It's really all about scale...

saltymist

saltymist

Member
I've got 2 JBJ nano cube tanks, and one Eclipse 12 tank, and it seems that I just can't get liverock to scale to make it look like a mini reef.
I see all these great photos of other nano reef tanks and they look like a mini reef, where as mine look like a guinea pig cage.
Heres 2 shots of 2 of the tanks,
 
saltymist

saltymist

Member
And heres the other tank. Any suggestions on getting this right, anything you see that I could do with the existing rock to get it to look more like a natural environment?
 
saltymist

saltymist

Member
Yeah, it really does, I'll have to stop at the LFS on the way home and see if he's gotten any smaller pieces in. Im thinking it needs is on the right side of the second shot to make the cave type area look more like a cave and less like a shoebox for a rabbit or something.
The first pic is okay, the coral skelleton looking liverock at the top right was added just prior to this pic, and I think it added the additional dimmension to the tank to give it a bit more height.
Oh well, I guess in time once I start adding things to these tanks, it will fill out a bit.
 
black99l

black99l

Member
yeah i would say that if you put a little piece of LR inside the "shoe box" against the right side it would look good, maybe even another piece in the top left corner
 
overanalyzer

overanalyzer

Active Member
I like the cave look - I'd just figure a way to open up the back so the fish can swim and out of it!
Hey you are trying to re-create a small piece of a reef - not an entire reef!!
 
saltymist

saltymist

Member

Originally posted by overanalyzer
I like the cave look - I'd just figure a way to open up the back so the fish can swim and out of it!
Hey you are trying to re-create a small piece of a reef - not an entire reef!!
In the 1st photo the larger of the two caves is opened in the back, it just doesnt appear that way because of a rock that I put inside of it to darken it up a bit, and the little cave on the right in photo one has an opening on the top at the back that would let fish swim in and out through it.
Maybe what I need to do is to start looking on the net for photos of natural reefs and see what comes up.
Im going to try and switch those two pieces and see how it looks, one side of it has some kind of sponge looking thing on it, I wonder if that side should face the light or towards the inside of the cave.
 
saltymist

saltymist

Member
Okay, well heres the latest layout.
It's really difficult to get any quality liverock in a 50 square mile driving radius, let alone smaller pieces. And breaking larger chunks has proved less than successfull for me.
P.S. Never mind my wifes pantyhose, she thought it might be a good idea to conserve water and do her "hose" in the nano tank.

Sorry about the distored corner, but it really does look best when looking at it from the corner angle with the caves opening.
I sort of like this becuase it looks almost like it had an earthquake and things naturally shifted, which in reality is somewhat true. NO, there was no recent earthquake, but I was putting the original top piece on the left side and switching the left rock to make it the top and it collapsed into this position which I think I like very much, when looking low at the tank it kind of makes two caves, one inside the other.
By the way, I like the way your tank looks Brandon, but maybe just a bit too manicured for my taste, but still a nice looking tank. Congrats.
 
greenbananas87

greenbananas87

Member
wow thats strange thats almost exactly how my rock is set up, but mine is reflected so it disguises the intake grating stuff (and has also made a hide-away for one of my damsels),
 
slowest is fastest

slowest is fastest

Member
Aquascaping is tough on a big tank but much worse on a small (less than 20 gallons) tank.
Yours looks good but remember when all else fails get a bigger hammer. There is nothing wrong with taking the larger pieces you have and making smaller pieces out of them if you want a more proportional look.
Personally I think the cave looks good too.
SiF
 
microman2k

microman2k

Member
i am not the best in the world at this aquascaping but i have mastered it with my 29 gallon to *almost* perfect, i have caves EVERYWHERE, i have about 5 of them and different heights in the tank with tons of rick ledges and crevice and three little swim hole arch things for my fish to swim through and the rock isnt all strait like a brick wall, it is in the shap of an S but anywaz something that i will say make it look more like i reef is "duh" coral! that is what i cant wait to get to hide all the little blunders i dont like, but once u start adding coral there isnt much rock to be seen!:yes:
 
saltymist

saltymist

Member
Yeah, I'd like to see a pic to if available. Also I agree that once I start flushing out these tanks with soft corals, it should really come to life. (at least thats what Im hoping for)
 
maverick005

maverick005

Member
"" By the way, I like the way your tank looks Brandon, but maybe just a bit too manicured for my taste, but still a nice looking tank. Congrats.""
what does that mean? its too manicured?
-brandon
 
saltymist

saltymist

Member
Okay, your asking me way to long into the day (Already had e couple drinks), but manicured means it's too scuplted to be natural, Now Now, dont take offense, some people like this look, and some people (me) dont like it.
All in all, i like the way your tank looks, but I find it's too scuplted (or manicured) for my tastes.
Basically, I like the small rocks, but to me the cave or tunnel or whatever it is called in the center of the photo looks manmade.
Im trying to make my tank look like it was natually created, and I KNOW I have a long way to go to that. But thats what I strive for in any tank, FW or SW.
Again nice looking tank, but not what Im looking for, I prefer a more mother nature looking natural looking tank.
Please dont take offense, afterall, it is just my humble opinion.
 
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