly and dont think there was a negative affect









here is the adjusted aqua scape and cral position as of five minutes ago under actinic with the white balance adjusted


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## Apott05 (Jul 19, 2005)

god thats amazing. ill have to post some pics up but i dont want to after seeing something that sweet.


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## AKSkirmish (Jun 24, 2005)

Truelly amazing Nismo-

Just curious and you can pm if need be-
But what do have wrapped up into a tank like this-

I have spent nearly 3 grand on my 40 gal brdr-And as you know-it's nowhere near to that point yet...


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## pirayaman (Nov 3, 2007)

that floating mushroom is really kick a-s not tot get of topic but if a poricupin puffer dies in the tank does it really kill all the fish


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## Apott05 (Jul 19, 2005)

yes it will if its not removed quickly. But i think that will happen with any fish to tell you the truth.


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## nismo driver (Jan 27, 2004)

thanks for the compliments guys. it has come quite a long way..

ak i would say im in about 2500 since the begining, but its been over a year of upgrading

hardware about 1500

livestock 150 +/-

coral 500 +/-

additives and stuff like that maybe 200 in the last year..


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