Aquascaping Help in 45g

[CrashHaus]

Hi everyone,


I need some help with aquascaping ideas for my reef tank. It's a 45g JBJ rimless and I'm running 2 Hydra 26s. Obviously I run the tank bare bottom and I want to keep it that way. I like the minimalist look of some of the reef tanks I've seen which is what I've tried to mimic with mine, but I just feel like something is missing. It is currently 2 large islands with a smaller island in the middle. The zoas and GSP are all on smaller, separate rocks in front of the islands to keep them from spreading too much.


Where I feel something is missing is in height overall but also feel that the middle area is a bit bare. I haven't been able to find any corals that will provide height but also do well with low flow. I'm very open to any constructive thoughts, comments, ideas you may have.


Thanks!

[Herbie]

imagine this crashed in an off kilter-less geometrically even manner.
I loved my 45. Screenshot_20170310-141711.jpg

[scotty]

what's tricky is how to have impactful scape in a cube, but not the classic cave horseshoe look. I'm shooting for the bonsai tree look, if you google it you'll see what I'm talking about. Mimic Mr.Microscopes stuff if you want someone local and go from there. "I'm missing something" is coming from you trying to be too uniform, and having balance in your scape. The wild is rarely balanced like that and why your tank isn't catching your eye, which is why you don't like it. if you're going to re-scape do it slow, you do have some good stuff going/growing in there.

Try going for more negative space, you won't be sorry, especially in a cube like that.

[CrashHaus]

what's tricky is how to have impactful scape in a cube, but not the classic cave horseshoe look. I'm shooting for the bonsai tree look, if you google it you'll see what I'm talking about. Mimic Mr.Microscopes stuff if you want someone local and go from there. "I'm missing something" is coming from you trying to be too uniform, and having balance in your scape. The wild is rarely balanced like that and why your tank isn't catching your eye, which is why you don't like it. if you're going to re-scape do it slow, you do have some good stuff going/growing in there.

Try going for more negative space, you won't be sorry, especially in a cube like that.

thanks for the feedback. I will definitely check out both of those.

[Herbie]

it's a personal aesthetics choice first and foremost. Negative space is nice for balance, but if it's too minimal it's also negative for coral placement. Here's my old 45. it's always hard to translate photos, but there was open bottom in between the front rocks and the back:
IMG_20130527_174608.jpg