Joes first attempt (Rio 180)

go with number 3 in my opinion but slide it another inch or two towards the left, so that the long branches will be reaching out into the right hand side of the tank. some may agree other may disagree (majority here )

 

now i dont like giving critique on hardscape because its all personal, and how can we really be precise when we dont see in our heads how the plant layout is...the guy scaping the tank has a better idea in is own head, but on this layout, if i could add my bit, i like no.3 also but for me would move the wood to the right.

if follow the golden rules/thirds you have to decide whether the wood is focal point or the plants behind the wood is the focal point

i.e if plants are to land on the golden ratio,the wood does not need moving too far to the right. just a suggestion joe

 

I think I agree with you saintly, #3 but moved slightly to the right, might have to alter my planting plan slightly to accomodate, as I have changed my mind slightly since I posted it however many months ago.
However, I am not overly bothered with golden ratio's etc as the setup is mainly for me to learn how to grow the plants etc, that will come in later set-ups once I'ev mastered the basics

 

off course joe. similar route i took.

it is worth baring in mind though, to learn trimming techniques of stems etc (which you must do to maintain a scape) wood positioning is as important as learning to grow the plants in the first place. i.e height of first trim second so on and so forth...... i guess walk before the running i suppose.

 

I suspect, that much of the lower part of the wood in #1 and #2 will be covered by the plants, so I guess there's no point in putting something that big in the tank that won't show it's full potential.

 

If anyone is wondering, I ordered 6 E. tenellus, 3 P. stellata and 3 M. pteropus, which will go in along with the crypts, swords and small anubias from my 2ft.
Not sure if this is enough plant biomass, but will do for now
Im wondering if the P. stellata was maybe a mistake due to the difficulty, we shall see..... 2wpg, w/pressurised CO2, cant be that hard surely. . . .

 

I had the same thought as Keymaker, that the first two placements would have most of the long pieces of wood covered by the plants (depending on species of course). If you like the wood towards the right as you say, you could keep the same arrangement as #3 but mirror it i.e. put it on the left.

I don't know if I've missed something subtle, but #3 and #4 look the same to me!

 

It's hard to tell from the picture, but 4 is slightly closer to the front and left, and its angled backwards instead of forwards. Not a huge different, but just toying with all the possibilities.
I will get a pic when I get in from work this evening mirroring #3 with the wood on the right

 

Well, another problem encountered
Went into my local MA (Llansamlet) to pick up the plants I'd ordered (E. tenellus, P. stellata and some java fern), only to find that instead of E. tenellus they'd got in some Lilaeopsis sp., which he tried to tell me was just another name for the same plant, and another stem which wasn't P.stellata and I'm not sure what it was, but was in terrible condition whatever it was.
So I asked for my money back (as I had paid a 50% deposit) and left.
Was the first and last time I will be shopping at that store again

 

Number 1 for me everytime

 

from your planting plan it looks like the vertical section will be the focal point. As such I'd go for set up 3 with the vertical section at the golden/ magic/ whatever point, so a bit more to the right. Are you going to use any other hardscape?