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~Aquascape from Maine~

5K views 29 replies 13 participants last post by  cassiusclay  
#1 ·
Hi! this s my first aquascape:

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Plants:
Ludwigia arcuata
rotala sp green
glosso
HC
HM
Mayaca fluviatillis
Eleocharis parvula and acicularis
Riccia
Rotala rotundifolia
Blyxa japonica

Specs:
Light: 2 x 24W t5 HO, 10000k white
CO2: pressurized with filter as a reactor
Fertilizers: seachem and pfertz
tank size: 10 gallons
WC: every other week

Comments and suggestions welcome!
 
#5 ·
Plants look to be growing very well and healthy. You seem to have three rows of plants all the way accross the tank. Midground, foreground, and background. This is not necessarily bad, but the plants in each row are eaither all the same or have the samle "look". With the background especially, put some different types of plants with different textures and colors. Basically what I am trying to say is work to give more dimension and depth to the tank. One suggestion would be to take out the background plants on the right side and slope the tank from left to right. Then maybe work your drifwood into one area of the tank, perhaps on the left stuck in with the plants?? Work on a focal point. With some minor adjustments this will really turn out nice!:) I hope you can take all this constructively;)
 
#9 ·
I hope you don't take offence to this and you can decide to ignore my comments or use them constructively. Too many times on these forums I see people ask for comments and then everyone just says, "it looks nice". I will say it looks nice, but I'm also providing some comments to improve (in my opinion).

Maybe this drawing I have done will help.
Basically, you see the lines I have drawn. They are all parallel/horizontal and all the plants fall on those lines. I'm by no means an expert in aquascaping, but it is nice to see some variation in line and incorporation of asymmetry.

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I hope this helps.
 
#10 ·
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Matt, thanks for the illustration. Helps explain things much better.

kakkoii, note that you have small leaved plants in the background, grassy plants as the midground, and the low-growing groundcover. Try to mix up the shapes a bit with different plants or hardscape materials, or something with a different color. Maybe arrange the driftwood so it protrudes toward the front more, especially the piece in the back corner.

Blaise
 
#12 ·
Kakkoii,

As the others said break up your background a bit. To help with the driftwood. I would go with the focal point 1-1.618 Or what ever it is basically bring your focal point to the midleft side or so.

Basically I would take your driftwood and sort of bring them close together maybe to resemble a fallen tree. Also I would have some sticking out towards the front glass and maybe some sticking up to break up the background a little bit more.
 
#21 ·
Some small adjustments and a trim:

Critiques and comment welcome!
Well I certainly thought the first scape was very natural, meaning, as I drive the suburban roads of the state of Delaware back through the suburbs of chester county pa to my house, It strikes me as very endearing to an area I grew up in. I see your first scape and I think of bowhunting whitetail deer. Nothing contrived or "artistic". However your rescape is enhancing the first for me. First I see a long row of fields meet woods edge(first scape), and the re-scape: sometimes I spot a familiar entrance pattern the deer are utilizing based on small openings within the lines of fields and woodline! Brilliant!!! Makes me want to go bowhunting!

Perhaps if you like to be extremely creative and adhering to classic art rules, you can create the work that Takashi Amano and so many others have created. Both have merit for me. What were you envisioning when you created the first?
 
#17 ·
I agree! Big improvement. Now it does not look like a single wall of plants. You have that kind of valley in the middle. Now get rid of that heater and bag of ceramic beads... Put the heater in the back corner out of view. I think a black background would look great. Go to a fabric store and get black felt or a real heavy, thick black cloth, cut to the size of the back glass, and attach it to the outside of the tank. It will really make your plants stand out.
 
#19 ·
Wow I see that you really improved the placement of your wood. I really like how you made that valley affect in the middle. Now it has a nice focal point and isn't a wall of green. The trim came out really nice too. Also I wanted to know what is that red spot on the tallest piece of wood on the left in the picture?

Great Job!
 
#25 ·
Hey, another Amano is born! My only other suggestion would be to remove one of the Riccia rocks. Perhaps create an open pathway from the very front all the way to the "valley" between the two background groups of plants. By the way, it is much easier to give advice than actually do it, because I suck at aquascaping! :hail: