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BioMechanical
06/03/2011, 08:51 PM
Hey everyone. Just curious if anybody has used any untraditional decor to your reefscapping? I have a LFS that has a jamaican beer bottle in their display and it actually looks pretty cool with the coraline covering it. Just curious if anyone has any other creative ideas?

peppie
06/03/2011, 10:33 PM
Cant remember the thread, but some one built a crashed model air plane in his. It was pretty cool.
Another guy had a skull that he was trying to grow a mohawk on it with GSP It had a ways to go before it filled in.

Pallobi
06/03/2011, 10:40 PM
paulB uses old glass bottles of different shapes in his reef... im guessing some have been in there for a long while and i personally love the way it looks... his reef tank is literally over 40 years in age, same tank and all... one of the oldest, if not thee oldest reef in the country... incredible... and i love his look like i said...

steelhead77
06/03/2011, 11:08 PM
Personally I think it would terribly tacky. To me, a reef tank should look like.....well a reef. I guess if your vision of a coral reef would have a beer bottle on it, then go for it. While your at it, you might as well add a treasure chest that burps bubbles too.

Lynnmw1208
06/03/2011, 11:13 PM
beauty is in the eye of the beholder. set up your tank the way you would like to :) some people like lots of rocks, some (like me) don't. it's always nice to see something different from time to time.

dzfish17
06/03/2011, 11:29 PM
There was a guy on one of the FW forums that put a bicycle in a tank. Its not my bag... whatever floats your boat.

Ethan Music
06/03/2011, 11:44 PM
Personally I think it would terribly tacky. To me, a reef tank should look like.....well a reef. I guess if your vision of a coral reef would have a beer bottle on it, then go for it. While your at it, you might as well add a treasure chest that burps bubbles too.

You ever been to the ocean lol? floating trash,sunken ships and planes=p joking had to do it. I think if you do it right it would look awesome but the first few weeks might look out of place until a coral or algae gets it than I think it would be pretty cool.

Pallobi
06/04/2011, 12:45 AM
Personally I think it would terribly tacky. To me, a reef tank should look like.....well a reef. I guess if your vision of a coral reef would have a beer bottle on it, then go for it. While your at it, you might as well add a treasure chest that burps bubbles too.

Well then again ur tank isn't 40 years old, and most likely won't make it a fraction of that... beauty is in the eye of the beholder, not the criticizer...

Take my system for example, my display with 33 sps in it and some zoas, doesn't have one peice of live rock in it... others hate it, I love it...

AndyH5512
06/04/2011, 05:19 AM
The sound of a crashed model airplane is entertaining. My friends always joke I should get a remote control submarine to operate in mine.

I am curious as to why steelheads tank will not make a fraction of 40 years though just because he said he likes a clean reef look, though, Pallobi.

Pallobi
06/04/2011, 08:42 AM
I guess time will tell...10 years is a milestone that 99% of hobbyists usually don't hit realistically for one system... let alone 40...

BioMechanical
06/04/2011, 02:58 PM
Yeah, I'm not going for the trashy look. I was thinking of adding the SkullVodka bottle. Either put up front and have zoos cover it which would be awesome, or just wedge it within my rock and let the coraline take over along w/ whatever else. The skull would add a little mystery maybe like that sunken treasure. I think it would be different & cool, not trashy...

thebkramer
06/04/2011, 03:09 PM
Untraditional Decor??

What you think??

http://i51.*******.com/2a5nkm8.jpg
http://i54.*******.com/5nsugy.jpg

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1852186

steelhead77
06/04/2011, 03:20 PM
Well then again ur tank isn't 40 years old, and most likely won't make it a fraction of that... beauty is in the eye of the beholder, not the criticizer...

Take my system for example, my display with 33 sps in it and some zoas, doesn't have one peice of live rock in it... others hate it, I love it...

Thats why I said "Personally I think....." then I go on to say if he thinks it would look cool then he should go for it. Wasn't tryin to criticize, just giving my opinion. To each his (or her) own. If you want to simulate the Gulf oil spill in your tank, have at it. I, personally like the look of a pristine natural reef, and that is what I try and simulate in my living room.

Peace out!

Bilk
06/04/2011, 03:27 PM
beauty is in the eye of the beholder. set up your tank the way you would like to :) some people like lots of rocks, some (like me) don't. it's always nice to see something different from time to time.
+100 It's in your home. You paid for it. Have it the way you like it. Besides there's really nothing about most tanks that resembles a "real" reef. We try and think we did that, but not really. Too many species crammed into a small space isn't "reef-like". It's nice to look at and in many cases very beautiful, but not like a reef.

Bilk
06/04/2011, 03:28 PM
Untraditional Decor??

What you think??

http://i51.*******.com/2a5nkm8.jpg
http://i54.*******.com/5nsugy.jpg

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1852186
Now that's pretty cool :thumbsup:

collie man
06/04/2011, 03:30 PM
i found atlantis!

BioMechanical
06/04/2011, 03:35 PM
If I wasn't going to have a zoo covered skull on the side, I would have the bottle in the background anyways with only a portion of it peaking through. Nothing too extreme. I don't know yet, I still have to get the bottle. People are selling them "used" on Ebay.

JG1
06/04/2011, 03:39 PM
Untraditional Decor??

What you think??

http://i51.*******.com/2a5nkm8.jpg
http://i54.*******.com/5nsugy.jpg

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1852186

that's really cool!

thebkramer
06/04/2011, 04:06 PM
:bounce3: THANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENTS!!! :bounce3:

Paul B
06/04/2011, 06:01 PM
I never have enough room for trash, so I throw it in my tank

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/Budcanandcopperband.jpg

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/DSC01322.jpg

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/Bottle.jpg

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/2008reef011.jpg

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/PVCrock003.jpg

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/Redalgae017.jpg

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/PlazaHotel001.jpg

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/Gobieggs014.jpg

I think this is disquesting and I would never put any of this junk in my pristine reef.
The nerve :crazy1:

It's all in there

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/LEDs041.jpg

Paul B
06/04/2011, 06:18 PM
I just hate it
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh270/urchsearch/LEDs048.jpg

BioMechanical
06/05/2011, 05:06 PM
Yeah thats a bit much...

Agu
06/05/2011, 05:23 PM
Paul,

Are all your bottles broken? I ask because a friend tried a "cute" bottle in his tank and the water in the bottle became stagnant and toxic. Anything close to the mouth of the bottle died. He said the odor when he removed the bottle and emptied it was disgusting.

BioMechanical
06/05/2011, 08:18 PM
Thanks for the tip, I'll put a break in the bottom...

Paul B
06/06/2011, 04:43 AM
Most of the bottles I collected in the sea and most but not all are broken. I broke most of them in a bag, then clued them back together leaving off some parts. Then I use a Dremmel to smooth the cut edges. I never had a problem with any of the bottles and they have all been in there over 20 years.

Ritten
06/06/2011, 06:22 AM
thebkramer, very cool tank! Paul B, I've always been a fan of your tank!

mwilliams62
06/06/2011, 06:55 AM
Those are some cool looking DT.

Crusty Old Shellback
06/06/2011, 10:47 AM
Paul,
When are you going to celan that garbage dump up? :)

To each his own. I did see a tank here on RC that was made to look like under a pier. had the pilings bound with rope and all. Looked good to me.

Have you ever actually been to different reefs? They all look different. I've dove reefs in Pago Pago that were cramed pack full of 6 line wrasses darting in and out of teh coral heads. I've also dove reefs off thialand that were nothing but Stag Horn coral for a far as you could see. Couldn't even step on or see the ocean floor. I've also seen them with just a few rocks here and there with a few corals growing on them.

So your reef is what you make of it. Be it full or sparse.

Paul B
06/06/2011, 01:51 PM
Crusty I dove in those places and many more but the best "reefs" are what I modeled my tank on. Good old New York "reefs". Right off the City. Nothing but the best. :lmao:

Aaarrrggg
06/06/2011, 04:09 PM
I had a dragon skull in my old tank:

At the beginning:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/TheAaarrrggg/dragonskull.jpg

After a few years:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/TheAaarrrggg/tank-feb-1.jpg

LOVED that thing! It was so awesome watching the coralline spread onto it, some mushies even started growing on its snout. My starry Blenny and Hawkfish loved perching on the horns. The Blenny would sometimes even sleep in the eye sockets hehe.

I tried to find something similar for my new nano, but sadly the only things that would fit weren't nearly intricate enough for my tastes. That skull just looked like it should be in there with corals! :)

scapes
12/08/2011, 08:34 PM
May I ask where in the world u got that dragon skull from?

agreeive?fish
12/08/2011, 10:13 PM
i am an WWII air craft nut and have always envisioned a tank of " battle damaged" WWII aircraft

i have also always wanted to have a cliff over looking a beach and lagoon tank..

maybe now is the time to do both since i am adding a tank and moving other tanks around during my house remodel

jason2459
12/08/2011, 10:43 PM
Rhonda's and Paul's tanks where the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread and they've already posted.

I normally hate tacky decorations but Rhonda really pulled it off with the castle! As for Paul's tank is certainly is all natural beer cans and all! I don't think I've every gone diving and NOT see some type of trash. If somoene said they threw trash in their tank I would say they were crazy and it would look aweful. Well, Paul is crazy but his tank looks awesome.

My son decided he really really wanted this dragon head he saw while we were at a LFS and it has ended up in my tank. I was going to pull it but I just love how he runs up to the tank and roars at the dragon all the time. His enjoyment overrides my distaste for the tacky.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GKsDXcA9F40/TtheNkvOpfI/AAAAAAAAAwg/2CqjNuO2cGc/s640/IMG_3169.JPG

karsseboom
12/09/2011, 01:05 AM
I want a rimless cube with macro rock, packed with sps and led lights. Maybe 2 vortechs on the side and thats all I want showing. I don't want some cheesey wal-mart decorations.

567234ta
12/09/2011, 03:02 AM
i might put some kinda ancient looking mini shark skeleton in it or something. :)

jarrod13
12/09/2011, 08:39 AM
I know a guy who found a sea turtle skull on the beach. I'd love to put that thing in my tank!! I'm going to try to buy it from him. I've also thought about putting a bottle or two in my tank I'm about to set up

Digitalelectric
12/09/2011, 08:58 AM
I personally like unique looks in anything. Whenever I see a tank, or a refurbished classic car, or a house I always enjoy one that has a touch of uniqueness to it. I am just setting up my 125 after a move and Im trying to think of something unique to do to it. That castle/atlantis pic above is awesome. I thought about doing the bottle thing but IME the water inside gets funky fast. For some reason when you see "trash" in a tank it makes it look more real. Of course thats probably because Im used to Florida's beaches where you have to clear broken bottles from the swimming area.

jarrod13
12/09/2011, 10:31 AM
Do you have to put a hole in the bottle to prevent it from getting stagnant?

thebanker
12/09/2011, 11:37 AM
Do you think he killed that dragon himself? :confused:

KafudaFish
12/09/2011, 11:41 AM
I have a bottle in my nano that an elephant gave me.

True story.

I have another bottle in my daughter's fw tank that I found while snorkeling.

Unome
12/09/2011, 11:48 AM
Untraditional Decor??

What you think??

http://i51.*******.com/2a5nkm8.jpg
http://i54.*******.com/5nsugy.jpg

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1852186Pretty interesting. I haven't gone to SW yet but have an idea to incorporate some of the "ruins" you can buy at Petco/Petsmart into the rock. Kind of like a city that was buried by a volcano or the island sunk kind of thing.

I figured I'd buy 2 or 3 and by cutting them up some, I could have pieces stuck inside of the rock or the rock resting on it.

Paul B
12/09/2011, 12:58 PM
My next project is to put an anchor in my reef. I mean a real anchor from my boat or I will try top replicate it. I don't like miniature anything so it will be full size of almost 3' along with chain that will go to the end of the tank.
This will be like my bottles and not al exposed. Many times in my dives I have encountered old anchors, mostly from sailing shops. These anchors are rotted and overgrown with corals. It will be under most of the rocks and only parts of it will be visable. Of course this is all in my head and may never happen because I still have to make the anchor. I don't want to use my real galvanized boat anchor and besides that, I need it on my boat. :hmm2:

thebanker
12/09/2011, 01:25 PM
Won't any remnants of zinc from the galvanizing process cause issues?

Unless it's pure iron, in which case I'm sure you're good-to-go. That would look very cool in your reef.

Paul B
12/09/2011, 02:54 PM
Yes the zinc would kill everything in a few minutes thats why I will "build" a replica of the anchor out of something that is non toxic.

thebanker
12/09/2011, 03:00 PM
What kind of anchor, danforth, admiralty or... other? :D

Bmgrocks
12/09/2011, 04:31 PM
Who's Ya Natty!

College Dorm Tank, Where we drink the best

Before:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g207/Bmgrocks/IMG_0188-1.jpg

After:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g207/Bmgrocks/009.jpg


http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g207/Bmgrocks/008.jpg


http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g207/Bmgrocks/005.jpg

Paul B
12/09/2011, 07:34 PM
What kind of anchor, danforth, admiralty or... other?



Dansford