Critique my hardscape Back for another beasting!

[ForestDave]

Hi.
I seem to be going round in circles designing a hardscape so I’m going to stick some versions up for a bit of constructive criticism or advice.

Fluval Roma 200 (200L)
High techish setup with CO2 and 4x Iquatics 39w T5s
I’ll post plant list and full spec in another post.
The two rocks I’m using are rustic slate.

I’m attaching 8 possible versions. I can’t see objectively anymore after staring at mock ups for 2 or 3 weeks. I thought I had enough wood which I had bought off a guy on Facebook but it turned out to be not that great when I started arranging it. Some of that got chopped into ever smaller bits and I bought a couple more pieces from my local aquarium shop. Either way I’m hoping less is more and these will do.
Please excuse the grainy photos and lack of above lighting, hopefully there’s enough to go on. My phone camera is getting a bit past it!
Any suggestions most welcome!!!
Cheers
Dave

 

[Raws69]

Hi for my 2 pence worth, the last one looks aesthetically better to me with the rock and wood graduating from left to right, but the last piece of wood on the right looks a little lost. but it all depends of what your viewing angle will be from where you generally will see it from And how heavily you plan to plant. Btw I’d suggest leaving enough room between the rock and the left side so you can in and clean the glass. Good luck 🤞

 

[ForestDave]

Hi for my 2 pence worth, the last one looks aesthetically better to me with the rock and wood graduating from left to right, but the last piece of wood on the right looks a little lost. but it all depends of what your viewing angle will be from where you generally will see it from And how heavily you plan to plant. Btw I’d suggest leaving enough room between the rock and the left side so you can in and clean the glass. Good luck 🤞

Thank you. I agree with you about the piece of wood on the right. I kind of like that piece of wood but it's a really anoying shape and never seems to look good anywhere. I'll have a re-think about it. Cheers for the tip about glass cleaning access!!

 

[ForestDave]

So I feel like a bird of paradise in a BBC David Attenborough documentary. I’ve been arranging bits of rock and wood for a month now and still my wife has barely noticed my display. I think it’s going to take a fully planted tank with beautiful fish and me doing an exotic body contorting dance for her to give me some sign of approval. She hasn’t even marvelled at my beautiful PVC solvent welded pipe work!?
Either way I’m hoping I’m getting closer to a usable hardscape. If anyone gives me any feedback I’d be eternally greatfull. You wouldn’t even need to marry me!
I’m kind of preferring the option with the more upright bit of wood on the right hand side but judging by my wife I obviously don’t know what I’m up to! 😩😄

 

[alto]

Alright I’ll jump into the fray

Two rocks - please no, 3 rocks, 5 rocks or once you’re past 10, even/odd is less relevant to our perception (once you’re a grand master of aquascaping, you can get away with 2 anything )
my eyes kept darting back and forth between the 2 big rocks trying to decide which was the dominant focal point (so it was hard to even begin considering the wood)

You also want to make the rocks look as if they’re rising out of the earth (substrate)

Don’t put any focal points directly in the middle (unless you’re that aforementioned Aquascaping Master)

I want the wood to be more balanced (size, volume) with respect to the stone but obviously budget is important and I think what you have is a good start, you can quite easily add more wood later
I tend to prefer some obvious interaction between the wood and the stone (perhaps because I find it so much more difficult to creat a “pleasing” aquascape when they are disparate) so bottom right photo in first post gets my vote for wood/stone relations - though the right side with 2 prices of wood doesn’t work ... perhaps add a third (smaller) rock as the transition and then play with wood position/shape

In the photos, the rock seems to be quite flat in appearance - does light and water highlight texture? or will you end up with flat shining planes of stone (then I might try painting with moss and allowing that to grow for a couple weeks before flooding etc - though if rock is too smooth, moss will likely need glue assistance so that needs a different moss application technique)

Plants can obviously change everything, so maybe include that schematic

If you’ve not seen this one (also part 2)

 

[alto]

Fluval Roma 200 (200L)

This is a more difficult aquarium dimension to aquascape

Go back and look at George Farmer’s scape, also his eaFreshwater 900
Juwel Lido aquascapes (at interzoo 2018 (George Farmer has some of the most detailed video perhaps) and Juwel YouTube channel)
Some of Filipe Oliveira’s aquascapes in tall tanks

​

 

[ForestDave]

Thanks Alto.
I'll take a look.
I definitely felt the lack of tank depth restricted my layout options a bit. Plus, I now see the value in going to a decent aquarium shop with a large selection of wood and rocks you can play with. Doing it on the cheap getting a few bits here and there can certainly feel hard going at times.
👍

 

[ForestDave]

Alright I’ll jump into the fray

Two rocks - please no, 3 rocks, 5 rocks or once you’re past 10, even/odd is less relevant to our perception (once you’re a grand master of aquascaping, you can get away with 2 anything )
my eyes kept darting back and forth between the 2 big rocks trying to decide which was the dominant focal point (so it was hard to even begin considering the wood)

You also want to make the rocks look as if they’re rising out of the earth (substrate)

Don’t put any focal points directly in the middle (unless you’re that aforementioned Aquascaping Master)

I want the wood to be more balanced (size, volume) with respect to the stone but obviously budget is important and I think what you have is a good start, you can quite easily add more wood later
I tend to prefer some obvious interaction between the wood and the stone (perhaps because I find it so much more difficult to creat a “pleasing” aquascape when they are disparate) so bottom right photo in first post gets my vote for wood/stone relations - though the right side with 2 prices of wood doesn’t work ... perhaps add a third (smaller) rock as the transition and then play with wood position/shape

In the photos, the rock seems to be quite flat in appearance - does light and water highlight texture? or will you end up with flat shining planes of stone (then I might try painting with moss and allowing that to grow for a couple weeks before flooding etc - though if rock is too smooth, moss will likely need glue assistance so that needs a different moss application technique)

Plants can obviously change everything, so maybe include that schematic

If you’ve not seen this one (also part 2)

Thanks for the comprehensive reply!
That will keep me busy tonight when the kids have gone to bed.
Both stones are interesting stone although the photo probably doesn't do them justice. I do have my reservations about using slate though, as it catches the light from certain directions like a road sign and then looks dark from other slightly different angles. I also bought a few bits but as with the wood decided I liked hardly any of them and was left with the two that you see.
I'll go back to the drawing board!

 

[Kevin Eades]

I agree definitely some more stone needed. Odd numbers make a more natural scene for the eye. Some small detail stone make a huge difference too I've found. I've sometimes been limited with hardscape choice due to finances and regret not spending more some months in when it doesn't quite look right. Just an excuse for a rescape I guess 😄

 

[ForestDave]

Thanks Kevin.
I’m trying to find my 9” stone cutting blade to chop the big stone up. I don’t think that’s helping. It’s so big that you almost automatically have to put something in the middle or at the other end of the tank. I think with a few careful and cuts and a belt sander to the back edges I may get 3 or 4 stones out of that. If it doesn’t work I’ll have to bite the bullet and buy some new stones. I tried finding some but there’s too much limestone and quartz conglomerate around me. Nothing decent to put in the tank.
It’s great to have some feedback though. I’m looking forward to having another bash at it. I’ve come this far so I want it to look good!
Cheers
Dave

 

[ForestDave]

Plants can obviously change everything, so maybe include that schematic

Hi Alto
Here's a list of my plants. I'll admit that I probably panicked unnecessarily after the shops selling out of lots of plants and got some I was after and then bought random ones elsewhere to add to the numbers. I did take Hogans' advice and get quite a few fast growing stem plants to help with the initial phase. It's probably far too random a selection but half of me wanted to try lots of them out to see what they did.

2x Pogosternon Erectus
3x hygrophila Polysperma
2x Heteranthera Zosterfolia
2x Ludwigia Palustris Red
2 Ceratopleris Thaliclroids
1x Ludwigia Repens diamond red
1x Microsorum Pteropus Trident
2x Pogosternon Helferi
2x Hydrocotyle Tripartia
10 stems of Rotala SP Colorata
5 stems of Ludwigia sp Arcuata
3 stems of Hygrophilla sp Diifformis
a good handful of Helanthium Versuvius
a couple of Echinodorus Bleheri
a few Cryptocyryne Flamingo/Green Geko
14 small Bucephalandra various types
a few small Mini Java Fern
10 small Anubius various types
2 pots of Eleocharis Acicularis Mini
Plus,
Weeping, Christmas and Fissidens-Geppi mosses
and some Salvinia Auriculata.

I was just going to stick the fast growers at the back have a small area with Montecarlo and Eleocharis as a carpet. Have the mosses and anubias/bucephalandra on the wood and the rocks. Tripartia either side of the tank and watch a few videos for other placement ideas. (Pretty shoddy planning I know! I'll try and draw up a layout diagram).

I'm pretty loathed to buy more rocks as I've already way over spent. I'd like to save that for when I rescape ideally, and spend a year or so gathering hardscape at my leisure and when I'm flush. A lot of the video links I looked at coped with a tank of my dimensions by mainly going Dutch, with a tiny amout or no hardscape visible. With the list of plants I mentioned above do you think this would be enough to get me started or am I way under the required plant quantity to start a tank and not experience serious algae issues due to understocking of plants?

I haven't fully given up on the hardscape but it would be good to know if a more Dutch style is an option.

I really appreciate any advice you can offer!!
Cheers
Dave

 

[alto]

to chop the big stone up.

I actually like that big stone - at least in the photos it’s hardscape that reaches into the upper level of the tank

 

[ForestDave]

I actually like that big stone - at least in the photos it’s hardscape that reaches into the upper level of the tank

I’m experimenting with burying the bottom of it now to make it look like the ground is rising up at the bottom. That is opening more options. Looking into chopping it up I saw the rear faces were unusable so I think that solution is out anyway.

 

[Whitebeard]

Hi,
Looking at the stones and drift wood, the stones have a bigger presence in the arrangement than the wood. So you might use this to your advantage for the scape.
1. Instead of spreading the stones and rocks across the length of the tank, you could look at placing them on the left or the right, with the stones facing the other way (e.g., if you place the stones on the right, slant them a bit to the left and vice versa.)
2. The bigger stone, the way it is placed shows a Flat face to the viewer. can you see if you could turn the stone, so that the flat face is either facing the bottom, or the back glass of the aquarium and the texture on the other side is visible? This would add some visual complexity, as well as tone down the presence of the larger stone.
3. If you decide on (1) and (2) looks better, then you can have the smaller stone support the larger stone (by supporting it from the bottom) so that both the stones are facing the same side of the tank (like from left to right or right to left) and fit the larger driftwood lower and smaller drift wood above but in the same direction of the stones. This will help the viewer's eye move in one direction, rather then all over the place in the aquascape.
4. Also, slanting the bigger stone and supporting with smaller stone will also tone down the presence of the larger stone and will help give equal importance and viewing space for the drift wood also.
5. If you are going with the above, make sure that you create a pocket behind the stones (by placing more stones), so that you can fill that pocket with soil to grow stem / other plants.
6. you can use the left over area to either cover with sand or cover with soil to have carpets, mid and background plants

Also, in the pictures you shared, all stones are facing away towards the back.. it will look better if you could either face the stones towards the front glass or the right glass (if you are placing the stones on the left) or Left glass (if placing the stones on the right)

Try some combinations.. use rule of 3rds to place the stones and drift wood and try to see if you can arrange the stones and drift wood to guide the viewer's eyes in a given direction.

Just my thoughts...

Hope this helps!

 

[ForestDave]

Cheers Whitebeard.
Plenty of ideas there. Unfortunately the big stone has lots of brown lumpy bits on the back and this is the best view of it. Next time I’ll get smaller stones and glue them together maybe. I’ll have a play round when I get a chance though.
Cheers.

 

[Whitebeard]

@ForestDave - Awsome! please post pics of the updates..

 

[Paul27]

Hi Alto
Here's a list of my plants. I'll admit that I probably panicked unnecessarily after the shops selling out of lots of plants and got some I was after and then bought random ones elsewhere to add to the numbers. I did take Hogans' advice and get quite a few fast growing stem plants to help with the initial phase. It's probably far too random a selection but half of me wanted to try lots of them out to see what they did.

2x Pogosternon Erectus
3x hygrophila Polysperma
2x Heteranthera Zosterfolia
2x Ludwigia Palustris Red
2 Ceratopleris Thaliclroids
1x Ludwigia Repens diamond red
1x Microsorum Pteropus Trident
2x Pogosternon Helferi
2x Hydrocotyle Tripartia
10 stems of Rotala SP Colorata
5 stems of Ludwigia sp Arcuata
3 stems of Hygrophilla sp Diifformis
a good handful of Helanthium Versuvius
a couple of Echinodorus Bleheri
a few Cryptocyryne Flamingo/Green Geko
14 small Bucephalandra various types
a few small Mini Java Fern
10 small Anubius various types
2 pots of Eleocharis Acicularis Mini
Plus,
Weeping, Christmas and Fissidens-Geppi mosses
and some Salvinia Auriculata.

I was just going to stick the fast growers at the back have a small area with Montecarlo and Eleocharis as a carpet. Have the mosses and anubias/bucephalandra on the wood and the rocks. Tripartia either side of the tank and watch a few videos for other placement ideas. (Pretty shoddy planning I know! I'll try and draw up a layout diagram).

I'm pretty loathed to buy more rocks as I've already way over spent. I'd like to save that for when I rescape ideally, and spend a year or so gathering hardscape at my leisure and when I'm flush. A lot of the video links I looked at coped with a tank of my dimensions by mainly going Dutch, with a tiny amout or no hardscape visible. With the list of plants I mentioned above do you think this would be enough to get me started or am I way under the required plant quantity to start a tank and not experience serious algae issues due to understocking of plants?

I haven't fully given up on the hardscape but it would be good to know if a more Dutch style is an option.

I really appreciate any advice you can offer!!
Cheers
Dave

14 small Bucephalandra various types. 😍

 

[ForestDave]

14 small Bucephalandra various types. 😍

Hopefully I won’t kill them too quickly! 🤪

 

[ForestDave]

Well I pretty much spontaneously combusted trying to get a scape I liked with the 2 lumps of slate and relegated them to the pond. I’m now £45 lighter and have 5 smaller hopefully more controllable rocks. I’ve done a few arrangements but this is my favourite so far. Obviously I’d do a bit of woodwork to blend certain areas of the branches and hide the junctions with plants.
So if anyone is bored on a Sunday and up for ripping my proposed hardscape apart go for it!
Cheers

 

[Courtneybst]

I like it! The only thing that bugs my eye is that flat part of the wood on the left that looks like it's been cleanly cut, it's quite distracting.

You could cover it with plants though