My rock deco build

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Ading522

Members
Hey guys, so after some inspiring rock decoration picture I looked up on our forum and from the internet, I decided I would try my take on it.. I just wanted to share it here on the forum, since not too many people do..( i think..maybe there were older threads i did not see..lol) I was pretty scared I would mess up the space for the tank, since I was limited with only a 55 g with a 48x12 footprint..I wanted to do it on my larger tank and a future look.. I loved the 3D backgrounds that were on sale, but they were too expensive, so I wanted to create a look that would mimic it in some way.. I will attach some pics and a link.. I don't really know how to add a caption after a photo so I will just plainly explain what I did.. I chose flat rocks ( slate I think) and thought I would originally stack them like a wall with little gaps here and there..but I figured it would fall sometime and I would need a lot of rocks to stack them 15" high.. so I came up with a "reef" or "cave" like idea.. I am not sure if it will be obvious, but don't hate..its my first try.. hehe.. I cleaned the rocks with water first..then I put them in 5 gallon buckets, boiled water, and filled them to the brim to submerge the rocks.. took a lot of trips to fill one bucket LOL.. left them for 24 hours.. I then measured the footprint of the tank and folded a towel to the size (in length) and put a mark where 12" would end.. I wanted to give the fish some bottom space to swim as well, so I kinda made the rocks for a c shape.. or like the [ sign.. then I chose the rocks carefully..scrubbed some with a scouring pad that I use only to clean tanks.. it has never been used for anything chemical.. it took a while getting the right rocks to stack..i chose 4-6 bigger rocks with a flat bottom to serve as the foundations..It then took trial and error to create the "3D" look I wanted.. after I got the look I wanted, I took them off, top to bottom and laid the pieces out to make sure I did not mess up the look I wanted as I placed them in the tank.. a day before I had done a water change, and took out the old deco.. left the fish with no boundaries to claim.. before laying the foundation stones, I leveled out the sand..cleaned the glass.. I then layered the rocks as I had set them up, bottom to top.. and the finished product are the pictures at the end.. the fish immediately explored the new setup, and they love it! :) I did a 15% water change and treated with salt and prime conditioner.. let me know what you guys think!

here's a link to the video a few hours after the setup was completed.. excuse the grains floating around.. the fish have been kickin up the sand to make territories I guess.. lol

http://youtu.be/2f1Biz_i7mc

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jonclark96

jonclark96

Past CCA President
I like it!

I'd get an exterior background (pretty cheap from a box store) and a large plant (real or artificial, your choice) to fill out the corners of the tank.
 
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Ading522

Members
jonclark96 said:
I like it!

I'd get an exterior background (pretty cheap from a box store) and a large plant (real or artificial, your choice) to fill out the corners of the tank.
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thanks John! I was thinking about that too..so I could hide the HOB and all the lines that go to the tank.. but i was also going for a bubble curtain.. although it would not look natural.. but yeah, the background was a idea floating around..thanks! :)
 
Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
Good planning with the folded towel. :)

Tanks looks great. I am sure your fish will appreciate all the nooks and crannies and you'll enjoy watching them use and defend them as well.

For the background on tanks that I haven't painted, I've just taped dark construction paper to the back. Use either larger sheets from a craft store or if you know a teacher, the big rolls of bulletin board paper work great for larger tanks.
 
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Ading522

Members
Tony said:
Good planning with the folded towel. :)

Tanks looks great. I am sure your fish will appreciate all the nooks and crannies and you'll enjoy watching them use and defend them as well.

For the background on tanks that I haven't painted, I've just taped dark construction paper to the back. Use either larger sheets from a craft store or if you know a teacher, the big rolls of bulletin board paper work great for larger tanks.
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thanks Tony! I have another 60 tank with some mixed africans that I am planning to redo soon.. the back has one of those vinyl looking paper that came with the tank..i taped it to the back..the thing is, being that I am using sand as a substrate ( pool filter sand from leslies) the black background looks dirty..have it running on a penn plax 1000 right now, and looking to add another HOB or smaller canister..how to resolve this problem? I have a maxi jet 600 circulating water that I have aimed at the side to maybe keep the particles from sticking on the tank side..it hasnt worked so far.. I am attaching pics of the tank I just emptied out for redecoration.. any help with this matter? its a pain to keep scrubbing the insides to make it look clear..

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Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
Add a decent-sized bristle nose pleco to the tank. While it will never completely eliminate having to scrape glass, it will take care of most of the film that forms on the glass.
 
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Ading522

Members
Tony said:
Add a decent-sized bristle nose pleco to the tank. While it will never completely eliminate having to scrape glass, it will take care of most of the film that forms on the glass.
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thanks.. I just am not that much of a fan for plecos.. I dont like them growing to big compared to the cichlids.. is there a better fish to go with africans? i have synos..
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
Bristle Nose Plecos (Ancistrus) dont' grow that big..most to only about 4". The only thing I've found with them is that the Mbuna can be pretty aggressive and pick at their bristles.

I like the rock work....nice job!
 
Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
Ading522 said:
thanks.. I just am not that much of a fan for plecos.. I dont like them growing to big compared to the cichlids.. is there a better fish to go with africans? i have synos..
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Like Christine said, they don't get that big. I have 1-2 in every tank. They may get picked on, but will do ok as long as you give them hiding spots. I have some in with my Tropheus and they manage.

Alternatively, nerite snails will work. I think I know someone who sells them...

http://www.capitalcichlids.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17531
 
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Ading522

Members
chriscoli said:
Bristle Nose Plecos (Ancistrus) dont' grow that big..most to only about 4". The only thing I've found with them is that the Mbuna can be pretty aggressive and pick at their bristles.

I like the rock work....nice job!
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Thanks Christine! I will look into the ancistrus species..

Tony said:
Like Christine said, they don't get that big. I have 1-2 in every tank. They may get picked on, but will do ok as long as you give them hiding spots. I have some in with my Tropheus and they manage.

Alternatively, nerite snails will work. I think I know someone who sells them...

http://www.capitalcichlids.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17531
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Thanks Tony, I am doubting about the snails though.. I really don't want a snail infestation in my cichlid tanks.. I put in a mystery snail in with them before..just one per tank.. and it wasn't long before it was dinner.. haha.. i do not know how that happened though..just discovered the remains.. an empty shell.. LOL.. are all of the ancistrus species maxing out in length at 4" ? who sells them here on the forum?
 
jonclark96

jonclark96

Past CCA President
Aldrich:

Nerites won't reproduce in fresh water, although they will lay eggs. They need brackish water for their eggs to hatch. Rachel can give you the specifics, but I've kept them in most of my tanks without issue. I've lost more snail to them climbing out of the tank than I have to predation from fish.

As far as ancistrus goes, there is inevitably a bag or two in most club auctions. I picked up a bag of 6 juvies last meeting from Christine through the auction. Although I've yet to breed them, it appears that once they start, they are very prolific.
 
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Ading522

Members
jonclark96 said:
Aldrich:

Nerites won't reproduce in fresh water, although they will lay eggs. They need brackish water for their eggs to hatch. Rachel can give you the specifics, but I've kept them in most of my tanks without issue. I've lost more snail to them climbing out of the tank than I have to predation from fish.

As far as ancistrus goes, there is inevitably a bag or two in most club auctions. I picked up a bag of 6 juvies last meeting from Christine through the auction. Although I've yet to breed them, it appears that once they start, they are very prolific.
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Ahhhh..I see.. I am learning alot from you guys.. thanks so much!! would have been a lost sheep without CCA.. I thought once they lay eggs, its done.. I will pm Rachel about the nerites.. thanks a lot Jon!
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
I'm quite certain that there will be another bag or two of ancistrus at this coming auction, too. Quite possibly also some full-grown adults as well.
 
Hawkman2000

Hawkman2000

Members
I like it. I don't know about the plant or the background, but I would continue the rock stack higher, much higher. You could silicone them together so they don't fall.
 
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Ading522

Members
Hawkman2000 said:
I like it. I don't know about the plant or the background, but I would continue the rock stack higher, much higher. You could silicone them together so they don't fall.
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I was thinking about that as well.. I will play around with some background I just got today.. thanks tho! :)
 
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