how do you do it?

[StirCrazy]

Ok, so from my recient activity laitly it is aparent I am working on getting a tank back up. Although my new house doesn't have the place to do a huge tank, I think I can do my 27gal up and make it look nice..

the problem is how the heck do you guys figure out how to lay out a small tank? I have never done anything under a 90 that was 3x2x2.

so going to a tank that is 30" long x 12" wide x 18" tall is screwing me around for what I can do with the realestate.

it is going to be a SPS tank (maybe some zoos also) with a bare bottom.

I am thinking of only having the front pannel viewable so the tank will sit into the stand as to minimize stuff inside I am going to drill the sides for closed loops. and it will have an external overflow on the back.

I think whats screwing me up the most is only having a 12" front to back to work with so any ideas would be great.

Steve

[Reef_surfer]

i use two islands to make it look biggar than it is and leave a little space in the middle. i have a 36" long x 12in wide. also depends on what shape size of rock you have. good luck with the build

[StirCrazy]

i use two islands to make it look biggar than it is and leave a little space in the middle. i have a 36" long x 12in wide. also depends on what shape size of rock you have. good luck with the build

got a picture?

Steve

[lastlight]

When I do my cube I think 2 adjacent sides will be tinted black and have holes drilled for closed loop outlets. Then my wock will be against those 2 sides with the outlets mostly hidden and shooting out. 1 outlet will blast back against the back corner to keep flow behind my rockwork.

Only an idea so far but maybe that would work for you?

[Reef_surfer]

http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq140/snowryder42/17g%20shallow/DSC01232.jpg

hope this helps. makes it look like theres swimming room for the fish

[skabooya]

I agree. The two island look works really well but it will depend on the shape of your rocks. I wanted a 2 island look but unfortunately my rocks wont allow it to happen without it looking really bad.
U shapes also look very good and the higher you can raise the rocks to the surface (too look like a mountain) the better it looks too.
Ive also seen a slanted scape that was stunning but they were using shelf rock.

[StirCrazy]

http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq140/snowryder42/17g%20shallow/DSC01232.jpg

hope this helps. makes it look like theres swimming room for the fish

what are the dimentions of that tank.. looks way longer than a 33 :mrgreen:

Steve

[StirCrazy]

I agree. The two island look works really well but it will depend on the shape of your rocks. I wanted a 2 island look but unfortunately my rocks wont allow it to happen without it looking really bad.
U shapes also look very good and the higher you can raise the rocks to the surface (too look like a mountain) the better it looks too.
Ive also seen a slanted scape that was stunning but they were using shelf rock.

ya, I think one of the things I will realy miss will be having a tang in the tank, I have always had either a yellow or a achielies.. but 27 is just not enough room.. so now I have to figure out something else to graze the rock.

one idea I had was to build some home made rock to cover the 3 sides and bottom of the tank to make a "u" and then have some real rock to build it out where I want it to project towards the front of the tank.

this would give me the same effect as a bare bottom with out actualy having one. this would also give me a good base to drill into for support rods if I wanted to do some wild rock structure.

who has made home made rock, how did it turn out and what recipe did you use?

Steve

[Skimmerking]

hey there Steve why not with a tank that is small that you a few small pillars then you have the swimming room .

[Reef_surfer]

yeah its not a 33g its 36" long x 12" wide x 9" high

[StirCrazy]

yeah its not a 33g its 36" long x 12" wide x 9" high


I was wondering it if was shorter.. makes it look bigger. looks nice though

Steve

[Myka]

Steve, I don't know about you, but I have always liked to keep the rock off the side/back panes of glass so I can clean it better, and for better circulation. When working with nanos I have found that impossible.

[StirCrazy]

hey there Steve why not with a tank that is small that you a few small pillars then you have the swimming room .

I was thinking of something like that, the bottom back and sides I think are going to have a 1" thick layer of home made rock (4 solid chunks) with some texture on them. then I was thinking of a pillar on each side and one in the middle to attach corals to. that way the center one could have a large cap or milli glued around the base so it looks like the pillar is comming up through the corals. I don't know that stage is a long ways off yet..

now I have to find an algae eating fish that doesn't need a lot of room.....

Steve

[StirCrazy]

Steve, I don't know about you, but I have always liked to keep the rock off the side/back panes of glass so I can clean it better, and for better circulation. When working with nanos I have found that impossible.

thats why I am going to make this one only viewable from the front and line the sides, back and bottom with home made rock. will kinda look like a hole in the reef like you would see diving in hunama bay in hawaii. except better corals :mrgreen: that would leave me with only one pane of glass to clean and I am planning on getting up to a 200X turnover in water flow with this one so I won't have to worry about sand. pluss I can put zoos right on the bottom rock like a carpet.

Steve

[Myka]

That's a cool idea. I can't wait to see this come to life!

A Hector's Goby could be a possibility. Tank might be a tad small...could be difficult to feed it enough.

[StirCrazy]

That's a cool idea. I can't wait to see this come to life!

A Hector's Goby could be a possibility. Tank might be a tad small...could be difficult to feed it enough.

neither can I :mrgreen:.. my original plan was to build it into the bar I have been building downstairs, but I changed the design of the bar and it won't work now so I have to build a stand I guess.. lots of design work ahead :wink:

Steve