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Flounder's Tank Build


Flounder
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12 minutes ago, Flounder said:

Cut a hole in the center of the big rock and tinkering with the other rocks to create an interesting aquascape. Any tips for the newbie on what I should do for a good visual and happy fish.

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I think you have a good start! Here is a good video that explains the rule of thirds and general tips on aquascaping. I cant wait to see what you come up with. 

 

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I am not a scape artist by any means, but random seems to look better to me. Leave plenty of open space, and make sure your glass cleaner fits between your rocks and the tank (Ive learned this the hard way!)  I also tend to put too much rock, less is often more! One ends structure higher than the other also seems to make visual interest.  In the end you liking it is what counts. Trying it out before it’s wet like you are is a great idea!

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23 hours ago, redevil13 said:

yep just make it look good to you, think about coral placement too. in those smooth pieces I would drill random frag holes to give yourself options later even if you don't use them 

How far apart would you drill frag holes? Thinking about putting more than necessary just to give myself options down the line. What size drill bits would you use? Just bought 3 more Pukani rocks, with hand picking rocks from lfs. Don't think these need any pre-drilled holes, correct?

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With pukani you shouldn't have to drill holes. There are enough spots that you can just glue or epoxy something in and call it good. You could drill 3/8" holes randomly. Frag plugs come in different sized discs, so it is hard to say exactly how far apart to drill them. Maybe 2-3"... Here is a picture from @West Mariculture of one of their Bonsai Reef magnets that you can reference.

 

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Just as a side point, you do not have to leave a coral attached to a frag plug when placing it on your rock. You can remove the coral from the frag plug and use superglue gel or epoxy to attach it to the rock. Some people prefer to do this to give it a more clean look. See the following pictures.

 

In the following two pictures you can see the coral encrusting the frag plug and then will move onto the rock. Once the coral grows out you probably will not notice this as much, but until then you can see where the plug is and the coral has grown over it. It looks unnatural to me. There are ways to get around this, but using epoxy to build up to the plug and onto the rock to smooth out the transition and make it look more clean. 

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... Or if is possible you can remove the frag from the frag plug and carefully glue it to the rock. It will eventually encrust and cover over any glue and give you a more natural look. 

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Either option is a good, and comes down to personal preference. Sometimes you may not be able to remove the coral from the frag plug, so you may be forced to place it. In this case, I usually break off the stem of the frag plug and use glue and or epoxy to attach it somewhere. 

 

 

***Photos borrowed from R2R thread by Mr V: Link ***

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Stand puts it just over 5' tall in total- didn't really get specifics on brands as I was to excited for a complete set. Asking $1,200 for everything. They are going to hold so I can put eyes on everything to evaluate. Think even the best products not maintained aren't worth purchasing. Also the savings on getting a used set will allow for near/future upgrades.

Would you consider a used skimmer if good quality and well maintained?

Will evaluate lights on the same basis.

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I would try to knock the price down and let him keep the light  the skimmer is good for the tank but you will have to make a canopy to keep noise down

Corner overflows are great and keep them out of the way but the sump isnt going to let you have a fuge in there unless you get creative  

If i were buying it i would take the tank stand and skimmer for say 800 and order a 30 breeder and make your own sump or a prefab one like a trigger system 39in sump but they can be pricey 

Really its all about what you want to keep and what you want to spend and the space you have to set it up

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1 hour ago, redevil13 said:

I would try to knock the price down and let him keep the light  the skimmer is good for the tank but you will have to make a canopy to keep noise down

Corner overflows are great and keep them out of the way but the sump isnt going to let you have a fuge in there unless you get creative  

If i were buying it i would take the tank stand and skimmer for say 800 and order a 30 breeder and make your own sump or a prefab one like a trigger system 39in sump but they can be pricey 

Really its all about what you want to keep and what you want to spend and the space you have to set it up

This is some good info. 

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