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If you had a 90x35x45 what would you do...

Steve Smith

Member
Joined
19 Jul 2007
Messages
4,412
Location
Wellesbourne, UK.
Playing about with this at the moment, and tried one layout, which isn't working for me. I'm currently waiting on a bag of AS from TGM (should be with me tomorrow) as I didn't have enough.

I'm scaping with Seiryu stone, but I have a limited amount. Sadly, no big chunks. Might be aquiring some more this weekend from Ice if I can arrange transportation :)

I'm now trying to decide if I should go for a mound or, like I have been playing with, 2 opposing sides. I've been having trouble getting a good feeling of depth. My rocks are a bit too small :lol:

Planting with be mostly Rotala sp green and then some highlight plants, along with downoi and maybe hair grass or some such up front.

Sooo... mound or opposing?
 
If the rocks aren't very big... I'd say opposing. I don't know why, I just think it would look better considering you don't hae any large rocks.
 
Well, this is where I'd got too, but should give you an idea for the stone I'm playing about with...

sneak_peek.jpg


Like I say, not enough depth...

(Oh, the water isn't murky, it's the backing that hides the cables in the background ;))
 
theres some amazing rocks there. character wise.

you could do what amano does...i think he calls it mounding?...something like that.

anyway, you can create the impression of a larger rock by starting at the bottom adding AS around it and work your way up to a mound.theres a bit more to it than that, but it gives the impression stones are linked as one underneath the ground. this is one of his techniques if he's stuck for a particular stone....yeah right :lol:

it's a shame really....you only need 1 big one and your away. those stones really are ace

you definitely have something there of quality
 
Thanks mate :)

I will hopefully have these available at the weekend, depending on circumstances:

seiryu_stone.jpg


Again, no huge feature stone, but some more to choose from :) I'll hopefully have my AS tomorrow giving me a weekend of playing :)

heres a bit of a side angle if it helps:

sneak_peek2.jpg
 
I think you should send me the stones, then use something else. They clearly aren't suitable for that tank ;)


Have you used a barrier between the AS and sand, Steve? I'd consider a mound like Mark has suggested. Those rocks are ace mate :)
 
Thanks for all the rock appreciation ;) Most were hand picked at TGM, with a smaller tank in mind, and the others were bought from AE blindly (Rich did a great job of picking out rocks that I tried to describe via my online order).

Theres no barrier in there, just started with the rocks in place, layed the AS, layed some of the Zambezi sand, moved rocks and mounded everything up a little.

I was more or less happy, untill I added the water. Wish I hadn't now! Oh well, will drain it and start fiddling :)
 
If your after more depth how's about running smaller rock to the rear but higher than the front give the illusion of going uphill into the distance just be sure to place the rock at the back slightly out of sight as if it going round a corner, But i'm sure with the amount of plants you got you will make anything look great!!
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys :)

I think I've settled on a layout. After a few hours draining and playing about with sand and stones, this is what I came up with:

Almost01.jpg


I then tweaked it a little, moving the little stone in the foreground and adding to the left rock and the one next to it:

Probably01.jpg


I'm still a little unsure with my tweaks, I might have another play tonight. I have my Aqua Soil now, so I'll be covering most of the sand and filling in a bit inbetween the rocks.

Thoughts? Critique gratefully accepted :)
 
fantastic mate, great work in trying to create something large.

of course theres tweaks to be made, but you've got it goin on there mate. the second works better, as the left most stone is distracting in the first image. there are on-line, images of amano iwagumis that use seryiou stone in the same manner as your doing it now....low, rather than one stone that sticks out.

keep playing mate :D
 
Thanks Mark :) Nice to get positive comments from someone who's mastering the rock layouts!

Here's a side angle:

Probably02.jpg


It'll all be a bit better merged with the substrate when I get the AS spread about tonight. Then a weekend of planting!
 
Hi Steve

Looking very good there. Prefer the 2nd layout myself, easier on the eye.

Just a thought on your background, I've just bought some window frosting film from ebay, and used it on my nano (and going on my others too ). It smoothly diffuses the back wall of the tank so you cant see details through it, and responds really well to the top light, and being backlit too - great for photography ;)

Cheers

Tony
 
Tonser said:
Hi Steve

Looking very good there. Prefer the 2nd layout myself, easier on the eye.

Just a thought on your background, I've just bought some window frosting film from ebay, and used it on my nano (and going on my others too ). It smoothly diffuses the back wall of the tank so you cant see details through it, and responds really well to the top light, and being backlit too - great for photography ;)

Cheers

Tony

Thanks Tony :) Believe it or not, that's grease proof paper on the back. It's a bit tatty now so I was gonna remove it. Good idea on the window frosting :) I've thought about tracing paper in the past, to get away from the orangey look, but then I can't help it with the nasty orange wall in the back ground.
 
Thanks Matt :) I'm trying to get a little continuity with the white streaks in the rocks, specially on the left and mid-front rocks. It's a shame the two at the back didn't have any of the white veins in them too, but I don't think it's too noticeable :)
 
Love it mate, they are both terrific, i'd go for the second one if it were mine.
PM me if you want some crystal for the back pane, i have hundreds of meters of the stuff. Nice idea BTW Tony.
 
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