why so frustrating????

[kiefers]

Okay... I got into saltwater hobby with my wife who has 120 gal. So I went out and bought a 29 gal. Bio and then started in the the LR then some bulk rock cuz I hear that you don't wnat LR on your substrate, fine. I get the rock just the way I want it and begin to cycle my tank. One night I get home and my LR has fallen. Now imagine what words are going through my head

.
It just took me a little over 2 hours, with a few breaks to observe and now it still doesn't look all that great. Now for my question. Is there a certain shape of LR/bulk rock I should get that would make this tidious job a little easier????

 

[geoj]

Originally Posted by Kiefers
http:///forum/post/3237105
Okay... I got into saltwater hobby with my wife who has 120 gal. So I went out and bought a 29 gal. Bio and then started in the the LR then some bulk rock cuz I hear that you don't wnat LR on your substrate, fine. I get the rock just the way I want it and begin to cycle my tank. One night I get home and my LR has fallen. Now imagine what words are going through my head

.
It just took me a little over 2 hours, with a few breaks to observe and now it still doesn't look all that great. Now for my question. Is there a certain shape of LR/bulk rock I should get that would make this tidious job a little easier????
Nope, but you probably now see that there is a technique to making a artistic display and it does take some time to become good at it. What I do is buy one or two large pieces put them in and then look at it till it happens.

When it does then I go and look for pieces that may work with the layout.

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by Kiefers
http:///forum/post/3237105
Okay... I got into saltwater hobby with my wife who has 120 gal. So I went out and bought a 29 gal. Bio and then started in the the LR then some bulk rock cuz I hear that you don't wnat LR on your substrate, fine. I get the rock just the way I want it and begin to cycle my tank. One night I get home and my LR has fallen. Now imagine what words are going through my head

.
It just took me a little over 2 hours, with a few breaks to observe and now it still doesn't look all that great. Now for my question. Is there a certain shape of LR/bulk rock I should get that would make this tidious job a little easier????
I use all LR, no base (bulk rock) but that doesn't really matter.
I think what your problem is, is the fact that you have substrate down BEFORE rock. The best way to get a firm foundation for your rocks is to add the rock, THEN substrate. The substrate sort of acts like concrete and holds the rockwork in a firm base.

 

[kiefers]

I think the both of you are right.... and it makes sense. lessons learned. I'm just glad I did not have any frags or fish in it yet!

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by Kiefers
http:///forum/post/3237125
I think the both of you are right.... and it makes sense. lessons learned. I'm just glad I did not have any frags or fish in it yet!
It is really frustrating. I had a rock fall in my 155G yesterday thanks to my horrendous urchin (knocks over everything) and it landed on my poor goniopora

It took down two SPS frags on the way as well. Stupid urchin!

 

[mrdc]

Originally Posted by BTLDreef
http:///forum/post/3237129
It is really frustrating. I had a rock fall in my 155G yesterday thanks to my horrendous urchin (knocks over everything) and it landed on my poor goniopora

It took down two SPS frags on the way as well. Stupid urchin!
One reason I never have gotten an urchin. I was told that they could knock over rocks and corals. I have 3 giant snails that can push around small coral.
Anyway, aquascaping is an art and I suck at it!!

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by mrdc
http:///forum/post/3237137
One reason I never have gotten an urchin. I was told that they could knock over rocks and corals. I have 3 giant snails that can push around small coral.
Anyway, aquascaping is an art and I suck at it!!
It was the worst purchase ever! Well.. He did clean up the algae issue, but now he's just a terror. And trying to get him off a rock so I can take him back to the LFS, yeah, that's not easy. He holds on for dear life. When you try to pull him up, he takes the whole darn rock with him! As soon as he ventures to the glass again, he's going for a car ride.
I don't know what I was thinking, I won't even put turbo snails in my tank because they knock stuff over and then I go and buy an urchin

Looks like I'll be fragging my goniopora this week

 

[mrdc]

Wow, I didn't know that they could attach themselves so well to rocks. I was told that reefers also don't get them because they will eat corraline algae. Anyway, good luck getting him out. He may be on to what you are trying to do.

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by mrdc
http:///forum/post/3237144
Wow, I didn't know that they could attach themselves so well to rocks. I was told that reefers also don't get them because they will eat corraline algae. Anyway, good luck getting him out. He may be on to what you are trying to do.

Oh, he is! He's been hiding under rocks in the back of the tank for the past day or so.

I actually have so much coralline algae on some rocks that I'm afraid it's starting to effect the bio filtration of the rocks so I don't mind if he munches on some. He's a little pincushion (2" diameter maybe) and is still a monster.

 

[flower]

You have to lock your rock into place. You do this by gently twisting and turning the pieces until they fit into each other and LOCK". You should be able to gently shake it without it moving.
Also just for info purposes...rock should be at the base of the tank and substrate put in after because some critters like to dig, and if your rock is on sand it could fall killing critters and breaking glass as it goes..
Your rock must be very stable, an urchin should not be able to unseat it, nor a fish able to make it topple if it bumps into it.

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3237220
Your rock must be very stable, an urchin should not be able to unseat it, nor a fish able to make it topple if it bumps into it.
Urchins can flatten almost to the paper thin to get in between rocks. I didn't know this until I owned one. Have you ever had an urchin? I've had them move GLUED down pieces. Urchins will mover whatever you want, regardless of what you do.

 

[kiefers]

Wow... thanks to all who have assisted me with my rock issue, just one more question then (which there will obviously be more down the line.) Is it to late for me to satrt over? I have only had my tank up for a week and nothing is in it yet (other than LR) and sand. Can I empty the water into a container, take out LR and sand and put rock in first then sand then pump H2O back in?:? seems like alot of work but I want it done right.

 

[geoj]

Yep, I have pushed the rock down into the sand till it touched down on the glass in such a way that it would not rock back and forth at all. This has worked for me yet the other posters are certain that the sand is out from under the rocks by putting the rock in first.

 

[kiefers]

okay.... I did push down all the rock until I felt the hard bottom. It all seems safe now. Thank you very much!! I will have to take a look at your tank. I will have an updated look at my emptiness soon

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Kiefers
http:///forum/post/3237425
Wow... thanks to all who have assisted me with my rock issue, just one more question then (which there will obviously be more down the line.) Is it to late for me to satrt over? I have only had my tank up for a week and nothing is in it yet (other than LR) and sand. Can I empty the water into a container, take out LR and sand and put rock in first then sand then pump H2O back in?:? seems like alot of work but I want it done right.

If you are going to redo it, now is the time. If you are anything like me, and you are not happy with it now, you will just stress about it until you "fix" it.
If you are planning on coral later...make a cave or have some large overhangs. Not all coral wants or needs bright light and that will give you some variety of choices.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by BTLDreef
http:///forum/post/3237299
Urchins can flatten almost to the paper thin to get in between rocks. I didn't know this until I owned one. Have you ever had an urchin? I've had them move GLUED down pieces. Urchins will mover whatever you want, regardless of what you do.

I had two urchins, and I hate them. The only "glued" down pieces they could move was coral in pieces and chunks. My rock won't move if I take my hand and try to shake it.

 

[kiefers]

okay there!! Sorry it has been a couple of days, work kinda sux it right out of you. With the help of my most excellent wife, my LR issue seems resolved. She truely is the rock arteeest!! luv ya babe!! I will post pics this weekend.
As far as the urchins,.... no thank you. They are gr8 to look at in someone elses tanks but no thanks in mine. I'm nervous about getting snails!!

So now I wait....."just be patient" seems to be the ongoing theme around these messege boards. My levels have spiked and now I'm just waiting for everything to hit 0.

 

[kiefers]

Originally Posted by GeoJ
http:///forum/post/3237118
Nope, but you probably now see that there is a technique to making a artistic display and it does take some time to become good at it. What I do is buy one or two large pieces put them in and then look at it till it happens.

When it does then I go and look for pieces that may work with the layout.
Hey D.A. thanks again for the advice and it was taken. the tank has been revamped and looks pretty good. Thanks again.

 

[btldreef]

Pictures!!!

 

[kiefers]

trying to learn how to put pics up? Wow