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Critique my aquascape 3 months old aquascape

tadabis

Member
Joined
16 Aug 2016
Messages
177
Location
Northern Ireland
Hello,
I started a new scape in july and want to know what you guys think? Sorry for poor quality mobile picture, was to tired to bring dslr camera out from the bag :wacky:

I still want to add some more plants and fish...

20170928_220832.jpg
 
tadabis

At first glance it looks very neat and tidy and sorry to say that is all.

To me it looks like two separate planted areas linked by a few pieces of wood.

By doing it that way you do not have a smooth continuous eye flow over the Aquascape.

Then there is the two rocky walls it looks like every rock was placed to make a perfect retaining wall.

Finally the white substrate other than very glary it is the hardest to keep clean.

Here are a few suggestions for you to think about.
The method of improving your Aquascape would be completely remove the pathway, adding more plants would link it up. Scatter the retaining wall rocks to give it a more natural appeal. Remove all the white substrate and use a colour as close as possible to those rocks. Smash a few rocks up and scatter them around the foreground area.

Sorry if I have been rather hard, in saying that I have given you the reasons and a few things to think about.

If you are happy with your tank that is all that matters

Keith:wave::wave:
 
I think it looks superb. I’d be very happy to have that in my living room! Do you have any bottom dwellers? They might make the white sand look a bit more integral to the tank. Well done though, much better than I could do!


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Hello,

@Samjpikey, @sonicninja and all others - Thank you for nice words and likes.

@Keith GH - Thank you so much for such a detailed and valuable critique on my aquascape.
At first my scape idea was to create two islands (jungle style planting zones) and somehow connect them together but not directly (atm I am using wood, which will be covered in fissidens moss when it will grow up). You wrote a good suggestion about connecting those two islands together. Actually I was thinking about that couple weeks ago about but I was still in doubt... How to do it, should I do it at all and was still thinking other options. My best vision in my head was eleocharis sp. mini carpet with some other mixed plants instead of the middle sand path, leaving a sand substrate only in front of the tank. And yes, its truly hard to keep white sand tidy... thats why I fully vacuum it out every couple weeks and replace with new one (but I like the contrast between sand/plants/rocks), I don't know if dark river look sand would look better (maybe need some more opinions from forum members).
Rock walls - I used those rocks to keep my ADA AS in place, maybe thats why those rocks looks not natural or like you said "to tidy". How would you suggest to separate AS and sand without building rock "walls", they would mix together?
And finally all critique is welcome and respected, thats why I posted this picture in this section :) Always good to get some advice how to improve my scapes (I am still learning, it's just my 2nd attempt). Good to know that there is a place where you can get help and suggestions from more experienced aquascapers!

p.s. more comments welcome (especially about the sand colour).
 
I personally love the scape and my first looks the same. Cliche path down the middle But the people I Impress are my friends and not aquascapers. I do agree you should smash up some rocks and had some content into the parth in the small episodes. Add features and textures and deaf plants and then I feel you’re there. If you would like to critique mine I can stay I’ve appreciate it .
 
tadasbis

How would you suggest to separate AS and sand without building rock "walls", they would mix together?

Its a matter of staggering the heights, slopping, not all in line some forward and others back a little.

To do this its a lot easier from the very beginning and working in a Mock Tank.

If you desire to have a pathway make it interesting and certainly not central. Most important is give it a depth of field.

This is what I am referring to a very good retaining wall and interesting pathway.
bj6v_specialpathwayedited-1.jpg


Keith:wave::wave:
 
@Odogg - thank you.

@Keith GH - thank you for your advice about making smoother and more detailed pathways but unfortunetly tank is already flooded and I need to find the other way how to improve the path :) I am still thinking to eliminate the path completely and join those two islands with the carpeting plants.
 
tadabis

That certainly makes it harder. All you can try is remove as much water as possible and work on it that way. I would do it in two steps Syphon out all the sand first and let the tank settle and come clean again before your start the next stage.

Keith:wave::wave:
 
I think it looks fantastic, rules and guides are good, helpful for sure but if you like it keep it as it is, you will be looking at it every day. nice view it is too.
 
I love it tadabis!

I do agree to try to change the ratio slightly though so it’s not as symmetrical.

What is the plant closest to the front at the bottom either side? Beautiful plant!
 
if you removed the looping piece of wood from the front section it would be a quick and easy fix to balance the scape, then you would truly have a 50/50 scape with a island each side effect drawing your eyes down the path in the middle which is not necessarily true to the golden ratio but still works, i feel like that would make it look much better with minimal fuss and you wouldn't have to tear it to bits.
 
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