# help me rearrange my rock placement...



## ParadoX19 (Sep 22, 2011)

hey everybody im sure we all have asked for opinions on how to make our tanks look better from others and looks like im about to do so here..

lets start off with the species in there, right now i have 5 zebra long pelvic (mdoka), 5 yellow labs and 8 rustys, 5 nerite snails and 3 mdoka fry that have survived and are about a half inch, now this week iam getting a shipment in with 5 female rustys and 4 female labs and im finding new homes for the exessive males in here, im still looking for female mdokas..

the rocks i have in here now are coral and small lace rock just piled up making caves on the bottom that they have burrowed into ( yes rocks are on the bottom glass ) and also making caves and crevices all over.
there is a good amount of algea that has formed on these rocks and i like it being there for two reasons, one being that mbuna graze on this and 2, being it looks more "natural".
im considering getting a BN pleco for algea on glass ( sides and back ), as for the back im going to get a piece of black felt for the back glass as a BG.

anyways id like to hear your responses, bad and if any good, im always finding myself wanting to add more rock, take some out, change the layout all togther

[IMG]http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i472/paradox19x/IMG_2159.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i472/paradox19x/IMG_2157.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i472/paradox19x/IMG_2154.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i472/paradox19x/IMG_2152.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i472/paradox19x/IMG_2153.jpg[/IMG]


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## du3ce (Sep 11, 2012)

maybe try splitting it up into two seperate rock piles, one with the lace rocks and one with the holey rocks instead of just one continuous piece,


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## ParadoX19 (Sep 22, 2011)

Thats exactly how I had it about a month ago actually, I'm finding alot of dead spots with waist


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## PaNiK (Dec 10, 2003)

I kinda like it how it is. Is there an issue? Or are you just wanting to change it up?


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## ParadoX19 (Sep 22, 2011)

No not really any issues except for a few dead spots, and being limited with the tank being only a 55g..

I'm going to have to tear the tank apart tomorrow or tuesday, I have to remove a good number of males because I'm receiving 9 females and possibly an OB peacock.
I would like to get rid of the coral and put in holey rock but no lfs' have it.. Perhaps il check for bigger sized lace rock.


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## PaNiK (Dec 10, 2003)

so howd it come out?


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## ParadoX19 (Sep 22, 2011)

Well after tearing half of the tank apart to get the excess males I ended up trying different looks and whatnot but I ended up leaving it almost the same from the pictures, added a black bg and got the fish in. I can take a few pics if you'd like.
The reason why I didn't go crazy and make it look "perfect" is cuz ill be taking females out quite frequently hopefully and ill end up tearing half down again..
I came up with a cool idea on catching them... I take out the right half of rocks then put in a piece of acrylic I had custom cut as a divider and I place it in the tank in the middle sideways, once the fish come out ill feed on right side, than very quickly turn the divider and trap them and net out who I want.
Works like a charm!
I haven't had a chance to get to my lfs for lace, I've been busy with work and fishing lol


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## 4RSo (Aug 13, 2011)

I like the rocks, but I would actually remove half. Maybe just keep one type, lace / honeycomb. and work with that. It feels a bit cramped, but post up a picture of your current setup and work from there if you're still concerned/bored.


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## ParadoX19 (Sep 22, 2011)

ok so i took a few shots but this is with my led stunners on and the iphone makes the colors look a bit funky but heres a couple if yous wanted to see.
i do agree with you 4RSo it does look kinda cramped, the right side for sure.
i was also thinking about getting some safe glue and stacking the lace up higher but more in the middle and keep both sides open. whats a good glue? just like clear silicone?

[IMG]http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i472/paradox19x/IMG_6381.jpg[/IMG]
i have a 445/magenta stunner towards the back and there you can see how it changes yellow to pink and it also changes other colors, i use it as a transition to night.. got the money might as well spend it right?? haha
[IMG]http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i472/paradox19x/IMG_1652.jpg[/IMG]
the tank isnt really this blue, its the iphone..
[IMG]http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i472/paradox19x/IMG_2478.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1095.photobucket.com/a...com/albums/i472/paradox19x/IMG_8320.jpg[/IMG]








[IMG]http://i1095.photobucket.com/albums/i472/paradox19x/IMG_8170.jpg[/IMG]

hope you enjoyed the pics


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I like it better with more rock and I'd topple those rocks that are balanced instead of gluing them for a more natural look. But yes, if you want to glue, use aquarium silicone.


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## ParadoX19 (Sep 22, 2011)

Thats what I'm shooting for is a natural look but I was also trying to provide as much hiding places as possible thats why theres so much stacked, and personally I'm not sure about it.
I end up tearing it down and cant imagine a nice looking setup.
My lfs charges like 3.50 a lb for lace and they wont budge, id like to get some big pieces rather than stacking so many small pieces.

thanks for the input


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I found the fish like very small, tight, fish-sized hiding places rather than open caves and tunnels. Thus toppling them will probably make the fish happy as well as being more natural. I would not glue. Over time more ideas and thoughts to try will occur to you.


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## ParadoX19 (Sep 22, 2011)

Well I just went to my lfs in clementon and got 15 pounds of lace, 4 big pieces and I'm going to take out the coral and do a %50 WC, my nitrates are higher than normal but I'm going to try and bunch the rocks up and see what I can come up with. NO3 btw was at 60! even after cleaning my 2217 out. I do WC of 40% every week and do 3-5gallon WC every other day to get waste. Also got a albino bristlenose pleco today


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