"Bonsai Reef" (SPS style)

tmc1313 · 09/17/2013, 09:14 AM

Hi guys, I started this thread in my local forum and thought I would post here too. I'm hoping this will be my last tank thread I'll be starting for quite a while. I've been through a total of 4 tanks this past year for various reasons (too deep, too shallow, broken center brace, etc...). Growth of my SPS has been pretty negligible, which is to be expected, but I've still managed to keep 95% of what I started with alive, dating all the way back to my 144 half circle tank. This new tank will be the final destination and now I'll finally provide the needed stability. Hopefully everything thrives and takes off. I've realized during all these tank moves that as tempermental as SPS can be, they are also pretty resilient (at least for a while) when given the basics. Anyway I was too lazy to take out the Canon and I'm still learning with the new macro lens (so no close ups). I snapped a couple of cell phone pics just to get this thread going. So here is the new tank in various stages of my lighting cycle:

Full lights

late evening

Just before lights out

Hopefully I'll have much better pics soon. Thanks for looking

Acronic · 09/17/2013, 09:34 AM

Really diggin the scape!

plyle02 · 09/17/2013, 09:41 AM

Very nice, going to be a stunner when those corals grow out a bit, still looking awesome though, nice job!

animalkingdom · 09/17/2013, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acronic

really diggin the scape!

+1...

yano · 09/17/2013, 10:23 AM

Sweet Reef! I love this scapes minimalists...left rock structure is awesome!
How old is the tank?

aandfsoccr04 · 09/17/2013, 11:32 AM

Wow your rockwork is amazing. You definitely nailed the bonsai look!

Rogerh · 09/17/2013, 11:33 AM

Wow, cool aquascape... this will look really cool with some growth on those corals

tmc1313 · 09/17/2013, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acronic

Really diggin the scape!

Quote:

Originally Posted by plyle02

Very nice, going to be a stunner when those corals grow out a bit, still looking awesome though, nice job!

Quote:

Originally Posted by aandfsoccr04

Wow your rockwork is amazing. You definitely nailed the bonsai look!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogerh

Wow, cool aquascape... this will look really cool with some growth on those corals

Thanks for the compliments everyone. I think I'm finally happy with this one. Time will tell.

tmc1313 · 09/17/2013, 12:12 PM

Yano,
The tank itself is new. The corals on the other hand I feel bad for. They've been moved around, hacked up, everything SPS don't really like. Most of them are over a year old, but have not had much growth, which I think is due to moving them around so much. Hopefully this will be their permanent tranquil home, full of stability. That's the plan anyway.

Reef or Die · 09/18/2013, 06:26 AM

Incredible aquascape!!

how did you get the base of that island on the right to stand straight up like that??
I see TOTM in your future

tmc1313 · 09/18/2013, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reef or Die

Incredible aquascape!!

how did you get the base of that island on the right to stand straight up like that??
I see TOTM in your future

Thanks, I can only take partial credit though. I've always had an idea in my head about how I wanted my reef to be, but could never get the look I wanted with actual live rock. This tank is actually void of any "real" live rock. It's called Vida Rock, which really isn't rock at all. They make different shapes and formations. I simply combined two different shapes to make the structure you see. I used what they call "bonsai" shape and combined it with "branch" shape. After turning pieces this way and that way, this is what I finally came up with. As for TOTM, time will tell, but this reef is a far cry from the incredible tanks I've seen here.

Henry Colf · 09/18/2013, 08:37 AM

Sweet looking scape!!

biggles · 09/18/2013, 08:40 AM

Very nice aquascaping mate, it's going to look amazing when the corals fill out and hang over those structures, great work

1mbrews8 · 09/18/2013, 08:56 AM

love it!

yano · 09/18/2013, 08:59 AM

Uhmm, not live rock... you´ve use other filtration media ?

diciple · 09/18/2013, 10:18 AM

Just beautiful hope those get happy with new home I would"nt change a thing well done

Polyp Envy · 09/18/2013, 10:28 AM

very nice!

Arkayology · 09/18/2013, 12:26 PM

This is a great tank. I like the scape. Hopefully the SPS start to put out some growth and fill in. This will look great in 6 months!

tmc1313 · 09/18/2013, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry Colf

Sweet looking scape!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by biggles

Very nice aquascaping mate, it's going to look amazing when the corals fill out and hang over those structures, great work

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1mbrews8

love it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by diciple

Just beautiful hope those get happy with new home I would"nt change a thing well done

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalDude

This is a great tank. I like the scape. Hopefully the SPS start to put out some growth and fill in. This will look great in 6 months!

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the positive feed back. Especially from other reefers.

tmc1313 · 09/18/2013, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yano

Uhmm, not live rock... you´ve use other filtration media ?

That's right. absolutely no live rock. However, the material is very porous for beneficial bacteria. I just skim and am using carbon at the moment.

yitman · 09/18/2013, 03:12 PM

Great tank

tmc1313 · 09/18/2013, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yitman

Great tank

Thanks, yitman.

Salinity01 · 09/18/2013, 08:40 PM

The scape looks great.

Spirofucci · 09/19/2013, 11:20 AM

I'm a big fan of bonsai....... and you captured it!!!

yano · 09/19/2013, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmc1313

That's right. absolutely no live rock. However, the material is very porous for beneficial bacteria. I just skim and am using carbon at the moment.

What material...dead rock? This sound very unstable for me

09/17/2013, 09:14 AM	#1
tmc1313 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, Connecticut Posts: 1,530	"Bonsai Reef" (SPS style) Hi guys, I started this thread in my local forum and thought I would post here too. I'm hoping this will be my last tank thread I'll be starting for quite a while. I've been through a total of 4 tanks this past year for various reasons (too deep, too shallow, broken center brace, etc...). Growth of my SPS has been pretty negligible, which is to be expected, but I've still managed to keep 95% of what I started with alive, dating all the way back to my 144 half circle tank. This new tank will be the final destination and now I'll finally provide the needed stability. Hopefully everything thrives and takes off. I've realized during all these tank moves that as tempermental as SPS can be, they are also pretty resilient (at least for a while) when given the basics. Anyway I was too lazy to take out the Canon and I'm still learning with the new macro lens (so no close ups). I snapped a couple of cell phone pics just to get this thread going. So here is the new tank in various stages of my lighting cycle: Full lights late evening Just before lights out Hopefully I'll have much better pics soon. Thanks for looking __________________ --Todd

09/17/2013, 09:34 AM	#2
Acronic The Fifth Master Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,813	Really diggin the scape! __________________ Kevin I have lost all concept of reality and live in an SPS world now.

09/17/2013, 09:41 AM	#3
plyle02 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Lake Helen, FL Posts: 5,526	Very nice, going to be a stunner when those corals grow out a bit, still looking awesome though, nice job! __________________ Perry "Anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die" ~Buddha~ Current Tank Info: 50 Gallon AIO Cube, Aquamaxx WS-1 Skimmer, LED/ Hybrid 4x24 watt t5

09/17/2013, 10:23 AM	#5
yano Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Spain Posts: 544	Sweet Reef! I love this scapes minimalists...left rock structure is awesome! How old is the tank? __________________ Cube tank 100g (SPS). Reef Octopus SSS150. Vortech MP40QD (2). Sfiligoi T5 12x39w.

09/17/2013, 11:32 AM	#6
aandfsoccr04 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 3,561	Wow your rockwork is amazing. You definitely nailed the bonsai look! __________________ 120 gallon mixed reef

09/17/2013, 11:33 AM	#7
Rogerh Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Stabekk, Norway Posts: 131	Wow, cool aquascape... this will look really cool with some growth on those corals __________________ -Roger`s Lagoon- WoHa 455L, Vortech MP40Ews x 2, Eheim 3000, Deltec Apf 800, ATI Sunpower 6x54w,Aqua Medic Helix pro 18w UV. Current Tank Info: Wohaa 455L

09/17/2013, 12:12 PM	#9
tmc1313 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, Connecticut Posts: 1,530	Yano, The tank itself is new. The corals on the other hand I feel bad for. They've been moved around, hacked up, everything SPS don't really like. Most of them are over a year old, but have not had much growth, which I think is due to moving them around so much. Hopefully this will be their permanent tranquil home, full of stability. That's the plan anyway. __________________ --Todd

09/18/2013, 06:26 AM	#10
Reef or Die Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New York Posts: 393	Incredible aquascape!! how did you get the base of that island on the right to stand straight up like that?? I see TOTM in your future

09/18/2013, 08:37 AM	#12
Henry Colf Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Rochester Posts: 2,926	Sweet looking scape!!

09/18/2013, 08:40 AM	#13
biggles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 3,907	Very nice aquascaping mate, it's going to look amazing when the corals fill out and hang over those structures, great work

09/18/2013, 08:56 AM	#14
1mbrews8 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: forsyth, ga Posts: 209	love it!

09/18/2013, 08:59 AM	#15
yano Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Spain Posts: 544	Uhmm, not live rock... you´ve use other filtration media ? __________________ Cube tank 100g (SPS). Reef Octopus SSS150. Vortech MP40QD (2). Sfiligoi T5 12x39w.

09/18/2013, 10:18 AM	#16
diciple Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: fremont,Mo. Posts: 355	Just beautiful hope those get happy with new home I would"nt change a thing well done __________________ 20gal pico aquariums starfire cube 150de mh w/Tunze streams.Seaside aquatics 3.5 skimm Current Tank Info: 22 g pico cube 150w mh+led supplement

09/18/2013, 10:28 AM	#17
Polyp Envy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 118	very nice!

09/18/2013, 12:26 PM	#18
Arkayology Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,597	This is a great tank. I like the scape. Hopefully the SPS start to put out some growth and fill in. This will look great in 6 months! __________________ -Matt in between tanks

09/18/2013, 03:12 PM	#21
yitman Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 252	Great tank __________________ Ultra Clean Rimless Tank http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2112551 Current Tank Info: ultra clean rimless tank ,700 liter

09/18/2013, 08:40 PM	#23
Salinity01 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 144	The scape looks great.

09/19/2013, 11:20 AM	#24
Spirofucci Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Harlingen, Texas Posts: 389	I'm a big fan of bonsai....... and you captured it!!!