Bonsai Tree inspired Aquascape

crazy4acros · 01/07/2008, 11:12 AM

Hello Guy/Gals,

I have decided to take out some rock and lean out my aquascape to give it a more open look. Actually i did not mean for it to look like a bonzai but this is what i came out with. The tank is a 36x36x24 Starfire Rimless. I have a post going on in the reefclub portion for more details on the setup. My other post on my Tank Any feedback is welcome and sorry for the crappy pics i need a new camera.

Here is a Before Shot

A here is what it looks like now

Center

Left Side

Right Side

I wanted to have least contact with the sand without loosing coral space.

Kip · 01/07/2008, 11:14 AM

looks pretty neat to me

i love tanks with open looks... i went with a more open look a little over a year ago and have been happier.

the good thing about "open" tanks... you find places to put more stuff

Froggy · 01/07/2008, 11:24 AM

Man, that looks awesome. Great job

Chrisrush · 01/07/2008, 11:48 AM

Looks great. Guess it's time for me to reaquascape mine.

crazy4acros · 01/07/2008, 11:51 AM

Hey thanks guys! Kip i agree and it also makes you find creative ways to mount your corals.

fatrip · 01/07/2008, 11:59 AM

very nice how did you get the rock to stay up like that?

Dejavu · 01/07/2008, 12:06 PM

love it!

crazy4acros · 01/07/2008, 12:08 PM

Thank You Fatrip, I used a combination of acrylic rods a lot of zip ties and epoxy to get it real sturdy and strong.

glassbox-design · 01/07/2008, 12:08 PM

well done

that balance is just right.... someone finally gets it

GSMguy · 01/07/2008, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flint&Eric
well done that balance is just right.... someone finally gets it

LOL

it is great looking, the floating sps peninsula is just perfect.

crazy4acros · 01/07/2008, 12:14 PM

You guys are awesome!!!! Thanks you for your very kind words.

BigAl2007 · 01/07/2008, 12:17 PM

I just posted this on your OTHER thread but wanted it here just in case you check here first..

"What an impressive tank. I Think I now know what my next tank SHOULD look like! WOW!

How did you do your rock work? I mean how is it suspended like that? "

Allen

crazy4acros · 01/07/2008, 12:33 PM

Thank you BigAl, The rock that it is all attached to is really heavy and the only one touching the sand. That helped out a lot with the overhang not toppling over it's heavy enough to keep it upright the whole structure needed to be constructed outside of the tank then put back in.

acrodave · 01/07/2008, 12:52 PM

Tasteful and clean

BigAl2007 · 01/07/2008, 01:07 PM

So did you "peg & glue " the rock on the outcroppings? Is it a continuous rod or just pegs between rocks?

JRaquatics · 01/07/2008, 01:11 PM

SWEET! Love the open look. It will be awsome when the tank matures.

myzislow · 01/07/2008, 01:12 PM

That looks awesome! You've done a great job. I love natural, open looking tanks. My next tank will follow this theme as well.

crazy4acros · 01/07/2008, 01:23 PM

BigAl, Peg, glue and zip ties for pice of mind on the out cropping for the overhang. The top table has a continuous rod going straight up along with epoxy and zip ties.

BigAl2007 · 01/07/2008, 01:29 PM

That's what I needed to know. Thanks a TON! I can't wait to get home and show this to the WIFEY!!!

PUGroyale · 01/07/2008, 01:29 PM

Bookmarked to copy on my next tank... The jutting overhangs are brilliant!!!

Wrassemeister · 01/07/2008, 01:43 PM

love the minimalist approach, looks sweet

broke1 · 01/07/2008, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flint&Eric
well done that balance is just right.... someone finally gets it

That's simply amazing.

I agree about finally getting it. If I could do it all over again there is no doubt this would be something I would shoot for.

What are the dimensions of the tank? The deeper tanks leave so much more room for stuff along these lines.

Was this done with live rock? Just take it out, drill it, install the rods, epoxy it and put the corals back in? My wife will not like the fact I have seen this thread.

CW from the OC · 01/07/2008, 01:56 PM

I really like the "before" aquascape. I love the after. Both are very well done.

Bravo!

nismo driver · 01/07/2008, 01:58 PM

that is really cool and i bet all that open space makes it easy to get more then enough water movement around the corals.

mcliffy2 · 01/07/2008, 02:05 PM

This is one of the best aquascapes I've seen. I will definitely be looking at this for inspiration on my new tank.

01/07/2008, 11:12 AM	#1
crazy4acros Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 388	Bonzai Tree inspired Aquascape Hello Guy/Gals, I have decided to take out some rock and lean out my aquascape to give it a more open look. Actually i did not mean for it to look like a bonzai but this is what i came out with. The tank is a 36x36x24 Starfire Rimless. I have a post going on in the reefclub portion for more details on the setup. My other post on my Tank Any feedback is welcome and sorry for the crappy pics i need a new camera. Here is a Before Shot A here is what it looks like now Center Left Side Right Side I wanted to have least contact with the sand without loosing coral space.

01/07/2008, 11:14 AM	#2
Kip Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Dropping 2, hitting 3 Posts: 2,525	looks pretty neat to me i love tanks with open looks... i went with a more open look a little over a year ago and have been happier. the good thing about "open" tanks... you find places to put more stuff __________________ Sept'06 TOTM Taking a break from the hobby while we move to a new house.

01/07/2008, 11:24 AM	#3
Froggy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Canton, MI Posts: 1,668	Man, that looks awesome. Great job __________________ Hello, my name is Joe and I am a reef addict. ......Hi Joe.......... Current Tank Info: 120 gallon mixed reef with TBS live rock, 2 X 175 watt Iwasaki 15K aqua 2's, 2 X 54 watt ATI Blue + T5's . Mag 9.5 return, 2 Sieo 1100's ,and 2 maxi jet sureflow kits (1600 and 2200 ). Euroreef RS250 skimmer

01/07/2008, 11:48 AM	#4
Chrisrush Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Cedar Park, TX Posts: 1,997	Looks great. Guess it's time for me to reaquascape mine. __________________ Thanks, Chris Current Tank Info: 40g cube

01/07/2008, 11:59 AM	#6
fatrip Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: binghamton, ny Posts: 3,294	very nice how did you get the rock to stay up like that? __________________ Except For Ending Slavery, Fascism, Nazism, and Communism, WAR has Never Solved Anything. Current Tank Info: 22g CAD

01/07/2008, 11:51 AM	#5
crazy4acros Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 388	Hey thanks guys! Kip i agree and it also makes you find creative ways to mount your corals.

01/07/2008, 12:06 PM	#7
Dejavu Team RC Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 2,956	love it!

01/07/2008, 12:08 PM	#8
crazy4acros Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 388	Thank You Fatrip, I used a combination of acrylic rods a lot of zip ties and epoxy to get it real sturdy and strong.

01/07/2008, 12:08 PM	#9
glassbox-design Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 3,110	well done that balance is just right.... someone finally gets it __________________ GLASSBOXDESIGN the modern reef blog Current Tank Info: starphire rimless \| VSV \| MH+LED Spots \| Vortech \| ATB External Cone \| Aqua Driver \| Balling Full via Profilux Doser

01/07/2008, 12:14 PM	#11
crazy4acros Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 388	You guys are awesome!!!! Thanks you for your very kind words.

01/07/2008, 12:17 PM	#12
BigAl2007 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Western North Carolina USA Posts: 100	I just posted this on your OTHER thread but wanted it here just in case you check here first.. "What an impressive tank. I Think I now know what my next tank SHOULD look like! WOW! How did you do your rock work? I mean how is it suspended like that? " Allen

01/07/2008, 12:33 PM	#13
crazy4acros Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 388	Thank you BigAl, The rock that it is all attached to is really heavy and the only one touching the sand. That helped out a lot with the overhang not toppling over it's heavy enough to keep it upright the whole structure needed to be constructed outside of the tank then put back in.

01/07/2008, 12:52 PM	#14
acrodave REEF NERD Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: maryville tn-- work in knoxville Posts: 3,999	Tasteful and clean __________________ Peace,Dave Superman puts on Tim Tebow pajamas when he goes to bed The Heisman as a sophomore nuff said Less technology more biology Tattoos are the only art you can take to the grave Current Tank Info: 26gal bow,20gal mantis tank/fuge150wHQI,20k AB Seio 620 maxijet1200x's 2 on a wave maker. all sps

01/07/2008, 01:07 PM	#15
BigAl2007 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Western North Carolina USA Posts: 100	So did you "peg & glue " the rock on the outcroppings? Is it a continuous rod or just pegs between rocks?

01/07/2008, 01:11 PM	#16
JRaquatics RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: On RC Posts: 5,781	SWEET! Love the open look. It will be awsome when the tank matures. __________________ Supplier of Specialty Reef Products for Your Saltwater Obsession ReefSpecialty.com \| Call 435-671-6522 for Sales and Tech Support Current Tank Info: 180 Gal, 75 gal Sump/Fuge, Super Reef Octopus XP-3000ext skimmer, ATB 840 skimmer, 3 SE 250 Reeflux Bulbs in Lumen Bright mini reflectors, CoralVue E-ballasts, 3 Vortechs, ATB KD 150 Pro Calcium Reactor, Apex Controller

01/07/2008, 01:12 PM	#17
myzislow Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Salinas, CA Posts: 890	That looks awesome! You've done a great job. I love natural, open looking tanks. My next tank will follow this theme as well.

01/07/2008, 01:23 PM	#18
crazy4acros Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 388	BigAl, Peg, glue and zip ties for pice of mind on the out cropping for the overhang. The top table has a continuous rod going straight up along with epoxy and zip ties.

01/07/2008, 01:29 PM	#19
BigAl2007 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Western North Carolina USA Posts: 100	That's what I needed to know. Thanks a TON! I can't wait to get home and show this to the WIFEY!!!

01/07/2008, 01:29 PM	#20
PUGroyale Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 2,776	Bookmarked to copy on my next tank... The jutting overhangs are brilliant!!! __________________ Dave :~)

01/07/2008, 01:43 PM	#21
Wrassemeister Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Glenview, IL Posts: 1,083	love the minimalist approach, looks sweet __________________ -Peter- Thou Shalt Love Thy Wrasse Current Tank Info: 70g BB SPS cube, Octopus extreme 200, 250w LB DE, Phoenix 14k, Eheim 1060 return, 2 modded Tunze 6025's ,2 x modded koralias, 2 x TLF reactors, 30g acrylic sump, wavemaster pro, Knop C calcium reactor, Jbj 1/10 chiller

01/07/2008, 01:56 PM	#23
CW from the OC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 787	I really like the "before" aquascape. I love the after. Both are very well done. Bravo!

01/07/2008, 01:58 PM	#24
nismo driver Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: dirty jersey Posts: 409	that is really cool and i bet all that open space makes it easy to get more then enough water movement around the corals.

01/07/2008, 02:05 PM	#25
mcliffy2 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Downtown Chicago Posts: 4,043	This is one of the best aquascapes I've seen. I will definitely be looking at this for inspiration on my new tank. __________________ 238g 60x36x26, 100g sump/fuge, 30g frag, 23g skimmer sump, 4 Vortechs, ATB L, Sfiligoi 12x54w T5 Bulb Combo: Super actinic, 6 Blue Plus, Fiji Purple, 2 Aquablue special, Aquascience Duo, UV Aquasun