aquascape help

[bosco0633]

I set my 150gal up in September and have posted about my setup. I have gone through some good and some bad, but the one thing I have tried is to take my time with this hobby.

I have roughly 200lbs of live rock, and I am really not in love with my aquascape. I have yet to add corals, as I wanted to adjust with my fish and get the rocks looking a little better. When I first purchased my rocks, most were white from coraline die off.

I added 40lbs of premium fiji rock which really helped with bringing the old rock back to life. I have started getting some good coraline growth, however, before I go any further I really want to decide what I should do about my scape.

I really like the two side piles, however, the center is too tall I think. I want to make it look a little less, I have been even considering going with a minimalist set up.

So my options that I am playing with are:
1. keep the two side piles and minimize the island
2. keep one of the two side piles and make two smaller minimal
structures.
3. I will never be happy so just keep it the way it is

All comments good and bad welcomed

 

[bosco0633]

oops

oops

I guess photos would have helped

front view

looking from side right to left

looking from side left to right

close up left pile

middle pile

right pile

 

[Agu]

Remove the center island and create two spurs that that come off the outside islands and meet in the middle at the back of the tank. Do it so it frees up an open sand area in the middle front of the tank and gives the illusion of more depth.

jmo,

 

[brian15876]

i think it looks good how it is maybe just shorten the middle island so the ones on the outside stick out more

 

[spieszak]

My best suggestion is to pretend its in someone else's tank. Your opinion of it will jump at least 50%!

 

[bosco0633]

agu, I dont really understand what you mean. Can you explain it to me please

 

[Frogmanx82]

It needs some work. Ideally you would have a focal point 62% of the distance from either end. Symmetry is bad. What I would suggest is break the center pile down and join it with either of the end piles and have the gap at the 62% mark. On a 72 inch tank that would be 27 inches from either side.

You have some nice rocks to work with. It should come out nice. You just need to lose the 3 islands.

 

[bosco0633]

ok so if I understand you right, have 2 piles with a cove in the center. So if I break down the middle, add it to the left pile, bringing it over to the right, but not connecting the two structures and the pile on the left will be over half the length of my tank?

I think I get it.

 

[Frogmanx82]

The cove would be off center, right. Google the "golden ratio" for more on the concept. Also google "focal point aquascaping" without the quotes for more ideas.

Finally, just look at tank pics and see what you like. Ask yourself what your eyes are drawn to, how appealing is it, is the golden ratio applied.

I also think its good to hide or blend in equipment as much as possible, keeping it to the edges and away from the focal point. For example, on your tank I would blend the left two piles so my overflow wasn't centered on the gap between your rock piles. Do you see how that large V between the piles directs your eye to the overflow?

Its all in the eye of the beholder, but there are some good guidelines that are the reason some scapes look better than others.

 

[luckydud13]

One of the "islands" need to be larger than the other. The 62% rule is good and makes the scape freindly on the eyes. Scape is similar to mine, but I only have 12" depth to work with.

Good luck!

 

[dixiedog]

Too much rock. I agree, get rid of the middle pile and go from there. Leave room for the massive coral growth you'll have!

 

[monopolybag]

I like it. I don't know how I do it, but when I set up tanks I just move the rock around (often in cloudy water so I can only feel it) and try to keep as many caves as possible, then i fill in some of the caves with other rocks to make it more dense. Your rocks however look fairly round, which is hard to work with. I would just keep it and get some coral going.

 

[Vandal996]

Look at a lot of pictures of other peoples tanks and save the pics of the ones you like. When you have a bunch of pics saved, go back an look at them. You will see the similarities in the pics that made you like them in the first place. Take the good from those and then create what your ideal aquascape is. There are some stunning tanks on this site and they all started with a pile of rock and someone staring at an empty tank. In the end it will come down to what you like.

 

[capt85]

I agree with vandal. I always liked open sand and arches. Here are a couple pictures of mine just please ignore the cyano.

 

[smokenax]

here's what could be built with with pvc and zip ties

here's what the tank looks like today with livestock.

 

[Frogmanx82]

Nice looking tank smokenax, but honestly, too much symmetry in the rockwork. The corals however are spectacular.

capt85, I like what you have going there, it's just hard to get perspective with the lighting in the photos.

 

[Agu]

It needs some work. Ideally you would have a focal point 62% of the distance from either end. Symmetry is bad. What I would suggest is break the center pile down and join it with either of the end piles and have the gap at the 62% mark. On a 72 inch tank that would be 27 inches from either side.

You have some nice rocks to work with. It should come out nice. You just need to lose the 3 islands.

I suspect Frogman has read landscaping/design books, as have I, to determine aesthetic aquascaping. Groups of threes are good but they don't need to be equal. Think 2/3- 1/3- 2/3 in height.

 

[Frogmanx82]

I suspect Frogman has read landscaping/design books, as have I, to determine aesthetic aquascaping. Groups of threes are good but they don't need to be equal. Think 2/3- 1/3- 2/3 in height.

You could still go with 3 islands, but you don't want the middle island dead center. Sometimes symmetry is good, but for aquascaping it just comes off unnatural.

 

[syrinx]

I agree with frog and agu as far as not making a centerpiece and bookends. I have set up literally thousands of tanks, and a couple points I will make. First off- look towards how you are going to aquire corals- if you are getting frags you would set your rocks diffrently than if you are going to get colonies that have attached rock. No sense in getting things perfect if you are going to be changing it due to adding rock with livestock is the gist. Secondly - oftentimes just having a rough idea of placement and then just doing it blindly works well. Nature is random, so think of how this rock would have broken off that rock etc.-or imagine a wave crashing part of the reef to pieces-leaving the rubble pile that is your reef. In my home reef I have the rock to the top on the left side-gradually tumbling down to sand only on the other side.

 

[Frogmanx82]

I'd like to see that syrinx. I have trouble getting that kind of sloping design to look right.