Aquascaping question

[MACATUA]

I am aquascaping my tank tonight and had an idea. Has anyone tried loading one side of the tank with all of your live rock. I was thinking I could set it up with all of my rock or most of it on the left side of the tank and leave the right side open. Would give nice swimming area for larger fish.

I also think maybe sticking a few fake corals on that side to give it some balance. Just thought maybe it would look like the edge of the reef....

Anyway, I am going to try it tonight. I will post pics as soon as I have them.

Mike

180 Gallon FOWLR BTW.

 

[TCTFish]

That's what some people may call a partial reef...and you can have live coral for that other side. There are plenty of low light corals (carnations, some gorgonias, chilli coral, x-mas trees, mushrooms, simple polyps, etc.) Being able to mix high light coral on one side and low light coral on the other (with corresponding lights) actually expands your tanks biodiversity and setting an 'inbetween' environment like that is always fascinating and allows more life to watch.

Enjoy!!

 

[clowninround]

I have kind of a similar idea that I want to do when I get my new tank. Right now I have a 150 and it is all stacked like normal tanks are I guess. But I have a drawing of kind of what you are looking to do. My new tank is going to be an inwall and viewed from both sides so I want to do two large stacks of rock mixed with corals (cliff like) both the ends of the tank will be free of rock and the middle too (well as much free as possible, may have a few small ones that I'll have to throw there) so that the fish have a circle 8 they can swim. Is that kind of what you are talking about? Opening it up for more swim room?

 

[melosu58]

Just be careful on the carnation coral and gorganians as they are a little difficult to raise and need plenty of phyto. Enough that might foul up the tank.

 

[MACATUA]

I don't think I want to do live corals in this tank.... Thinking of a few fakes just for some color. I am a fish guy, I just want cool fish in the tank but my wife wants some color, I was just thinking stacking all my live rock on the left side of the tank and leaving the right side open for open swimming space would be cool.

 

[Hara]

I wanted to do that in my eel tank and was warned against it. I was told it could possibly break the glass due to the unequal weight pressure.

 

[MACATUA]

Hmmmmmm...... True. Didn't think about that.

 

[Hara]

yeah, a big pile of rocks in the middle is ok....a pile at each end is ok..but not a pile on one end only.

 

[MACATUA]

It won't be a very heavy load, I am not going to have a lot of in tank live rock, more will be in the sump. Think is may still be ok?

 

[Agnate80700]

I would think you should be ok as long as the amount of weight you have on the one end of the tank wouldnt exceed the amount of weight you would normally place on the same area having the tank fully stocked with rock.