help me make my tank pop

[jopheso]

ok I am convinced on the freshwater rocks. I added a few to the tank and I like them better than the live rock. At least for the look I am trying to achieve. I think I will actually replace the live rock with another piece of driftwood as the fish seem to love it and based on the aquascape reading that location is the focal point of the tank. Couple more progress pics

[Redearsunfish]

Live rock must go. my humble o.

[Redearsunfish]

Live rock must go. my humble o. which is technically just white rock, no??

[kamikaziechameleon]

Another good read before final aquascaping: http://www.aquascapist.com/aquascapi...n-aquascaping/

A few fake plants, a nice piece of driftwood and or a few large rocks can really make a tank pop. This may be a cheaper way out if you decide not to go down the SW route.

Great article. That is a foundation of most design and is naturally occurring ratio in nature as well, you may recognize this from a math book or art book in your youth:

[kamikaziechameleon]

your in the same boat I was in my friend.....I ran freshwater for 2+ years and the wife hated it. "Ugly" thats all she called it. I got bored with it myself to be honest. there is only so much you can do with cichlids and catfish...

She kept telling me to switch to salt. And you know what, if and when your wife gives you the green light to spend money on your hobby you DO IT lol

I love salt. Soooooo many different directions you can take the tank. Wife actually supports it now lol I will never go back to fresh. Unless it's a 500+ gal tank with rays or something

I like salt but seriously what you can do with fresh is no more or less restrictive only different. I would pose this point, there is a reason that aquascaping is a more prevalent hobby in fresh than salt and its not because its easy or cheaper.

[livelymc]

I like salt I like the fact that in well established tanks everything even the rocks and sand are alive. However salt can b a huge pain in the ass. Huge algea growths are my main issue. I mean how can glass go from being clear to so green u cant see throu it in a matter of days. Never had a algea problem in fresh water. Ive been so tempted to change mine to salt but only if I could have a shark or octopus or moray. Lol

Sent from my Sony Tablet S

[kamikaziechameleon]

I like salt I like the fact that in well established tanks everything even the rocks and sand are alive. However salt can b a huge pain in the ass. Huge algea growths are my main issue. I mean how can glass go from being clear to so green u cant see throu it in a matter of days. Never had a algea problem in fresh water. Ive been so tempted to change mine to salt but only if I could have a shark or octopus or moray. Lol

Sent from my Sony Tablet S

There are solutions for that but its part of why salt water filtration can become so convoluted. Algae can be a HUGE issue for freshwater as well but is easily resolved in many instances.

[BigCountry]

agreed. algae can be huge problems for both. and easily resolved in both.

i grow coralline (beneficial) algae in my 135 salt. it looks quite lovely actually on rocks/overflows, back glass even. comes in a variety of bright colors - red, purple, pink, lime green.

in freshwater, algae is fueled mostly from your tap water and no3 (nitrate factorys from your cannisters if the bio media is not rinsed regularly). in salt, its fueled mostly from po4 (phosphate). freshwater tankers can keep the tap water it in check with treatment (prime) and UV. salt we use algae scrubbers, grow microalgae in fuges etc to export the excess phosphate.

with the correct setup you can keep it out of your tank entirely with minimum work.

[jopheso]

Live rock must go. my humble o.

agreed. Im gonna try to find a decent spot for driftwood. its too damn expensive on ebay. 30 bucks for a 16" piece is silly, but I would love something like a large magrove root where the white rock is. then a few fake grasses and some more river stones on top of the sand. Then I jsut need to get rid of that damn reflection on the back of the tank and get some improved lighting. Do yall think a marineland single bright would be enough?

[BellycrawlerJaws]

Live rock must go. my humble o. which is technically just white rock, no??

+1000

I dont like "live" rock in FW aquariums, especially if the fish are from CA and SA. Do driftwood and some boulders and stones ranging from large to small and mix some gravel in with your sand (again, natural colors) and that should help make it pop