How wide to create depth/realism?

[steveweast]

The one that I saw was 1/4 " or maybe 3/8". There is no link anywhere that I'm aware of.....but...it does show the versatility of allowing for future expansion and not locking yourself into a solid background color by having your tank made with a colored back.

 

[Ccondo]

What do you suggest if external overflow is being used?

 

[invincible569]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8896735#post8896735 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by steveweast
A couple things that I've found that helps with a greater perceived depth....


5) Have your aquascaping formed so that it draws your eye back. That's why mine is formed like a triangle to give the impression of greater depth.

6) In the future, don't let the corals become overgrown. An over crowded tank destroys the depth perception.

5. Exactly. Everyone tends to place their rocks a couple inches from the front and side glass just to get more real estate for corals. If you are trying to acheive perception of depth, move the aquascape as far back as you can giving the tank more sand real estate. Your main focus point either being the front or the front and one side to plan out an aquascape where that front area is more open.

6. Having large fish also destroys perception. Try to keep the fish size from average to small. Fish are another focus point that your eyes are targeted too.

Other tips:

7. Height of tank. The shallower the tank, the more depth perception it gives.

8. Overlapping of objects in other words, interposition of rockwork. The overlapped rock is considered farther away.

9. Angle of lighting. Everyone is used to lighting from above, but realigning your lighting to give different shadows acheives depth.

 

[steveweast]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8901822#post8901822 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ccondo
What do you suggest if external overflow is being used?

That's easy.....don't use it. IMO, the external overflows work great for smaller tanks....but, become unneccessary (and really a hindrance) in larger tanks. Those rear corners are not exactly prime real estate......and to free up that space at the expense of having a clean, realistic, easy to access, functional background was not a choice that I opted for......besides, seeing the overflow grating is a deal killer for me since the infinite depth illusion is instantly lost.

 

[blide]

9. Angle of lighting. Everyone is used to lighting from above, but realigning your lighting to give different shadows acheives depth.

Bingo! Ask any artist, painter, or etc. and they will tell you shadowing, color, and symmetry give depth perception.

We need some leonardo da vinci's to chime in on this thread..

 

[tacocat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8895709#post8895709 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blide
I don't think the type of glass has much to do with it.

If you say so. My tank is 4 ft deep and it doesn't look like it. I can count scales on a chromis that is three feet away. It's really weird effect, and you have to be looking at it for awhile to really notice.

 

[invincible569]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8901924#post8901924 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by invincible569
5. Exactly. Everyone tends to place their rocks a couple inches from the front and side glass just to get more real estate for corals. If you are trying to acheive perception of depth, move the aquascape as far back as you can giving the tank more sand real estate. Your main focus point either being the front or the front and one side to plan out an aquascape where that front area is more open.

6. Having large fish also destroys perception. Try to keep the fish size from average to small. Fish are another focus point that your eyes are targeted too.

Other tips:

7. Height of tank. The shallower the tank, the more depth perception it gives.

8. Overlapping of objects in other words, interposition of rockwork. The overlapped rock is considered farther away.

9. Angle of lighting. Everyone is used to lighting from above, but realigning your lighting to give different shadows acheives depth.

10. Brighter colored corals should be placed in the front while darker ones in the back. This could either be by intensity of its color leaving the dull ones in the back or just by the loudness of the color.

11. Larger size corals should also be placed in the front.

12. Aquascape your rocks to as low as you can possibly can. Dont add the fruitstand look. There is a TOTM named Tuan who acheived this by having all his rocks on the floor and corals also.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-07/totm/index.php