60cm ADA Naupaka Coast - Page 3 - Aquascaping

heyman · 09-04-2006, 01:02 AM

Sup Steven, your tank is looking pretty kool, I to will be setting up a 60cm
(someday)..
-Scott

Rek · 09-04-2006, 02:45 AM

original scape

very very nice pitures

gf225 · 09-04-2006, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenmiddlefinger

Thanks for the critique gf225. My personal opinion on hardscape is, the stronger the better!!

The biggest weakness with the majority of scapes is not enough height in the mid-ground. When I was setting up, I actually wondered if that rock was too small!! This isn't iwagumi, but it is a scape based on rocks as the twigs are more high-lights than anything structural. Since the trend is for having very strong main-rocks in iwagumi, I decided to stick to that type of basic rock-gardening principle. Amano-sensei is using scapes with even more dominating main rocks, so I thought I'd go with something pretty strong here.

I understand. I guess my very limited experience with hardscape shows.

To be honest I'm nervously excited about positioning mine. I have some nice rocks but not sure how to combine them, if at all with the wood. I digress....

Keep up the good work Steven.

Steven_Chong · 09-04-2006, 02:37 PM

Thanks guys!!

Scott, good luck man.

George, You'll be fine dude-- one thing I'd say is that if it's wood (like manzinita/old wood type) wood dominates, the rocks are used to prop the wood and hold sand apart from soil but really, wood rules. This scape, rock rules, and I made sure that was the case. It's possible to have both be important but . . . I think one usually ends up being stronger than the other.

dennis · 09-04-2006, 02:56 PM

Awesome work as always man! I remember wondering how you would do this layout in real life several months ago when you first posted the sketch. Nice execution. My only critique would be that I feel the first photo of the original hardscape was a little stronger. The "tightness" of the rock arrangment was more appealing, though spreading the rock out a bit might be best in the end... keeps all the hardscape from disappearing in the plants.

God I love those rocks! :shakes fist in envy) !!!!

Steven_Chong · 09-04-2006, 03:29 PM

? Dennis, they weren't moved at all from one photo to the next. Only difference is that I put more substrate around/on top of them from the original to the later shots.

And, heh heh . . . well, some were bought in Japan, but quite a few are from Mount Fuji.

A shot of me at the top of Japan. XD

But, as you can see, there are just lots and lots of lava rock there. Not sure if Japanese lava rock is cursed, but I know Hawai'i's definitely is, so I'd rather risk Japan's.

DJKronik57 · 09-04-2006, 07:17 PM

Can't wait to see how this progresses. The aquasketch is amazing, it looks like an edited photograph! You've got a real talent there. Now if only you had unlimited funds to make them all a reality. Ahh, being a student sucks sometimes!

Steven_Chong · 09-05-2006, 10:44 AM

haha, yeah it really does sometimes . . .

When I was in Japan, I dragged my Dad all the way to Niigata to see Amano's gallery (and convince him that what I was doing was worth it) lol.

His comment: "Wow, this is so so much better than TV . . ." ^^;

dhavoc · 09-05-2006, 11:24 PM

beautiful scape! waiting for the updates. setting up a 120g, i hope Kalihi Pets gets some E. Trianda in soon. so is this a long term tank or a summer only?

Steven_Chong · 09-06-2006, 12:44 AM

This is a, "I plan to seriously compete with this tank so I'll keep it until I get some top-grade photos out of it" tank. My aim is to be done with this lay out by the time I head back home for winter break, then to dismantle it after winter break and start with a new scape next semester. If of course, it doesn't come together by December, I guess I'll have to go longer.