Help with aquascape in small tank

[andsoitgoes]

Hi all - I think this might be a combo request for help and WTB, so thanks for humouring me :)

In my 5.5g nano, I have some awesome rocks, they're gorgeous and they have great coral spots... But they're big. I realized when trying to organize things a bit better that they're WAY too big. With having a HOB + a MJ400 with Hydor rotating head (otherwise I can't seem to regulate the flow and everything gets blown around like crazy) - I'm cramped.

So short of upgrading, I'm wondering if anyone could help?

Here's the most recent picture of my bad aquascape job:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v435/npapageorge/nano/?action=view&current=fulltank.jpg

Thanks in advance!

Nick

[Scavenger]

I like it the way it is, but if you want to change it around, I'd take my least favorite rock and quickly take a chisel and hammer to it and bust it into appropriate sized chunks to free up landscaping options. If you do it quickly, any die off would be minimal in my opinion. Or try and trade in pound for pound on smaller rocks.

Not sure you want to bust rocks, but thought I'd throw out the idea. I've done it in the past and after a month or 2 the coraline grew back enough so I wasn't sure what rocks got busted.

[andsoitgoes]

Hmm - thanks, that actually does help a bit. I think my only worry is the encrusting corals (even the pipe organs are pretty stuck in) are pretty snug on the rock - but that big beauty in the left hand corner would be a nice candidate to share the colour around the tank...

I think my other problem is trying to know what I actually want - What kind of smaller pieces am I looking for, and what would look best. Very frustrating and I worry about hurting the livestock in there when making these moves. I think I may have lost a sexy shrimp already :(

[Der_Iron_Chef]

How about...instead of having the rocks arranged along the lower half of your tank, creating some height with one of the bigger rocks? Otherwise I was going to suggest busting up one of the rocks, as Scavenger already did!

[Beverly]

Gads! That powerhead is HUGE!

When we had our 7g bowfront nano, we had an AC mini on it which provided enough flow. Also, we modified the media chamber to accomodate a 50w heater so there was nothing in the tank but livestock....

http://www.lostmymarblz.com/7gal-9.jpg

Here's a pic of the backs of our 2.5g and 7g bowfronts....

http://www.lostmymarblz.com/7gal-3.jpg

[JOSH]

yeah id say your rocks are too big, if you had some small pieces and built them up in two piles it would look nice, or go the opposite and get one really nice rock with lots of holes and a good shape and use that for a clean look

[andsoitgoes]

haha - thanks Beverly - Believe it or not, your setup is what prompted me to get into doing nanos! Your 2g sexy shrimp tank was the first thing I found ;)

And yeah - I know there's a bit much in the way of flow, I GUESS I can strip the powerhead, I'll just keep an eye on my corals to see how they like it - I know my fishies won't care.

But yes - rocks are too big, sigh - I do want multiple rocks for lots of frags, so if I change and they're encrusted, I don't have to fight with the removal (like I just did fragging my GSP)

Anyone in the lower mainland have a few pounds of sexy rock? ^_^

[Beverly]

haha - thanks Beverly - Believe it or not, your setup is what prompted me to get into doing nanos!

How cool :)