Optimal Live Rock arrangement

[ebosshard]

Beginning to add some corals and I am thinking I may have aquascaped in a dumb way.

With my 200# of live rock I basically made a big wall about 3" back of center (close to in the center but back slightly).

Is there an optimal way to lay out live rock to accomodate the corals I am beginning to add?

Will be adding more soft than hard, some hard, a clam and whatever else I learn of over time.

Thanks as always

Eric

220g reef tank

 

[hdtran]

(1) Don't build a brickwall. Leave lots of nooks and crannies
(2) Have multiple heights to which you may add things
(3) Don't set your aquascaping in concrete. Rearranging is no sin.
(4) Don't set flat bottom rock on substrate. You want to have some water circulation (or critter circulation) pretty much everywhere you can.

No 'optimal' layout, just rules of thumb.

 

[jsbradbury]

Try leaving the top layer of rock towards the back of the tank and sloping down and out where the bottom layer of rock is closer to the front of the tank. Should leave lots of shelves for coral placement and holes for water movement.

 

[lozza]

always a good idea to raise the rock slightly on the bed with inch cuts of abs pipe this helps the current get under the rock ,and pop a spray bar at the back for extra circulation