Help With My Aqua Sculpting!

[craynerd]

Ok so the picture below is the tank at present!

I`ve been reading this Amano book and he talks about the proportion and tank layout, and looking at mine decided that i need a little black background showing!

SO....

If i remove the java fern which is taking up far too much light anyway from the tank completely (java fern, left center) !

Then build up the right hand side, maybe even add a rock at the base of the filter, and hide the side of the tank and filter with tall stem plants.

Then cut the cabomba into a V so i have a space of black background coming down between where my java fern IS (like i said it wouldnt be there now tho!!)

Basically i just feel it would give a nice background space just of center of the tank ??

Any thoughs please?

My plants are growing well! they just need positioning better now! Feel it needs more deapth to the tank

Chris

 

[BigIan]

that sounds like a great idea...

possibky some red plants in there would help break up the green ness of it all or maybe some tall bogwood or something?


what the the small plants in the foreground as i`m looking for something to break up the sand but sill leave me plenty of fish swimming space

 

[craynerd]

""what the the small plants in the foreground ""

Its newly planted glosso...hasn`t taken root yet hence it hasn`t carpeted!

Wondering about some red plants but worried if they would grow or not!!

 

[craynerd]

No one else any comments!

 

[big mick]

More bog wood, thin but tall pieces to attach java moss to.

....also, if your thermometer is the same as mine you can gentlty slide the sucker and hoop over the top and turn the thermometer rond and put the loop back on. That way you can stick it too the BACK wall of the tank and it doesnt distract your eye and best of all doesnt get in the way of keeping the front of the tank clean......just my little tip there.

 

[Themuleous]

Sorry dude, personally I quite like it how it is. While I would never (never, ever!) disagree with Amano, I've always been one for the 'if you like it, then who cares if it doesn't follow the rules' way of thinking. I wouldn't get too caught up in trying to make it 'fit.' If you don't like it, move stuff around, try things differently, until you do like it. Im sure people on here would agree that most peole are never 100% satisfied with their tanks! Its just one of those things.

All that said, if it were my tank, I would thin out the tall plants at the back, just a little not to much and try and get a bit of mid height between the glosso and the swords, to make it a more gradual rise, but thats just me. If you're looking at Amano's books you'll probably see things and think 'I'll try that in my tank' and give it a go, make up your own stile if you want to!

Also remember, that this is still an young tank, you'll probably find it looks different once it's fitted out more.

Hope this helps a little

Sam

EDIT - nice piece of bogwood, you could try and make a feature out of that a bit more? The hole in the middle lends itself to having an anubias (depending on size the nano variety may fit well) added so it sits in the hole?

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Yer, its good as it is but if you want to tweek it, i personaly would move your swords further back and ad some cryts infront of them, maybe add some moss to brake the line of the wood.

When im rearanging i allways look at things in 3's and triangles, not even triangles kind off heavy to one side.

Eg *

* *

If your into photography, try following the rule of photography and see how you get on.

Aquascaping takes time to get to grips with, but it does get better with ecperiance, look outside for insparation.

Go for it.

Graeme.

 

[chrismr]

I agree with Themuleous.

The tank and plants have not been going long, and you will find once they have grown they will comletely change what your tank looks like.

And I also agree to try things yourself. Use books by people like Amano as a rough guide for gauging sizes of plants, etc, but in the end, go with your own gut.

I think one things I have learned is that if I am using wood, then get the wood featured as I would like it and then plant around that.

Also, some plants require a lot of attention in teh way of pruning to get them looking right. Try adn avoid these to start in case you find them too fiddly.

I know how frustrating it can be looking at your tank and thinking it would look better arranged differently. Your tank does look nice though.

The only suggestion I will make is: the plant at the bacj with the cabomba (java fern? hard to tell) move to the back right corner, and move vallis in middle with the rest on right (spread them out ever so slightly)

 

[JArtiles305]

I'd add a red plant to break up the color, and taller driftwood, maybe rearrange the current piece. As others have said Amano has great looking tanks and his own style. There is no need to copy his per say, your tank looks great so far, use Amano as inspiration and as a reference.