Top 5 Aquascaping Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
If you're new to the aquarium hobby, you might be asking yourself: What the heck is aquascaping?
Aquascaping is simply the placement of your substrate and hardscape. In other words, the sand and rocks you'll use in your saltwater aquarium. The term is more common in the freshwater planted tank hobby, but advanced aquascaping techniques have made their way into the saltwater side over the last few years with the rise in popularity of the "Negative Space Aquascape" style.
Aquascaping is one of the very first steps when setting up a new aquarium, and because of all the excitement about adding your first fish or coral, it’s often rushed. Since the rockwork forms the foundation of your reef, it’s not something that’s easy to change later. That’s why taking your time at this stage is so important, and why learning from the mistakes of more experienced aquarists can save you a lot of frustration.
Top 5 Aquascaping Mistakes
1. Making an Unstable Aquascape
One of the most common pitfalls in aquascaping is creating a structure that isn’t stable. Rocks that shift or topple can damage corals, injure fish, or even crack the glass. Since the aquascape forms the foundation of your reef, stability should be your first priority.
Tips for Avoiding This Mistake:
- Place rocks directly on the bottom of the tank before adding sand
- Consider using flat-bottomed pieces as the base layer for extra stability
- Secure rocks with super glue, epoxy, or a combination of both
- Double-check that upper sections of the aquascape are also stable
- Consider how sand-sifting fish, snails, or urchins might affect the stability of the rockwork
2. Not Using Flat Rocks for the Bottom
Starting your aquascape with uneven or rounded rocks at the base can make the entire structure unstable. Rocks that wobble on the glass are more likely to shift. Building on a solid, flat foundation is a great way to keep your aquascape safe long-term.
Caveat: Sand sifters like gobies and pistol shrimp often appreciate stable rock structures with some uneven bases. This allows them to burrow safely underneath without risking a collapse. Just make sure the rocks are secured well enough that digging won’t cause shifting or tipping.
Tips for Avoiding This Mistake:
- Choose flat-bottomed rocks, such as MarcoRocks Foundation Reef Saver Rock, for the bottom layer
- Position these pieces so they sit on the glass without rocking or shifting
- Use larger, heavier rocks at the base to anchor the structure
- Test stability as you build to ensure nothing wobbles before securing with glue or epoxy
3. Not Considering Flow in the Tank
Good water movement is essential for coral health and overall tank stability. Without proper flow, you can end up with dead zones where detritus collects, leading to a variety of problems. Corals also rely on flow to bring food and carry away waste. Ignoring flow during aquascaping can cause long-term issues that are difficult to fix later.
Tips for Avoiding This Mistake:
- Design your rockwork so water can move through caves and gaps instead of creating stagnant areas
- Plan your aquascape around your pumps, or choose pumps based on the layout of your aquascape
- Aim for high flow around the outside of the structure with calmer areas in the middle
- Avoid blocking pump output with large rocks or walls of rockwork
- Watch for areas where detritus collects and adjust pumps or rock placement to improve circulation
- Place your rockwork away from all side panels. As a rule of thumb, allow enough room to fit your hand around all rockwork (including the back)
4. Not Taking Livestock into Account
Every fish and coral species has different needs, and your aquascape should reflect that. Some fish prefer wide open spaces to swim, while others feel safest darting in and out of caves. Interestingly, giving fish more hiding places often makes them hide less because they feel more secure in their surroundings. Corals also have requirements for light, flow, and placement. Ignoring the needs of your livestock can lead to stressed fish, unhappy corals, and a tank that doesn’t function the way you hoped.
Tangs need open swimming space, but also rockwork to graze
Many gobies rely on burrows or small caves for securityTips for Avoiding This Mistake:
- Plan your rockwork with the fish you want to keep in mind (open areas for tangs, caves for gobies, tighter areas for wrasse to explore, etc.)
- Create hiding places and shaded zones for shy species or nocturnal fish
- Leave swimming space in the front and center of the tank to encourage natural behavior
- Make sure your design provides both high-light and shaded areas for different coral types
- Leave sandbed space for corals that need to sit on the substrate
5. Not Considering Aesthetics and Long-Term Growth
An aquascape should look good on day one and continue to look good years down the road. If you focus only on how the rockwork appears at setup, you may end up with crowded structures, awkward coral placement, or a layout that’s impossible to maintain once corals begin to grow. The goal is to create a design that balances form and function while leaving space for colonies to expand naturally.
Tips for Avoiding This Mistake:
- Use the rule of thirds to guide placement and create natural focal points
- Keep rocks a few inches (or more) away from the glass for easier maintenance
- Leave open sandbed areas for both aesthetics and coral placement reasons
- Look at photos of mature reef tanks to understand how colonies fill in space
- Learn the growth patterns of the corals you plan to keep (branching, plating, encrusting, etc.)
- Avoid building the aquascape too high or too close to the glass
- Plan coral placement with both light and flow needs in mind over the long term
Tomorrow’s Reef Begins with Today’s Aquascape
Aquascaping is both an art and a science, and getting it right from the start can save you a lot of frustration later. By keeping stability, flow, livestock needs, and long-term coral growth in mind, you’ll set the stage for a reef that’s safe, functional, and visually stunning. Want to dive deeper into planning your rockwork around your livestock? Check out Coral Habitat or Fish-Friendly Aquascape – What's Best for Your Saltwater Aquarium? for more tips and inspiration.
Shop Rock, Sand, and Aquascaping Supplies
Adam has been reef keeping since 2010 and got his start on the Bulk Reef Supply Customer Service team. He believes the best tanks are built around what you enjoy, not what’s trending. Adam is especially interested in simplifying the hobby, exploring the latest gear, and helping others focus on long-term success over chasing perfection.
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