# Critique My Aquascape



## Insomniac researcher (Sep 8, 2012)

Any constructive criticism is appreciated but this is my first real attempt at aquascaping. So please go easy on me. 

I plan on raising the big stone on the left a little higher and building the back right corner up a little. 

ADA Mini-L 8.5g with 8 watts of LED. The pic has ADA PS Special and Aqua Soil. I am going to add the Aqua Soil powder once I finalize my layout. I will be planting mostly HC to build a nice carpet... and not sure what else.


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

Looks pretty good as is. If it was mine I would do more of a single group with all of the stones' "grain" pointed in the same direction. Subtrate would be more of a mound slightly off center tapering down to the front and sides. Also try to have your stones protruding a bit more from the subtrate to make up for the height that your carpeting plant will add. Very good for your first time though!


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## thelub (Jan 4, 2013)

Off to a good start. Maybe try them stand up straighter?

Have you seen this?
http://www.thegreenmachineonline.com/articles/tips-techniques/iwagumi-aquascapes-introduction


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## Dantrasy (Sep 9, 2013)

atm there's no focal point. they are all too evenly spaced. try to raise your largest rock and group it with 1 or 2 others. (the two currently in the back corners would go nice together). Consider using only 5 rocks (currently 6 stand out).

that little rock on top of the biggest looks a bit off putting. or is it the same rock? 

i like the level soil across the front. building up the back right is a good idea.


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## jmf3460 (Aug 21, 2013)

let me guess....a carpeting of dwarf baby tears with one or two species of stem plants in the background??? that will be so unique


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

i would rearrange to setup two groupings of stone at each rear corner with one being higher than the other.


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

I think it looks nice... But when u add water... U think the stones Guna move a bit?? Good luck. I subscribed !


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## pink4miss (Aug 20, 2013)

love the ADA tanks! where did you get your stone?


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## Aplomado (Feb 20, 2013)

Take out one of your tiny stones so you have an odd number of rocks... other than that, looks great to me.


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## jfynyson (Apr 15, 2013)

"aquascape" needs water....:hihi:

looking good thus far


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## Insomniac researcher (Sep 8, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Such good advise. 

I agree, the stones are at too steep of an angle and need to be more upright. Yes, they definitely do need to be in tighter groupings. I'm also thinking that I may need to find a better Oyaishi (thanks for the link thelub) stone that I can plant deeper into the soil and get more height.

I will take another stab at it tomorrow night and post an update. 

@ pink4miss, I am blessed (or cursed) to live quite close to an ADA distributor that I can spend all of my money at.



jmf3460 said:


> let me guess....a carpeting of dwarf baby tears with one or two species of stem plants in the background??? that will be so unique


Jacklyn, you are absolutely correct. This is quite predictable, some may even say boring. I will not win any awards or break new grounds with this, and I am okay with that. I find beauty in their simplicity. This being my first setup, I do not think pushing any boundaries would be all that wise of me. 

I actually take comfort knowing that a similar setup has been done thousands of times before. This will give me a vast amount of data and users I can research and reference when I run into problems.


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## Insomniac researcher (Sep 8, 2012)

Okay so I tried two other set ups. Not sure what one is more successful. 

A - the hills could be a little more defined but I think the idea comes across. 









B - a little too much built up on the front but again you get the idea.


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## kubiztzar (Sep 4, 2013)

even if you were to design the perfect layout here I don't know that you'd actually be able to tell with so much distraction going on in the background with those bright-white led clips or whatever and that big-orange home depot bucket in teh background. seriously, I'm about half stressed-out looking at it and it's not even my tank, lol 

I'd re-think the lighting and go for a sleek one-piece led mounted cleanly on the top of the tank. Then I'd take the stones out, even out the substrate in front with some simple elevation towards the back or towards one of the back corners and then I'd leave it alone for a few days, take a deep breath and go read about/meditate on the golden-ratio, rule-of-thirds whatever concept and do some basic layout sketch designs on paper. 

you've got the right store,tank,stone,soil,ideas,motivation and all for the concept you're looking to implement and you'll definitely get there and we all hope the best, but seems maybe you're trying too hard for that unique design and for now it's coming-off rather forced and unnatural.

Figure something out with those bright-white-light clips, cables, background, orange bucket and all and step away for a few days and re-focus. Look at some other layouts(obviously no shortage for this concept), make some basic sketches, find your focal point and focal stone(s), keep things simple,natural and clean and I promise you'll come back in a week or so with a great design and we'll all be damn proud of you for it


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

http://i.imgur.com/eWbnpqQh.jpg


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## Insomniac researcher (Sep 8, 2012)

So I broke down and got another rock. I was thinking that I needed a larger rock because all of the others were on the same scale. By adding the large one it helps create a scale for everything else. I still need to build up the left side a little but probably my nicest arrangement so far. 

The red dots are for the rule of thirds and the other one is for the golden section. 



> seriously, I'm about half stressed-out looking at it and it's not even my tank, lol
> I'd re-think the lighting and go for a sleek one-piece led mounted cleanly on the top of the tank.


My apologies for stressing you out. Hopefully the most recent photo is better. As much as I would like to drop $100-200 on a sleek LED light... that is just going to have to wait.


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## kubiztzar (Sep 4, 2013)

much better. nice job.
might only comment few things:

1. isn't necessary, but you could get away with just the three back stones. more carpet space and would seem to give more symmetry and uniformity on the shape/style of stone (not sure if all the stone is the same?). Either way, the back three look great 

2. lighting? sure, if you went the aquasky or archaea route. but you could fit a nice Finnex rayII or planted+ (I'm assuming 18") on there for I'd say $75 or less. capable of doing what you need and they look damn nice. not necessary but something to research 

3. or you could slap-on a black background. not in keeping with the T.A./nature style you're going for, but would look great and give you somewhat of a unique approach on the style while hiding the clips and cables. If I had this set-up and new lighting wasn't an option, no question this is what I'd do


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## Insomniac researcher (Sep 8, 2012)

So I have decided to plant the tank. I got some HC and planted them (still looking a little sparse) and looking for Hydrocotyle sp. Japan for the background. 

The tank is currently cycling. Ammonia is off the chart of 8ppm. Nitrite is starting to rise, currently at .5ppm. Dosing Seachem Flourish until I get my EI ferts. 



> lighting? sure, if you went the aquasky or archaea route. but you could fit a nice Finnex rayII or planted+


I have actually been considering the Current Satellite LED+. It looks nice and not too expensive. I'm really just waiting for manufacturers to add wifi or bluetooth so I can control it with my iPhone :icon_wink

One thing I cannot figure out is this oil slick on the surface of the water. I don't know if it is something in the tap water or the aquarium. If I increase the surface agitation then the slick just coagulates into a solid. I tried toweling it off and it helped but just comes back later.


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## Dantrasy (Sep 9, 2013)

that's the best oil film pic i ever seen! you just gotta keep removing it. it's muck and dust from the aquasoil. use an air line hose to siphon it out. do your wc this way. it goes away in time. or you could try raising your outflow to create some surface agitation to help break it up. 

your scape is looks really good. top job.


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## pink4miss (Aug 20, 2013)

Insomniac researcher said:


> @ pink4miss, I am blessed (or cursed) to live quite close to an ADA distributor that I can spend all of my money at.


yes you are both …haha they have awesome looking items. 
i have been wanting to switch my bettas sand tanks ( mr aqua 3 gallon bookshelf) to the aqua soil amazonian powder. but i can't seem to get an answer on how much a 3L bag covers and what size bag i need. 2 places i contacted have not answered my question and its been a couple days. if i could see the bag in person i would know how much was needed. i also have read the new aqua soil doesn't leach ammonia like the old did, and wonder if this is true.

for the oil slick you could always get the ada skimmer… pricey little item! i have an eheim, works great but isn't a pretty as the ada one. but from what i read its a better operating unit since it self adjusts


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