I’m deep into the planning on my first new aquarium in 2 years. It’s a great feeling, I’m now in that most exciting phase of the planning process (in my warped opinion, anyways): the “Which idea do I try?†phase! On the surface, this seems like a really great place to be- and it is-but it’s actually a very crucial (and sometimes soul-searching) process that can make the difference between a memorable, unique display and “just another tank.†In 30-plus years in the hobby, I’ve tried a lot of stuff. And, let’s face it- I’ve set the bar pretty high for myself!  Big mouth that I am, I’ve spent that last two years jet-setting around the country talking up unique system design and aquascaping at clubs, conferences, and in various aquatic media…So-It’s practically expected of me that I do something a bit different. Man, it’s time to put up or shut up!  Who needs this pressure! This self-appointed “purveyor of inspiration†and ideas for the hobby should take some of his own advice. Maybe I’ll just have FUN! I’ll just do what pleases me. Yeah!
Rather than trying to create a system specifically designed to knock everyone’s socks off with some brilliantly radical concepts, I’m thinking I might actually come up with a semi-conventional concept done REALLY well. You know- just great quality animals displayed in an attractive manner. On the other hand, I’ve kicked around a few slightly different ideas for my 40â€x40â€x22†semi-cube, open-topped aquarium:
I have coveted creating an open top mangrove biotope, or a simulated Palau “coral islandâ€. I could try to construct a Dictyota and macro-algae-encrusted rock structure with just a few corals…No, wait- maybe another seagrass meadow, with a huge growth of Thalassia (Turtle Grass) and minimal rockwork, and a bunch of Fungia and Goniopora in the sand.  I mean, I DO have Justin Credabel on my speed dial! Or, perhaps THIS will be the display where I just build an aquascape consisting entirely of a pile of coral rubble with a smattering of ultra-neon-pink Pocillopora? No, wait– maybe I’ll do a group of small “bommiesâ€, with some open sand in between for my Fungia collection..but this time, I’ll use that dark substrate I flirted with in my last system. That will make the colors pop!
Of course, I can always do a monspecific aquarium, featuring a few of my beloved bright yellow Sarcophyton on several small rocky structures, and maybe a smattering of other corals just because I’m a reefer. Is THIS the aquarium that I revisit the idea of an entire “garden†of zoanthids and minimal rock? Hmmm. Wait a minute…perhaps I will create a biotope for Jawfish…Some low-lying rock structures and a LOT of open sand (of course- the DARK sand that I was talking about…). Ya know what? I could try a version of Kyle Verry’s “Volcano†tank, with rock projecting clean out of the water. Love that tank. On the other hand, I love rare Centropyge angelfish, and I could  crank up the chiller and simulate a rocky  Ester Island reef structure with lots of nooks and crannies for a group of C. hotumatua to forage among. Wow- I’ve had that bug up my *** about one day creating a biotope featuring the “Marine Betta†in a group, or perhaps a colony of Yellow Assessors, with a big, low-lying rocky cave. Boy, I do love the Royal Gramma, though…How cool would it be to dedicate a large tank to the fish of my childhood? Like 50 of em!
But wouldn’t a system dedicated entirely to the needs of Garden Eels be sooo radical? Well, there is always the idea I’ve had of a tank devoted exclusively to Halichoeres wrasses…some mixed grain sand and lots of little caves and crevices for them to hide and hunt in. You know…I COULD try to simulate just the top of the reef, with a low lying matrix of rock covering the entire bottom, with no substrate and my new Vortec MP 40’s cranked up full blast on a collection of Acropora gemmifora or A. millepora…Hmmm. I saw a movie once about Fiji and it’s ridiculously lush growth of soft corals…Maybe a system with only super-choice Sinularia and a ton of current? Well, I have always wanted to do a monospecific anemone biotope with just one huge anemone on a large rock structure…but maybe I’m better off doing a shallow-water Condylactis anemone “field†and some Caribbean fish. But a Fiji tidepool beckons…
Maybe I’ll just build a rock wall!  😉  Just kidding!
No- maybe it’s time for another tank. Or a few other tanks! Photo above by FlickR user Telephema
Till next time…Stay wet
Scott Fellman
