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Cloudy sky

I think you need to get a few sample pieces of the ground cover plant so you tell how much you need to smash the slate up
Also how high the walls have to be compared to the height of the plant
Noted but I don't think this will really happen as I would have to let the plant grow to see and the walls need sticking together.
I need to finalise my initial plant selection too. I know the height needed to make it look about right I think assuming I use MC or HC as the main foreground plant.
I wouldn’t worry about it looking like a model railway
If all the top people can create mountains and valleys with waterfalls why the hell shouldn’t you recreate a scene you love ?
This is true, I do think there's a fine line between cheesy and dramatic although sometimes it depends on your name to the reaction you get I think!
 
As soon as the discussion has moved onto open fields and mini slate dry stone, I now have the vision of a single matchbox tractor on one of the hill slopes to complete the diorama!

But serious love reading this thread, keep it up Andrew..
 
Could work/look good
Thoughts so far?

As soon as the discussion has moved onto open fields and mini slate dry stone, I now have the vision of a single matchbox tractor on one of the hill slopes to complete the diorama!
Oh I already voiced my concern over what I am looking at doing in such a way which just leaves me wondering why I've given it a go!

So...................
I'm unsure what really pulled me towards Deans idea but something did.
Still weighing up the pros and cons really; a big pro for me is definitely being able to keep at least 2 separate planting areas but I can also think of many cons.

Here is what I have mocked up and just thought I'd ask for peoples' honest opinions on it.
I toyed around with the wall going through the tree as originally planned and it splitting the wall apart but it was just too much.
Picture 1 is just the base and I opted to take the bumps out of the top course to make the coping course easier
Here's where I'm at the moment and I would plan to run the coping course like in picture 2 all the way around what you see in picture 1.
BUT I would cut a section of what I have already out and if I think it's going to work have a play around with something like in picture 3 with a fallen branch only complete the look.

Honest opinions invited as always.
Andrew

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Love the coping stones
What about a path running along the wall ?
You could use the slate for this or just push stones into to substrate having the flat side up ?

I also like the fallen branch
Will you have to superglue it to the wall ?
Any full tanks pics showing it ?


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Love the coping stones
What about a path running along the wall ?
You could use the slate for this or just push stones into to substrate having the flat side up ?

I also like the fallen branch
Will you have to superglue it to the wall ?
Any full tanks pics showing it ?
So assuming I do go ahead with this wall position and type.......................
A path is something I had thought about but there is no real natural place for it from what I can see - aside from along the wall but slate would look just the same and unsure about adding another stone type to the tank.
The fallen branch part is yet to have more work; the course below will be 'damaged' too and the scattered coping stones will be a bit more (un)organised as will the coping stones leading upto the fallen branch.
I'd like to think if I organise the damage in a certain way that the piece of fallen branch would just stay wedged in place and mean I could lift it when it comes to cutting my caret but we will see.

I still have soil levels to sort out and thinking I might use the wall as a retainer to hold the soil behind at a slightly higher level than in front.

Also on the thoughts are adding another, smaller wall to the back right in some kind of way.
I now it's still missing something just not sure what and where so suggestions welcome.

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This is heading towards full model train set/aquascape mash up! Plough your own furrow dude.
Maybe an English/British version of Taiwanese style scaping?
I'm unsure if these comments are positive, negative or neutral! - maybe you could let me know! ;)

I have also thought about changing the backing from black BUT it would need to be something solid as there are pipes and sensors running up the back for ATO, temp and doser.
Maybe some interesting looking clouds? :crazy:
 
I like it, certainly not the normal style you see but unless you are adhering to certain competition rules who cares ?
I have always done and built unusual things away from the normal, I don’t want to look at something I can see elsewhere, I think your capping stones are awesome.
 
I like it, certainly not the normal style you see but unless you are adhering to certain competition rules who cares ?
I have always done and built unusual things away from the normal, I don’t want to look at something I can see elsewhere, I think your capping stones are awesome.
I'm definitely not a competition man!
Thanks for the compliment on capping stones. :artist:
What are your thoughts on adding other things? - what and where, I know you too have different ideas. ;)
Thoughts on replacing the black backing with a skyscape photo?
 
Hi, my comments are positive! Its not a style im into but its cool you are trying something different to the norm!
I've no idea how it will turn out but I just want something I enjoy looking at (and is easy enough to maintain)
I had a look over the Sussoa thread and he suffered my biggest fear with this wall; algae! - only time will tell if I have those problems.
 
I'm unsure if these comments are positive, negative or neutral! - maybe you could let me know! ;)

I have also thought about changing the backing from black BUT it would need to be something solid as there are pipes and sensors running up the back for ATO, temp and doser.
Maybe some interesting looking clouds? :crazy:

From my point of view it isn't really a positive as I am referring to some of the older Taiwanese styles that have houses, shacks, wall, bridges in them however.......I should add that I am not really one to critique something that someone else likes. I went through a stage of wanting to do "abstract" scapes with linear shapes, symmetry and all sorts of other things which came in for a lot more ridicule than you can imagine :)

All of us go through periods of experimentation, sometimes quite out there. It would get very boring if scape after scape we just did similar things with small differences. At the end of the day learning is about exploring, experimentation and curiosity which helps shape our preference and while some experiments might end up being something we look back on with a cringe (not saying your idea is that) we might take aspects of that forward into our progression which gives each scaper their own individual style gathering in aspects they have liked from each progression.

The below are what I was referring to when generalising "Taiwanese style." It is questioned whether this is Taiwanese style at all. Some of these are done well, others not. There is a line that can be crossed. I'll let you decide which one(s) go past that line :)

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I have also thought about changing the backing from black BUT it would need to be something solid as there are pipes and sensors running up the back for ATO, temp and doser.
Maybe some interesting looking clouds? :crazy:

I say get out and take a photo
Some rolling hills
Doesn’t cost much to have large photos printed on line
Then simply back it on wood or hardboard to stop the lights going through it

You could even make your soil follow the same lines so it really is an extension to your layout

It will be a challenge to do but I’m positive it can only add much more depth to a scape than a solid colour background

It would really be like watching a living picture


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Re photo
I would avoid getting any vehicles or aircraft in it

Re the wall
I wound not use the wall as a retaining wall for the soil behind it that’s just not what stone walls in the country do

Wall V algae
I believe the wall is in one piece ?
So the occasional rub over with a toothbrush won’t hurt it
Or if you lay the path of slate so that the wall actually sits on it then if things got bad you could simply lift out the wall to clean it if you felt you needed to

But algae could also affect the tree

So with any planted tank the use of a good clean up crew will help
What plans do you have for a clean up crew ?
Do you want them to be a big part of it such as using SAE or brightly coloured shrimp
Or more discrete such as amano shrimp or very low quality red cherry shrimp

I’ve just had the vision of some ottocinclus in a row on the tree branch start singing



Yes I know I’m bonkers I have the Drs letters to prove it


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From my point of view it isn't really a positive as I am referring to some of the older Taiwanese styles that have houses, shacks, wall, bridges in them however.......I should add that I am not really one to critique something that someone else likes. I went through a stage of wanting to do "abstract" scapes with linear shapes, symmetry and all sorts of other things which came in for a lot more ridicule than you can imagine :)

All of us go through periods of experimentation, sometimes quite out there. It would get very boring if scape after scape we just did similar things with small differences. At the end of the day learning is about exploring, experimentation and curiosity which helps shape our preference and while some experiments might end up being something we look back on with a cringe (not saying your idea is that) we might take aspects of that forward into our progression which gives each scaper their own individual style gathering in aspects they have liked from each progression.

The below are what I was referring to when generalising "Taiwanese style." It is questioned whether this is Taiwanese style at all. Some of these are done well, others not. There is a line that can be crossed. I'll let you decide which one(s) go past that line
Everyone is entitled to their view and I do appreciate honest opinions - if someone thinks it looks naff I'd rather they just told me.
I said before I started the wall I thought it could end up looking very model train set which is not what I want.
There is a fine line between something looking good and completely naff; I think the photos you put up have crossed that line and do look naff in my opinion.
I guess I will see how the next stages pan out and see if the look is for me or not.
 
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