# A reefer take on aquascaping



## Garuf (6 Oct 2010)

http://www.h2oplusomething.com/index.ph ... &Itemid=64
Some interesting points raised, even if you don't really learn anything from it it's worth looking at it and feeling smug that we invented iwagumi (which they're basically copying).


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## Luketendo (6 Oct 2010)

Garuf said:
			
		

> http://www.h2oplusomething.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72:aquascaping&catid=52:aquascaping&Itemid=64
> Some interesting points raised, even if you don't really learn anything from it it's worth looking at it and feeling smug that we invented iwagumi (which they're basically copying).



Oi some of us here are reefers .

Aquascaping isn't too important in a reef tank though really, because if you end up heavily stocked with corals they will grow out and become the aquascape.


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## Garuf (6 Oct 2010)

I'd argue that aquascaping is vital in a reef aquarium, any aquarium infact. There's nothing uglier than a fruit stand reef tank, regardless of how good the growth of coral is, just like how rainbow-vomit gravel is applauding in a freshwater tank it just leaves me cold, if aquascaping in a reef wasn't important, then why does that article even exist? And why are the most well respected tanks scaped largely as per that article!


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## wearsbunnyslippers (6 Oct 2010)

like this one:





> Besides having some really beautiful corals, you have to admit that this tank is seriously lacking an aesthetic eye. Surely the n00bs will fawn all over all the pretty colors but look at it; Itâ€™s just about the most homogeneous hill of coral weâ€™ve ever seen! We promise we didnâ€™t wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning and we give props to the technical beauty of the coralâ€™s colors but not only is there absolutely no focal point in the reefscape, there is way more equipment visible in the tank than any reefer who prides themselves on aesthetics would allow. That junk might have flown back in 2002-2004 when they were all figuring out how all this ZEO-voodoo works but this is a new decade and we have higher expectations from one of the 4 best ZEOvit tanks of the year. Big congratulations to you Andrzej for some truly beautiful corals but if you spend just a little time looking at the champion aquascapes of the ADA international aquatic plant layout competitions and their extreme sense of beauty, depth, and absence of visible equipment, youâ€™ll see what we are talking about.


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## Garuf (6 Oct 2010)

I need a big red rubber stamp that just says "point proved". Beautiful corals, ugly as sin tank. Especially when compared with this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8F4AcZL ... r_embedded


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## kizkiz (6 Oct 2010)

aquascaping is vital in a reef tank.
You need a good flow aorund the live rock to maximise it's benefits. The more surface area available the better. 
The actual type and amount of flow is also affected.
Not to mention corals having different places to be sited depending on their needs
The list is endless


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## Luketendo (8 Oct 2010)

kizkiz said:
			
		

> aquascaping is vital in a reef tank.
> You need a good flow aorund the live rock to maximise it's benefits. The more surface area available the better.
> The actual type and amount of flow is also affected.
> Not to mention corals having different places to be sited depending on their needs
> The list is endless



Yeah ok I didn't completely discount it, just thought it's not important as in the plant hobby IMO, and my marine tank isn't a rock wall. However, conversely you do get some nice rock wall esque scapes, do to the nature of the rock the walls have different depth and height etc and caves and so on. The main problem with that tank is it is dominated by SPS corals and tbh. If it were a small tank or a nano this sort of thing would probably work better but because it's a long tank it gets a bit boring.


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## Anonymous (8 Oct 2010)

Tx guys for the links, truly inspiring .. got bored of my planted tank instantly looking at that 47g Shallow Rimless Aquarium .. just kidding


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## Garuf (8 Oct 2010)

It really is a great article if you give it the time of day, the bits about escape lines really got me thinking!


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## a1Matt (9 Oct 2010)

Nice article, thanks for the post Garuf


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## Mark Evans (10 Oct 2010)

There's some very skillful rock placement.


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