First attempt at scaping

[Carpman]

This is my first try at hard scaping/aquascaping period, to try and make things easier for me I have built a full size mock up of the tank(Juwel 190). My intention is to try and create a natural style scape using wood and dragon stone with ada substrate. Over the last few days I have tried a few different looks but I'm struggling to get that good feeling of depth. I'll post some pictures of my various attempts later today.
Is there any tricks that will help me with this?

 

[Tim Harrison]

The first and best trick is to slope the substrate as steeply as possible toward the back. Also, try copying a scape that has the sense of depth you'd like to achieve...it's a great way to learn.
There is plenty of inspiration on this forum. Perhaps start here http://www.ukaps.org/forum/forums/featured-journals.79/
Have a read of this too http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/aquascaping-basics-part-two.200/

 

[PARAGUAY]

Most of the sponsors like Tropica and Aquasabi has a section on aquascapes, just by looking at the different styles gives you a idea on what you want your finished tank to look like. That's my own way of working it out, why is that huge rock in the foreground and smaller rocks in background.? as example. Some of the featured journals cover what you mention

 

[Carpman]

Thanks for replies heres a few pics I have take over the last few days ( these were taken with phone not my camera ( i was to lazy to my camera kit for these).
1st This was my first temp tank old wood sitting on my decking.



2 I had to screw timber sides on to board to hold the soil and i'm still not happy.



3 Then this, it now has acrylic front band to retain soil and sides to make sure everything is within the confinds of the tank (this was all old stuff stored in my shed for just such a project). I like this layout.



Oh yeah I trimmed the base of tree to allow more freedom of movement

4 Final step add a little sand to help with the depth and lead the eye.





What do you think ? Honesty is best policy dont forget thought this is my first time

 

[Aqua360]

Juwel corner tanks are very, very difficult to get right; I know, I had the Trigon 350 and had to give up as I simply don't have the skills lol. On a positive, the 190 should be easier to work with though still challenging from reaching the back etc.

Most set-ups like this work on a central emphasis on something, which kind of throws off the opportunity to work on the rule of thirds in aquascaping, a technique you can google that creates the most aesthetic viewing of a conventional rectangular tank.

I'd say in my opinion right now, that the stone and wood you are working with, are too isolated from each other; I think a way to combat this and also avoid the typical "ornaments in the centre" display, is to bank your substrate towards the right hand side, and have the wood and stone reaching out from there. I'll try and get a pic to illustrate what I mean, really challenges perceptions though and can work well!

 

[Aqua360]

This

 

[Carpman]

Aqua360,
Sorry seen a few of the triangle design and I dont like them, so I had another little play tonight with a centralised the tree including some rocks aswell.

1. Not overly convinced with the dead space in the center, I put rocks in I took rocks out i even chaged them around. I do want an open space of some sort where fish can been seen easily.

2. Trying to do something with the space, just dont know if its now to much?



3. and just to give me an idea of how it would look if I add some white sand / gravel to break it up

 

[Aqua360]

Aqua360,
Sorry seen a few of the triangle design and I dont like them, so I had another little play tonight with a centralised the tree including some rocks aswell.

1. Not overly convinced with the dead space in the center, I put rocks in I took rocks out i even chaged them around. I do want an open space of some sort where fish can been seen easily.

2. Trying to do something with the space, just dont know if its now to much?



3. and just to give me an idea of how it would look if I add some white sand / gravel to break it up

Looks good, imo the rocks at the front kind of distract from the rocks and wood behind it. Very nice bit of wood!

 

[alto]

In case you missed previous link for this video

This Interzoo video from 2014 shows some rather nice Trigon 350's - in the Juwel booth so lighting etc is all "stock" - aquascapes were grown in
I really like the way they used the sand to highlight the curved front

Perception through air & water differ, I suspect you'll notice this even more in the Trigon, so I'd fill the scaped (but unplanted) tank & observe tank in real life, then drain etc for planting

I like how your scape has evolved from the first photo

I like those 2 front rocks but feel the distraction

That's an impressive mock tank!

 

[Carpman]

Still trying different things lol heres anothe, I will still be adding either gravel of sand to mid section.

 

[Loefgreenscape]

I think you need to add more stones to the layout to get some height

 

[Carpman]

I think I'm there, I prefer the first the version, What do you think?

 

[kadoxu]

I think you nailed it!

 

[J Art]

reminds me of Mordor from "The Lore of the Rings"


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MrHidley]

I think there are too many straight lines in the scape, and it looks too organised, I don't think you'd find anything like that in nature. I think part of your problem is using the wood as a separate entity to the rocks. With corner tanks you can achieve a very good sense of depth by building out from the rear corner towards the glass. The island style, works really well with small gravel/a carpet at the front with the roots of the tree reaching out towards to viewer. I'm by no means an expert, but I've learned a lot with the 4 or 5 scapes I've made that depth and layers are really important. At the end of the day however the most important thing is what you think, because you're building this scape for you, not for others.

 

[Carpman]

Slight change of subject, I set up tank today (with plain tap water) just to make sure inline heater, pump and co2 kit were all working as they should be, I was also little concerned with the overall weight on newly laid laminated floor which is over floorboards
(floor took it fine it did compress it about 1.5mm). I have found an issue with the spray bar that comes with the Eheim pro4 350, It doesn't go low enough into tank to be sub water surface therefore creating a lot surface aggitation (pointing at approx 100 degrees) obviously this is not what we want. I have looked at the Eheim install kits but dont know if it will go deep enough (they do give nice and tidy finish though), I'm tempted to replace the connection tube that goes between the spray bar and the U bend with a longer piece of tube to allow me to move spray bar lower into water I hope. Has anyone had this problem and how did they deal with it ?

 

[Carpman]

Slight change, I hope for the better. What do think ? By the way the lrg rock in right rear is no longer there.

 

[Carpman]

Hardscape sorted I think. Wood now in tank (in plain water and pump is running) with large stone holding it down after reading about how long it might take to soak (1day to weeks) I thought I better get it soaking. Just hoping it doesn't have the possible side effects.

 

[Carpman]

I just ordered Maui fine quartz for open area. Debating whether to order Eheim instalation kits and the API master kit out of stock.

 

[Carpman]

Latest update. Wood still soaking over 4 days now, I must admit I had hoped it would be done by now. Soil removed after tree to build so I could build polystyrene insert for under soil saving on soil and weight and hopefully stopping any chance of gas pockets. I took wall down to clean out all soil and trial fit poly I planned to use my photos for the rebuild, well was I wrong the photos are just not good enough to distinguish the rocks. That brings me to the images below because all the kings horses and all the kings me couldn't put the wall back together again, been so frustrated with the wall this week I took last night off away from it instead fitted blue led light strip to rear rear lid last night for evening viewing. The moral of the story is dont be lazy get your camera out (never used phone camera).
New wall and think it looks better.






A possible soil retainer to stop soil getting through any gaps and mixing with sand. Its rough and needs trimming.