# Please critique my 120g aquascape



## pilla (Feb 14, 2007)

Hello All-
Setting up a 120g low tech discus tank. No CO2, stock lights, no fertilizers.
Tank is still breaking in. Will add discus later. Have few tetras.

The only plant I am planning to have is anubias. 

Do the rocks in the front look too symetrical?
Plan is to have the wood, rocks and plants in the middle and leave the right and left sides empty. How does the setup look?


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Looks sweet - you might try spreading a couple/few of the rocks out a bit more - perhaps leave the odd one or two out by itself over the sand somewhere, away from the central point - so it looks a little more haphazard/natural.

I think discus will love that tank, and look good in it too ! Good job.
Now, fill up the tank/bring the water level up to the top rim, and add a suitable background ( or does it already have a black background) ...... & you'll have a superb discus display tank.


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## alkatraz (Jul 28, 2012)

Love the island look, tank looks massive!

Wood and plant look great to me. Stones on the right look good. Stones in the center, specifically the 2 resting on each other, look a bit unnatural to me.


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## pilla (Feb 14, 2007)

Thanks guys. Will play with the stones little bit and'll post new pics tomorrow.


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## mistahoo (Apr 25, 2012)

Looks too centralized, unless you were going for that effect? I tend to like my hardscape occupying a large part of the tank to give it a dramatic effect. Good start though. Lots of potential.


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## hlaalu (Sep 24, 2012)

My only critique is that the tank isn't in MY house!

Looks awesome


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

Nice job! I like how the tank is so open.


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## pilla (Feb 14, 2007)

Did some very minor changes.
Moved the rocks in the front. Added a drift wood on the right and a rock on the left.
Planning on adding more tetras in the next few days.
Thanks everybody for the input.


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## walluby (Dec 3, 2007)

I think you need some twigs coming out of the island.
Take a look at the AGA tanks for 2012.


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## boazz (Mar 4, 2013)

Looks great. Less is more sometimes. The open space really makes me appreciate the white sand a whole lot more.


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## Aqualady (Jan 14, 2013)

hlaalu said:


> My only critique is that the tank isn't in MY house!
> 
> 
> Looks awesome


 lol +1 I totally agree with you here



boazz said:


> Looks great. Less is more sometimes. The open space really makes me appreciate the white sand a whole lot more.


I definitely agree with sometimes less is more.....you can always add as you go if you begin to desire more but I like as is:thumbsup:


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## bluestems (Feb 7, 2012)

Try moving the island to be centered at 1/3 of the tank (either on the right or left), leaving 2/3 of the remaining tank with the bare sand.


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## I3raven (Jan 30, 2013)

I would swap out the slates and use more textured stones like Seiryu stone. That's my opinion...


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## stevenjohn21 (May 23, 2012)

As the above poster said, im not sure the rocks match the dark wood and the rich green leaves on the plants. Plain old river rocks like the picture below would look good and i think it would bring the contrast from the dark background and wood to the light color sand.


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## tomfromstlouis (Apr 2, 2012)

stevenjohn21 said:


> As the above poster said, im not sure the rocks match the dark wood and the rich green leaves on the plants. Plain old river rocks like the picture below would look good and i think it would bring the contrast from the dark background and wood to the light color sand.


I agree with this. Two things bother me about the rocks you have: they are different kinds from each other which keeps the scene from having the purity minimalism prefers. Plus, they are smallish and flat while the tank size and size of the driftwood suggest otherwise would be better. A trip to a nearby landscape supplier and just a very few dollars would give you some substantial rocks to work with.


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## mistahoo (Apr 25, 2012)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That being said, I don't think your scape is great nor is it terrible. If I had your tank, I'd do things differently, but I'm sure everyone would, otherwise we'd all have the same scapes. 

Sent from my spaceship using Tapatalk 2.


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## pilla (Feb 14, 2007)

Thanks guys.
I agree that the rocks in the front do not match and are not arranged well. I'll try to get different rocks and try them out.

Mistahoo- I am looking for inputs. What would you do if you had the same tank/rocks/wood/plants to work with?


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## pilla (Feb 14, 2007)

*Rescaped my tank - Please critique*

Hello Guys - 
Rescaped my tank last week. 
Added more wood and changed the center piece.

How does it look now? and how can I make it better?
Thanks
Pilla


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

Looks pretty good to me. It's up to you & what you're trying to achieve. If you feel it needs to be altered somehow, then go ahead & do it, to please yourself.
But it looks quite ok to me, in fact very nice - why bother changing it ?


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## pilla (Feb 14, 2007)

It looks ok but not really nice. A different pair of eyes will have a different view and I want inputs like it's too symmetric or the wood/rocks can be arranged differently etc.,
My aquascaping imagination is pretty limited.


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

I liked the original structure. If you added 2 or 3 more of those across the tank and made sort of a wooden reef.


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## jmf3460 (Aug 21, 2013)

beautiful discus! I think a couple of pieces of the manzanita needs to go all the way up the water column to the top of the tank because it seems as if all of your scape are in the bottom third of the tank. Nothing goes up top which would help to break things up a bit.


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## Aqualady (Jan 14, 2013)

hlaalu said:


> My only critique is that the tank isn't in MY house!
> 
> Looks awesome





GMYukonon24s said:


> Nice job! I like how the tank is so open.





boazz said:


> Looks great. Less is more sometimes. The open space really makes me appreciate the white sand a whole lot more.


+1 agree...I also like your new setup up


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## Fish from Philly (May 28, 2013)

I think if you're going for the natural look, the rock work should have grain follow same pattern and be uniform. You likely wouldn't see jagged stones next to smooth pebbles

I REALLY liked the island set up but think the branchy look works well too. I just caution you to create a focal point because now, it looks like everything was arranged along bottom. I think if you stood some pieces up, you could also hide the background equipment. 

Beuatiful discus!


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## pilla (Feb 14, 2007)

Thanks for your inputs.
I was trying to make some of the wood stand upright but they would not. I have to figure out a way now.
Will update with more pics once I rearrange.
Thanks again.


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## Fish from Philly (May 28, 2013)

pilla said:


> It looks ok but not really nice. A different pair of eyes will have a different view and I want inputs like it's too symmetric or the wood/rocks can be arranged differently etc.,
> My aquascaping imagination is pretty limited.


I hung mine with fishing line and suction cup











Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free


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## pilla (Feb 14, 2007)

Did some rearranging. This is how it looks now.


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## du3ce (Jan 26, 2013)

looks like a campfire I like the way u had the branches before


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## pilla (Feb 14, 2007)

du3ce said:


> looks like a campfire I like the way u had the branches before


Thanks. You are exactly right. I felt the same after the rescape. I'll give it few days and see if I start liking it if not back to redoing it.


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## scotth (Jan 29, 2011)

I almost feel that if you were to flip all the branches over, the scape would be improved. That way, instead of the branches looking like they have fallen from above and landed awkwardly there, it might look as if a tree or shrub is growing out from below. And the branches will take a more natural look as they narrow growing upward.

Then, i think if you hairnet some moss on those rocks and maybe tie down some on the driftwood, add some crypts around the base of the branch/rockwork, more anubias and maybe ferns coming from the lower part of the branchwork where they come together, and give it some time, this scape can really mature into a peaceful scape. That was a long sentence....LOL

I see a ton of potential in this latest scape.


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## anastasisariel (Oct 4, 2009)

The anabuias will attract algea if the picture shows me accurately what your lighting is like.. other than that looks fantastic!


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## amphirion (Nov 13, 2008)

Because of the proportions of the tank, your driftwood pieces would probably look better as accents rather than the main centerpiece. A much larger/thicker driftwood branch would make a more appropriate centerpiece.


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## paquette12 (Dec 16, 2013)

pilla said:


> Did some very minor changes.
> Moved the rocks in the front. Added a drift wood on the right and a rock on the left.
> Planning on adding more tetras in the next few days.
> Thanks everybody for the input.


I personnaly prefered that one but that is only me I guess. I you're going to keep using those drift wood, I would try to place them 'upside-down' so they look like they've been there for a while, half covered by sand and partly coming out. Cause right now it looks like they've been dropped over the sand and not part of it. Then you can use rocks to hold piece in place or again so it looks like driftwood is coming from under ... hope my opinion helps and doesn't offend you.


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## trailsnale (Dec 2, 2009)

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paquette12 said:


> I personnaly prefered that one but that is only me I guess. I you're going to keep using those drift wood, I would try to *place them 'upside-down' so they look like they've been there for a while, half covered by sand and partly coming out.* Cause right now it looks like they've been dropped over the sand and not part of it. Then you can use rocks to hold piece in place or again so it looks like driftwood is coming from under ... hope my opinion helps and doesn't offend you.


good advice!


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## keith1937 (Oct 14, 2010)

http://www.aquascapingworld.com/forums/

pilla

The only advice I can offer you is join and post your last photo on ASW that is an Aquascaping forum and I know you will get all the help you require to create a VG Aquascape.

Keith


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## wet leaves (Dec 13, 2013)

mistahoo said:


> Looks too centralized, unless you were going for that effect? I tend to like my hardscape occupying a large part of the tank to give it a dramatic effect. Good start though. Lots of potential.


+1 on the above critique 
looks good
but if it were me I would move the entire structure to the left by 25% , just off of center a little. and perhaps a small rock or two set out to the right side of the tank? to draw the eye toward the island?


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## wet leaves (Dec 13, 2013)

wow sorry,
totally missed the re-scape photos ...


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