# Help / Advice on hardscape



## dlouly76 (Jul 5, 2015)

I have a new 120P and wanted some advice. I am leaning towards the middle setup. At first I was going to do Iwagumi style and thought it would be cool but at the end of it all I would probably get bored and want to plant other plants besides carpeting plants. 

I wanted see what you thought about my middle layout. 









Any advice to re-adjust ---- I was also thinking of breaking one of the larger 3 rocks to make more smaller rocks. 

Thanks!


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

I think I like the 2nd scape the most although it's a bit hard to gauge without substrate. You could probably elevate the left corner even more to reach the Golden Ratio. The 3rd one is too clumped and the 1st seems a bit odd.
You could try a scape similar to what the one of the other PlantedTank members Xiaozhuang does, using all rock hardscapes, but using a lot of different plant species anyway, especially colourful stems. Like you said Iwagumis can be boring to keep for some, and to do them well is very difficult. You can have a look at his tanks on his journal or his Youtube channel, which is under the name Dennis Wong.


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## dlouly76 (Jul 5, 2015)

Thanks alot for responding and pointing me out to examples. I am going to go with the second one and elevate even more as you suggested.


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## Crazy Bunny (Jul 23, 2014)

yeah.. the middle one yield the best Dlouly.
Get the group from the right hand side a bit higher will look better I guess ?
bunny


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## dlouly76 (Jul 5, 2015)

OK I went with #2 as it was unanimous from everyone that voted. All three judges. LOL 

I did a slight twist on the right hand side and kinda did a cliff jagged edge look. 

I need another bag of dirt though to go a bit higher and fill in the left hand side under the large rock and between the gaps. 

Thanks


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## Opare (Sep 9, 2015)

This is nice. If you tilt the main stone slightly to the right I think it will make it look more natural. Also, the small stone in the middle (the highest one) looks a little odd.


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## dlouly76 (Jul 5, 2015)

HI Opare
Thanks will tilt to see how it looks when I get home. I actually moved the middle top stone to the right side last night. Thanks for your advice. I ordered one more bag of soil and should receive it hopefully tomorrow. Once I get it I will flood the tank to cycle the amazonia


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

The trapezoid-shaped rock in the front (left) is very distracting. I actually preferred #3 myself.
I also think you need a few more medium/large pieces to play around with; looks a little barren.

Side note-- what are you using as supports? They look perfect for the job!


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## dlouly76 (Jul 5, 2015)

Centromochlus said:


> The trapezoid-shaped rock in the front (left) is very distracting. I actually preferred #3 myself.
> I also think you need a few more medium/large pieces to play around with; looks a little barren.
> 
> Side note-- what are you using as supports? They look perfect for the job!


I actually bought more medium sized rocks yesterday. This morning while getting ready for work I played around with the scape a bit. I am not happy with the left side and \ I will probably redo the left side tonight. 

The supports are drain cells I got the idea from the members mot & Xiaozhuang. Works great. Very strong.


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## dlouly76 (Jul 5, 2015)

Ok I think Im happy with this one. Going to flood it to cycle the substrate.


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## Crazy Bunny (Jul 23, 2014)

dlouly76 said:


> Ok I think Im happy with this one. Going to flood it to cycle the substrate.



Much much much better !!!!
esp. on the right side !! a little cliff before the mountin behind.
Now, if you could move the right hand group just a bit closer to the center. and raise the substrate a tag higher on the right hand group but no equal or higher then left.


Try it. 
I love when I see your scrape come out alive !!!
Bunny


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## Crazy Bunny (Jul 23, 2014)

Crazy Bunny said:


> Much much much better !!!!
> esp. on the right side !! a little cliff before the mountin behind.
> Now, if you could move the right hand group just a bit closer to the center. and raise the substrate a tag higher on the right hand group but no equal or higher then left.
> 
> ...




Arghhhh Shiet !! I am sorry I messed up the left and right


I mean your left hand group is good enough and right hand group need some work. 


bunny


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## orbitup (Jan 30, 2010)

Very nice!


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## dlouly76 (Jul 5, 2015)

Crazy Bunny: Funny your advice is spot on what I did this morning before flooding it and heading into work today. If you look closely my drain cells were showing in the middle there so I needed more substrate. I added more substrate and altered my rocks and sloped it up a bit this morning! I placed some carpet plants in but not certain they will stay or grow. Only time will tell. I will post a picture later.

As promised here it is flooded. Plugged some plants in I hope they make it through the break in of the ada amazonia. First fill, will do a water change tomorrow. Rocks have a layer of substrate dust. The one on the right doesnt as much because of the water flow.


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## Crazy Bunny (Jul 23, 2014)

dlouly76 said:


> Crazy Bunny: Funny your advice is spot on what I did this morning before flooding it and heading into work today. If you look closely my drain cells were showing in the middle there so I needed more substrate. I added more substrate and altered my rocks and sloped it up a bit this morning! I placed some carpet plants in but not certain they will stay or grow. Only time will tell. I will post a picture later.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## dlouly76 (Jul 5, 2015)

Crazy Bunny said:


> dlouly76 said:
> 
> 
> > Crazy Bunny: Funny your advice is spot on what I did this morning before flooding it and heading into work today. If you look closely my drain cells were showing in the middle there so I needed more substrate. I added more substrate and altered my rocks and sloped it up a bit this morning! I placed some carpet plants in but not certain they will stay or grow. Only time will tell. I will post a picture later.
> ...


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

That looks like a nice setup. 

If there aren't any real plants going, don't run your lights (in case you didn't know). Also from my perspective I would tilt the main stone a bit on the left to angle down toward the main stone on the right. It looks too vertical to me anyway.


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## Supa Mint (Jul 5, 2016)

dlouly76 said:


> As promised here it is flooded. [/IMG]


Looks spectacular. Can't wait to see the final product with grown in plants. One question: Where do you get the crate/cell... whatever those things are?

Thanks!


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## dlouly76 (Jul 5, 2015)

Supa Mint said:


> Looks spectacular. Can't wait to see the final product with grown in plants. One question: Where do you get the crate/cell... whatever those things are?
> 
> Thanks!


Thanks. Here you go:
Atlantis 52mm Flo-Cell - Rainwater Collection and Stormwater Management


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