[Norm66]

Here's a pic of the rocks I have.

The slabs are a limestone and I really like the looks of it and I love the small transcriptus being able to dart in & around the little cracks and crevices. What I don't like is the overall look of what is essentially just stacked up flat rocks. Besides it's been like this for 7 or 8 years now and it's time for a change.

I'd like to get a more natural looking design with these same rocks if possible but without using up any more of the footprint as I'm planning a colony of multis for the other half of the tank. I'd also like to get it fairly tall as with it being a 29 gallon it's taller than what's really needed and if the fish don't use it I'd like for there to at least be some kind of interesting rocks up there so it doesn't look just empty.

So just lay them down more or less randomly? Stack them vertically maybe? Any ideas are gratefully accepted.

Thanks for looking.

 

[rgr4475]

If possible you need to get some rounder rocks in there so the all the flat pieces aren't laying horizontally. If you click on the video in my sig you will see my old rock set up using alot of flat pieces and rounder rocks to give you an idea. I since have removed a lot of the flatter rocks and exchanged them for rounder ones and didn't stack them as high to give the Haps I have more swimming room.

 

[rgr4475]

And to clarify, when I say rounder I don't necessarily mean they have to be smooth and perfectly round. Just not really flat and a more traditional rock shape to give you some vertical height.

 

[adam0444]

Did you say 7-8 years?!? Woo haha

 

[Norm66]

Thanks RGR. Adam yea 7-8 years. I've moved them around, but the basic design has bee like that.

 

[Jesseschu]

Someone on this site had a great suggestion to take thise rocks and out of the tank, drop them on each other and see what you have. Then try to emulate that inside the tank. Obviously, the more natrual, the better. Good luck.

 

[DJRansome]

Someone on this site had a great suggestion to take thise rocks and out of the tank, drop them on each other and see what you have. Then try to emulate that inside the tank. Obviously, the more natrual, the better. Good luck.

Not very workable for this tank since he has to keep the shell bed open and he wants extreme height in the rocks.

 

[Norm66]

Thanks for the input. I'm actually scrapping the flat pieces in favor of a bunch of rounded "river rock" I bought today. 100lbs. for $1.48. LOL. It's all cleaned and ready to go I just have to get a couple hours to tear into it now. I don't think I'll be able to get it as high as what I have now, but it should be cool anyway. I'm hoping to be able to get two large-ish piles in each back corner with the rest open for the shells.