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How should I set up my rock?

Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
70
Ok I am used to rocking a tank for a reef set-up with open gaps and lots of shelves to place corals on. I have read you need to be careful how you set your rocks for an octo because they like to move things around and might have the rocks fall on them. This is a pic of my tank now so you can kinda see the type of rock I have. Will this be ok or should I get some bigger or smaller pieces? Should I add some or do I need to remove some?
I am planning on adding some shells and other octo friendly toys and oh yeah I will be getting rid of the corals.

Thanks
Chip
 

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nice looking tank ! It is hard to tell how the rocks are balanced in the shot, though...typically, you just don't want to have a very heavy, large rock teetering on a few small ones, in case the octo decides to pull one of the keystones out ! squish!
If you need to, you can use one of the marine grade epoxies available at your lfs to glue them together, but it is an awful lot of fun to watch your ceph rearrange the rock garden now and again....

best!
greg
 
Greg is right - you don't want your octo to cause a rockslide. I put large sturdy rocks on the bottom and lighter ones above and locked them in as much as possible. Remember to create dens and hiding places of various sizes, too.

After my bimac went into egg laying mode and began rearranging 10-pound rocks with the tips of her arms, I realized that it would be better to give her some lighter building material so that she didn't have to move every rock. I ran for my bag of shells and threw in angel wings and other large shells, which she did incorporate into her new den. I'd recommend putting shells in the tank for looks, fun, and possible building material.

Nancy
 
Its a flower pot coral (Goniapora). There is no shame for the corals they will all have new homes by the end of the week. I should get my new lighting in today. See I maintain fish tanks for a living and after taking care of reefs all day long I hardly even look at mine when I get home. So a change will be good.
 

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