I will endevour to remember to send you a pic as I am able froggy- wife is due to get a DSLR for christmas or her jan birthday. Best way to make it look natural is just don`t pay attention as you do it- then tweak a little- after all you are no lesser a part of nature than anything else! One thing i did do though was kind of stack the high sidekind of with the rocks in a more orginized bricklike fashion with shapes oriented- then started to make it look like collapse by changeing the pile to a bit more diagonal in the rock forms then just kind of like the edge fell to rubble. But as they say - a pic is worth a thousand...........
aquascape help
- Thread starter bosco0633
- Start date
well, I appreciate all the advice on my aquascape and have taken many points to consider my rescape. I think the foot print on my 150 just is not wide enough for an island look, as much as I love that look. So I read many articles and really have fallen in love with a less fruit stand rock pile.
I could not go to minimal however, due to the fact that I do not have a sump at this time and need the rock to assist with filtration etc. I wanted to create a simple design that was also very practicle.
I created a more open swim space, and lowered the hight of the rocks to take away the fruit stand look. I created a cove or channel, respecting the rule of thirds to prevent to much symetry.... I hope.
I had 250lbs of premium figi rock and took out about 100lbs from the tank. I kept only the best pieces and redesigned both structures. I called my LFS and nobody wants the rock, so for now its sitting in a bucket with water and power head.
So please let me know what you all think of my new and hopefully improved look. The best thing I did, was designed it, walked away and took pictures, viewing on the computer, I really think I nailed it (fingers crossed)
sorry for quality, iphone pictures
front
left to right
right to left
left pile
right pile
I could not go to minimal however, due to the fact that I do not have a sump at this time and need the rock to assist with filtration etc. I wanted to create a simple design that was also very practicle.
I created a more open swim space, and lowered the hight of the rocks to take away the fruit stand look. I created a cove or channel, respecting the rule of thirds to prevent to much symetry.... I hope.
I had 250lbs of premium figi rock and took out about 100lbs from the tank. I kept only the best pieces and redesigned both structures. I called my LFS and nobody wants the rock, so for now its sitting in a bucket with water and power head.
So please let me know what you all think of my new and hopefully improved look. The best thing I did, was designed it, walked away and took pictures, viewing on the computer, I really think I nailed it (fingers crossed)
sorry for quality, iphone pictures
front
left to right
right to left
left pile
right pile
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Personally, I think you should go with what you like.
I went minimalist in mine by going with very porous rock and keeping on the low end of what is acceptable and putting about 10# (of 60# total) in the refugium. I have three islands, each of different sizes, large on the right, medium on the left, and small closer to the medium one the left and set back further from the front glass than the other two. There is a great thread out there with minimalist tank pictures if you might be into that.
...After reviewing your latest photos, I think you have improved it greatly. At some point you just have to go with it because you can drive yourself crazy (if you're anything like me).
I went minimalist in mine by going with very porous rock and keeping on the low end of what is acceptable and putting about 10# (of 60# total) in the refugium. I have three islands, each of different sizes, large on the right, medium on the left, and small closer to the medium one the left and set back further from the front glass than the other two. There is a great thread out there with minimalist tank pictures if you might be into that.
...After reviewing your latest photos, I think you have improved it greatly. At some point you just have to go with it because you can drive yourself crazy (if you're anything like me).
small alien
The fungus is among us.
Great discussion.
As my landscape design teacher used to say, "You want to hide the hand of man."
As my landscape design teacher used to say, "You want to hide the hand of man."
Looks very similar to mine! I am very picky about my aquascape as well and love the canyon aquascape.. ie a trailing pathway between two piles. To finish it off, I would pick one of the piles and make it a bit taller than the other to make it look more natural, preferably the right pile. Also, with the right pile you have a nice pointy piece on the end but it merges into a bulky round piece to abruptly(the round rock partly behind). Gradually cover the end piece with more sand, partly burying it and remove the bulky piece right behind it to create a more gradual jut like slope into the bottom. This will make a huge difference in the overall look. Do the same for the left pile as well, more sand covering the last piece and not bulky right away, think of tree roots. Also if you have some other pointy rock look at putting a partly covered jut out around the bottom middle of a pile heading towards the front of the tank. After that sit back with a beer and enjoy the feeling of content... for now anyways 
Frogmanx82
New member
I like it. Good job. Apex makes some really good comments but you are mostly there. I think you have nicely highlighted a focal point with the gap betwen the piles and have it enough off center to be good. While the basic structures are good, you could add some interest with some corals. Are you planning on corals? Also for a more natural look, you could add a few small rocks to the sand to break it up a bit. By small I mean 1 to 3 inch pieces or maybe some shells.
I think its easy to see the improvement from where you started, congrats.
I think its easy to see the improvement from where you started, congrats.
thanks so much for the input. I plan on adding a few small pieces to the sand area. I love the cove look, seems so much nicer to watch as well. The tank feels easier on my eyes now when I watch it, like there is a flow in the tank.
I plan on stacking it with corals, however, I promised myself this time, I would follow a process. I set it up in September and really wasnt comfortable with my layout and wanted the rocks placed before I went into the coral world.
I currently have a coralife 4x96w PC lighting unit, and would like to upgrade lighting before I go into corals. I would like t5s and MH system next. But again I have a process that I am trying to follow to prevent going overboard to quickly like I have in the past.
My goal was rock, then get my fish in place. Once I was happy with my fish stock, I would then go into coral. I would like to see the rock color up a bit more before I get going into corals.
I plan on softies and LPS corals and lots of them!! I love SPS corals, however, I dont know if I have the hand from god for them.
I have actually been toying with an upgrade next year. My thoughts are leaning towards a 300gal with full sump. But we will see what the new year brings.
I like the tip for the small pieces here and there, that will be my next purchase.
Today I picked up a coral beauty, cleaner wrasse and 2 blood shrimp!! They are all over my fish right now, so much fun to watch!!
I plan on stacking it with corals, however, I promised myself this time, I would follow a process. I set it up in September and really wasnt comfortable with my layout and wanted the rocks placed before I went into the coral world.
I currently have a coralife 4x96w PC lighting unit, and would like to upgrade lighting before I go into corals. I would like t5s and MH system next. But again I have a process that I am trying to follow to prevent going overboard to quickly like I have in the past.
My goal was rock, then get my fish in place. Once I was happy with my fish stock, I would then go into coral. I would like to see the rock color up a bit more before I get going into corals.
I plan on softies and LPS corals and lots of them!! I love SPS corals, however, I dont know if I have the hand from god for them.
I have actually been toying with an upgrade next year. My thoughts are leaning towards a 300gal with full sump. But we will see what the new year brings.
I like the tip for the small pieces here and there, that will be my next purchase.
Today I picked up a coral beauty, cleaner wrasse and 2 blood shrimp!! They are all over my fish right now, so much fun to watch!!
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You will be very happy with this scape, it just brings out a little underworld when you create the path imo. Like frog said, near the jut end pieces place a few pieces of rubble slightly submerged... just small things that add to the overall natural look. I wanted a flame angel pretty bad but the wifey insisted that I get the coral beauty... She was right, definately my fav now.
Frogmanx82
New member
The cleaner wrasse was probably a mistake. Don't fret too much if it dies, they just don't tend to do that well in tanks. Some people are trying to get them banned from the aquarium trade and probably for good reason. A neon goby has similar behavior and does better though they aren't that long lived, 3 years tops in the wild.
BigRedNole
New member
I am glad I read through this thread. I am not sure why I did not comprehend this at first. Aquascaping, along with most things in nature, follow Fibonacci's natural occurrences. If you want a better understanding of this concept, you can do a search on "rule of thirds". It is used all over the place in photography and art. Thus, the good advice from the previous posters to the OP.
I plan on focusing more on this once I get my system setup next week.
I plan on focusing more on this once I get my system setup next week.
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