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Aquascape Help

1707 Views 13 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  brutus, 
rohape
Couldn't think of a better way to word the title. I need help scaping. I'm sure it could use some help, I'm kind of happy with it. I feel it could look better.
Would anyone mind directing me a little with their recommendations? I've read articles and posts on aquascaping but just can't seem to get that right feel.
I just rescaped the tank to this yesterday. I'm open to anything right now. The swords haven't had the chance to set in yet so I can move just about anything. The Dwarf Sag. would be a pain, but I kind of like it where it's at.

Just a side note. It is a NPT style tank. Most of these plants have been in here for a long time except the smaller plants....(hygro's tiger, tropic sunset, giant; mayaca, L. Sessiflora, J. Repens). Just got the new plants in yesterday, hence the rescape. :)

Please check this link, I have notes on what plants are where as some are hidden behind other plants.
https://flic.kr/p/2762730340 Just move your cursor over the picture and you'll see the "notes" boxes appear.

Thank you all for the help. I know I'll get some good advice from the keen eyes. :D

edit:Forgot to add. This is a 55gal. with 2 65w 6700k PC bulbs.
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4
Hi! just a piece of my mind if im going to rescape your tank ...Ill place the apontogen cryptus and the ozelot sword on the left side of the tank to cover my filter and let the foreground plants take over the right portion. The tiger and the stargrass will then have a portion of the limelight to show their beauty.The red melon sword i'd put inplace of the cryptus behind that georgoeus rock.Have fun:D
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rohape
Hmmm, that sounds pretty good. I'll have to do some playing and look at something like that. Thank you. :)
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L
I don't really like the flat rock in the middle. It is the first thing i noticed and draws the eye away from the rest of the tank. I would consider moving either left or right, think rule of thirds.
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chagovatoloco
Those Vallisneria Spiralis will get very tall. They often look good lining the back wall. These plants are not fully matured, make sure you know their full hight when they are grown. This will help you plan a scape the the tank will grow into.
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rohape
I have had spiral val's for about 3 years now. These guys now just went through a rough time and were dying for some strange reason. I am left with only about 4 plants now.
I can't move the rock. There is a force of nature that exists right now that will not allow it....wife. :D She likes it there. I kind of do too, it's makes a nice center piece to build around.

So far this is what is in my brain.
1. Move the Apon. over to the left/back side to cover the filter.
2. Moving the Ozelot behind the rock.
3. Moving the Melon sword to the left front side.

Still working out the stems in my head on what should go where. I could put the large bush of Hygro. Difformis to the right/back corner and keep everything trimmed down to make a center slope look.
I'll draw it up in paint real quick and post.

Thank you all for the replies and ideas.
My apologies if I don't use your idea or shoot it down.

edit: Added the tank drawing. So I'm stuck where to put the stems. That Hygro. Difformis is driving me crazy trying to figure out where to put it.
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B
agree with longbowj rock gotta go or be moved away from centre
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El Exorcisto
Some good hardscape would probably be a good start as well. That one lonesome rock detracts a lot from the overall picture. A few more to join it would be good. Use them to define a foreground and background, that helps add depth to the tank.
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rohape
Ok, here's where I'm at after some moving around. This was a quick snapshot and some cropping to get it to fit to the forums.
I could definently do more rocks, but moving the rock really is out of the question. I'm not going for a competition worthy tank, just something more aesthetically pleasing. The rock is really a focal point and my idea was concave design with the rock being focal.
http://www.freshwateraquariumplants.com/aquascapingprinc/aquascaping101.html

Still I thank all of you very much for your input! I really suck at aquascaping. I just don't have a designer eye. :D
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El Exorcisto
Yea, definitely more cowbell, or rather, hardscape.
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davemonkey
Now that you've moved things around, I think it looks good. Even in the first pic the only thing I would have done is add more Sag to the front left corner. Your designer eye is better than you think. The ONLY thing I would change is put something tall and 'red' in the back right corner to even out the visual "weight". But, even if you don't do that, it still looks good. You have to look at it in the future tense. (ie. What will those plants grow into in the next couple months?)

You're doing good. Keep it up.
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rohape
Thank you!
Yeah, I'm waiting for my new Hygro.'s to grow so I can get some clippings to balance out the right side and go for the desired concave look.
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The old man
You might want to add a little java moss to the rock to soften it up a bit. Of course you'll need to keep it trimmed so it stays low.
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B
looks better allready ..even better when hygro nice and bushy..i agree back right corner need something like a big bushy ludwigia repens..Kinda has that triangular look right now not concave
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