# Ideas for 180 gallon aquascape?



## Apistia (Sep 28, 2014)

Absolutely agree with the poster in your TJ saying it's too symmetrical. Look up the "golden ratio" (rule of thirds). It's a principle at play in almost all great art. Things that are symmetrical appear artificial. Things in nature are almost never symmetrical. Also, a proper rule of thirds application provides interest through drama and tension. At its most basic (though rarely quite as simple as this), 2/3rds the "weight" of your hardscape should be on one side of the tank. 

Take a look at some great 'scapes and you'll begin to see the principle at work. 
http://www.aquascapingworld.com/magazine/images/stories/Issues/May2008/a5a.jpg
http://www.aqua-rebell.de/images/aquascaping/ada_galerie_aquascaping_04.jpg
http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com/data/photos/33_1aquarium_adaiwagumi_fishtank.jpg
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/5947/4210/1600/09ADA2006.jpg
These are the result of a quick Google search. Notice the bias to one side of the tank with the weight of the 'scape to 2/3rds of the tank.

Play around with that principle as a good first step. But remember that it's your tank in the end and you should ultimately do what appeals to you. I'll look forward to the results at your TJ.


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## Cthulhu (Dec 18, 2012)

It is too symetrical and flat. The wood is so wide that you don't have much space to move it to either side, so you don't have choice but to put it close to the center, making the scape mostly symetrical. 

You could compensate for that by raising one side, and adding some more driftwood on the other side. Put some styrofoam under the sand on the left side to make it higher. And maybe a smaller hill directly to the right of the driftwood's center. Add a smaller piece of driftwood (but the same type) somewhere in in the right half of the tank. This will break the symetry and add dimension to the scape.


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the feedback so far. I am not sure where to start. First I think I will pull everything out when I get home on Monday from work.

I agree that it too symmetrical.

Few questions. 

One of the comments was that it too flat? Can you explain more? Do you mean the substrate? Because that is about 1 inch in the front, and about 5 inches in the back, hard to see that in the picture.

The wood is attached to slate, so I am bit limited how I move it. What if I turn the wood on the left side and face it towards the wood on the right, and then move the entire thing over right next to the rocks on the left?

Then still have a nice large pile of rocks on the right side.

I really hate doing the aquascape thing, might be why I have spent so much time on doing everything else and now really been waiting to do the aquascape because I am not very good at it. Never have been  My own fault, I live my life with everything neat and in order, and I think I try to push it over to the tank as well. ha ha


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

^^^


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## ChemGuyEthan (Apr 13, 2014)

FishStix said:


> I really hate doing the aquascape thing, might be why I have spent so much time on doing everything else and now really been waiting to do the aquascape because I am not very good at it. Never have been  My own fault, I live my life with everything neat and in order, and I think I try to push it over to the tank as well. ha ha


Haha, well I don't think aquascaping is easy. I feel like I'm rarely satisfied with a scape, and then when you have such a big one, it takes some planning for sure. I think a neat, orderly style is good in aquascaping. I think you can pull it off with this one!



FishStix said:


> I removed the wood from the tank this morning before work, and started to play around with moving it in other directions. This is what I came up with, since I am limited since it on slate, I turned the branch on the left around so it now faces right. I am thinking this is what will give me the look everyone has suggested?
> 
> I plan to move the large pile of rocks around a bit on the left to make it look more natural, then move the branches way over towards the left as well. Not sure if I will have time tonight or not, will post more pictures as I progress. Please let me know what you guys think.
> 
> Thanks


Nice! I like the wood turned that way. How far to the right does that extend? About halfway, or a little more, maybe? I think you'll want the "base" of the wood about 3/4 or 4/5 the way to the left, so there's a little room behind it to plant some tall plants in corner. I think it's going to look really good with some rocks and plants around it, maybe some moss, anubias, and/or fern on the wood. 

And then yes, I think you could do the rocks on the right, probably with some tall plants behind them in the corner too. If you do it right, you can get an overall concave look to the tank, where the back left and right corners are sloped up, with plants and wood or rocks, then it's lower in the middle (less rocks/wood). 

Here are a few examples, couldn't find any of wood and rock on one side, then just rock on the other, but see how there is a dip just off center then plants and hardscape high on each side? That's what I'm talking about with the "concave" scape.

http://i.imgur.com/Rawzql.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/znq0dl.jpg

Hope these help, I enjoy aquascaping a lot but don't have the time/money to keep redoing mine or buying more tanks so I live vicariously through others, haha.


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Thanks for all the info. I pulled all the rocks and wood out tonight, but I am bit lost what step to take next. In regards to the substrate, right now it goes from front to back with a nice slope, it same all the way from left to right. 

Are you saying I need to make the substrate same height on the right and left, and lower in the middle? I guess for example say 2 feet in from the right on each side from front to back have it all say 3"?

Also are you suggesting put rocks around the drift wood in circle on the left, so no stacked on top of each other?

As for the right, then just stack the rocks on top of each other?

Like I said terrible at doing the aquascape. ha


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## Fodder (Sep 15, 2014)

Don't be too critical of yourself, FishStix. People devote their entire well-beings into crafting the art that we call Aquascaping. Even for those that are 'naturals', I'd guess they spend more time than most of us imagine. 

But, a lot of us mortal folk do satisfactorily when some general guidelines are followed (or at least considered). I think the following is a pretty good primer for a getting a feel for the artistic side... http://fish-etc.com/aquascaping-main/aquascaping-a-planted-aquarium

BTW, Your set up is truly drool-worthy, and I'm sure a lot of us are looking forward to seeing what you do with it!


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Thanks for the advise guys, I have been rather busy with work, and to be honest, I need to step away from it for a few days. I hope to spend some time on it this weekend and then post some updated pictures. I figured I have waited this long, if I step a way with it and come back to it in a few days with a fresh look, might help.


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## ChemGuyEthan (Apr 13, 2014)

Yeah, if you really put time into a scape, it's liable to last longer, I would say. If it's not well planned out and you throw things together, you'll just want to change it later. I find it helpful to step away for a bit and come back with a fresh mind.

Keep us updated!


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

I found a local guy that has a bunch of Blyxa auberti, he wants to get rid of and I have been looking for this plant. What do you guys think? Was thinking I would get about 8 plants from him. At a dollar each cannot beat that.

I plan to spend some time again trying to figure out where to scape everything.


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

^^^


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

So the more I work on the tank, the more annoyed I get. I really don't have much budget left, so that causes a bit of problem. Need to make sure I save enough for plants and fish. ha 

I think part of the problem is I don't like the wood. Which is a major problem.

I was thinking about ordering 2 of the xl wood from bigals, not sure best to put them right next to each other or what. What do you guys think?

Thanks


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Move the wood to about 1/3 of the way from one side or the other. 
The root or trunk would aim roughly for the back corner, but this may be adjusted. 
Go back to your first post. See the pretty large rock that is triangular, to the left of center? That is just about where I see the wood. The picture above (in post 12) has the wood too far to the left. 

Add some rock, lets see what it looks like. I would not add it just on one side, though. Add some on the other side of the wood, too. Perhaps 2/3 of the stone on the right, 1/3 on the left.


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## FishStix (Sep 19, 2013)

Diana said:


> Move the wood to about 1/3 of the way from one side or the other.
> The root or trunk would aim roughly for the back corner, but this may be adjusted.
> Go back to your first post. See the pretty large rock that is triangular, to the left of center? That is just about where I see the wood. The picture above (in post 12) has the wood too far to the left.
> 
> Add some rock, lets see what it looks like. I would not add it just on one side, though. Add some on the other side of the wood, too. Perhaps 2/3 of the stone on the right, 1/3 on the left.


Diana,
Thanks for the feedback, great advise. I will give it a try, but what do you think about the wood in general? Do you think it goes, or I was thinking maybe I should go with something like this instead?

http://www.bigalspets.com/aquarium-wood-xl.html


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