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Design Help!

Kieran

New Member
Joined
5 Mar 2023
Messages
7
Location
Ireland
Hi Guys I’m new here and I’m in the early stages of setting up a planter aquascape. Im hoping for some design help from experienced scapers. I found a really interesting and usual piece of Azalea root and I couldn’t resist buying it but now I’m finding it difficult to plan the rest of the tank around it. Hoping for some input from and ideas yourself on it. The tank is 1.2m x 500 x 500, 300 litres, Co2. Thanks in advance.
 

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IMO that wood would lend itself better to a smaller aquarium, or do well as part of a duel island scape i.e. two islands in a tank of your size.

Incorporating some rocks, you might pull off a single island in your tank.
Or equally try triangle composition, heavily planted on one side so the wood eventually only has a branch or two showing.

If you haven’t come across it before. Search for ‘scape it’ on Google and have a play around on there for inspiration.
 
do well as part of a duel island scape i.e. two islands in a tank of your size.

Incorporating some rocks, you might pull off a single island in your tank.
Excuse me, I can't resist to paraphrase such an advice: Main thing - don't ever try to create anything that we haven't seen before at least thousand times.
 
Hi Kieran, welcome.

I'm not really a scaper so bear that in mind but I love that piece of wood. I'd move it slightly off centre (if you go for the golden ratio it would be best) and slightly back and then try to have a lower wood slightly closer to the fromt of the tank but off to the side of the main wood. This will give you are really open scape but with the extra wood detail you won't have to much flat space.
 
Thanks for the replies guys much appreciated. I decided to keep the wood for a future piece and try for a dragon Stone Mountain range, I think I’m almost done with the hardscape, not sure if I should try to add some sand to run up the valley or do you have any suggestions before I start planting?
 

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Also any suggestions of what to plant, I’m thinking maybe a carpeting plans and some small plant for in around the rocks?
 
Just a word about the wood it looks like Millennium wood not Redmoor and apparently it can cause issues and needs soaking for a long time, maybe @Courtneybst can give a better Id ,welcome to UKAPS
Yes definitely Millennium Wood. Try it in 6 months once it's been exorcised! 👹

Nice bold rock work though! I think it'll be better without sand personally, and you'll thank yourself in the long run for the maintenance. Plus I've never really appreciated the aesthetic of sand and aquasoil mixed together...

I think with the lovely arrangement you've made it would look good with either one plant species used en masse for great impact, or lots of different coloured species and create bursts of colour - kind of Brazilian style. Just some suggestions!
 
Nice scape with the dragon stone, although I’d fill it with water before making any decisions on final layout as the refractive magnifying effect of the water will make the scape look different. You may find you want to lower some portions of the mountain range and/or create some more foreground and valley space once you see it filled.
 
So I decided it was too much rock in there and simplified it to focus more on Iwugami style and work on growing a nice green carpet. This is the progress after 4 days. The Monte Carlo seems to be starting to grow and spread out a little already so I’m hopeful I’ll have a full carpet in 4 to 6 weeks. Also added some acoustic panels to the inside of the cabinet to help dampen the sound of the pump.
 

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The dragon stone is for sale at my local aquarium store, I got 80kg of it to find the rocks I wanted and then I returned the rest to the store afterwards.
 
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