# opinions and comments on new scape



## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

as the title suggests, I'm finally putting together my 55. can I get some input on my hardscape? something is missing and I can't put a finger on what that is.

still deciding on wether or not I'm going to raise the scape underneath the rocks to give a valley like feel to the middle under the branches.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

It needs more asymmetry. The apparent size of both rock groups is very similar. Both groups occupy the same spot relative to their ends of the tank, and they are both centered front-to-back.

The narrow footprint of the 55 does not give you much freedom on placement, so you need to work on making one group distinctly dominant to the other.

I really like your rock selection, and the combination of wood and rock is quite good.


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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

Michael said:


> It needs more asymmetry. The apparent size of both rock groups is very similar. Both groups occupy the same spot relative to their ends of the tank, and they are both centered front-to-back.
> 
> The narrow footprint of the 55 does not give you much freedom on placement, so you need to work on making one group distinctly dominant to the other.
> 
> I really like your rock selection, and the combination of wood and rock is quite good.


thanks for the tips and feedback Michael, I'll head into the garage and see what I can come up with. I also didn't realize how much more difficult it is to work with 13" of room until lately. 
I think I finally made the decision to go el natural. would a 48" 2x54 HO be too little/too much? I'm trying to compensate with the loss of light at 21" from the substrate. I hope this doesn't exclude all carpeting plants such as DHG.

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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

update on what I got going. going NPT with this one. I'm liking my focal point just puzzled as to what to do on the other side


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## XJfella95 (Oct 27, 2011)

I love the rock selection and really like the branch you have there. 

A few things I notice tho. The large rock on the right is to plumb and looks unnatural. Try tilting it a little in the direction that your branch is swaying, set up parallel lines with the right edge of the rock and the main branch trunk. The substrate is flat and without depth. What about a slope from front left to back right? I like the open space on the left but those rocks are either to small or to uniform for my eyes to wonder around.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

I like this one very much! And agree with XJfella's comments.

If you use any foreground plants, they will quickly conceal your smaller stones. Try grouping them more tightly, predominately on the left side but with one or two on the left to "support" the dominant stone. If you move the small stones closer to the front, you could leave an area of bare substrate between them and the front glass.

I really like the arrangement of the three large stones on the left.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Forgot to mention, your lighting may be on the high side. If you develop algae problems, raise the fixture, remove one tube if the fixture will operate with only one, or decrease the photoperiod.


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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

XJfella95 said:


> I love the rock selection and really like the branch you have there.
> 
> A few things I notice tho. The large rock on the right is to plumb and looks unnatural. Try tilting it a little in the direction that your branch is swaying, set up parallel lines with the right edge of the rock and the main branch trunk. The substrate is flat and without depth. What about a slope from front left to back right? I like the open space on the left but those rocks are either to small or to uniform for my eyes to wonder around.


thank you XJFella for all your advice, everything you said makes alot of sense. as for the plump rock, it's got some flat faces so it'll be difficult trying to get that to sit how you mention, but I'll see what I can get done. as for sloping the substrate, I haven't had any tile or anything to put underneath so I haven't necessarily had a chance to get to creating a slope, but I definitely like the idea. how would one go about adding tile to a substrate that's already been laid out? as for the rocks on the right, they are a bit on the small side, and couldn't seem to find anything to come up tht wouldn't be too distracting, I'll definitely be working on that today. thanks for all the comments and helping tips! appreciate them all

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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

Michael said:


> I like this one very much! And agree with XJfella's comments.
> 
> If you use any foreground plants, they will quickly conceal your smaller stones. Try grouping them more tightly, predominately on the left side but with one or two on the left to "support" the dominant stone. If you move the small stones closer to the front, you could leave an area of bare substrate between them and the front glass.
> 
> I really like the arrangement of the three large stones on the left.


thanks michael, I'm not sure if you are referring to the stones in my first setup or the one posted after, either way, I think I'll have another go at rescaping my tank with consideration of all the tips given so we'll see how it comes out!

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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

Michael said:


> Forgot to mention, your lighting may be on the high side. If you develop algae problems, raise the fixture, remove one tube if the fixture will operate with only one, or decrease the photoperiod.


I was worried about the light not being able to reach in the substrate in the 55 gallon. I'll more than likely try to find a weaker bulb to replace one of 10ks. Amy recommendations?

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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

re did the scape and am much more pleased with it. thanks for all the tips and suggestions! any other opinions and comments are welcomed! not sure of the placement of the twigs. think I'm gonna go with the last picture as my final


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## XJfella95 (Oct 27, 2011)

That last set up looks really good. If you don't have access to larger rocks for the left side try moving what you have closer to the front glass and you won't loose them in your plants. 

ROPS:


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

I like both 4 and 5. This has come a long way!


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

I like this one a lot more.


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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

thank you for all the kind words. I'm in the process of filling as I speak. however, all my slopes are falling along with the rocks. any tips on getting them to stay put? it's a little disheartening 


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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

happy new years to everyone. was hoping to come home to a nice brew and a suggestion as to how to keep my slopes from going flat. filled
my tank earlier and everything pretty
much fell apart. would love to hear how people keep their scapes from doing this!


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## XJfella95 (Oct 27, 2011)

Flourite or Eco complete with a sand cap keeps everything in line for me.

That stinks man that things fell apart on you. I'm jealous. Those last two setups look really good


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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

XJfella95 said:


> Flourite or Eco complete with a sand cap keeps everything in line for me.
> 
> That stinks man that things fell apart on you. I'm jealous. Those last two setups look really good


it's something fixable but it won't hold the EXACT shape it normally does. everyone whos seen the pic and tank in person says it looks the same, but I'm tedious and want it exactly the same

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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

fixed it a bit need to add some sand. got down to the miracle grow in some areas when I was redoing the slopes. I'll get to that later after work or possibly tomorrow. canister filter is going great. I'll probably start updating on my journal from here on out. thank you everyone for the tips!
oh and don't mind the extra rocks and branches out of place the DW is still floating on me


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## cdSan (Nov 17, 2011)

I really think your hardscape has a lot of potential. Especially for a 55. I would make sure to choose plants to help you create depth. 55's are notoriously known for being shallow from front to back and hard to properly aquascape.


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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

cdSan said:


> I really think your hardscape has a lot of potential. Especially for a 55. I would make sure to choose plants to help you create depth. 55's are notoriously known for being shallow from front to back and hard to properly aquascape.


thank you. I recently placed some crypts, nana, DHG, and HC. however, I am not liking the plant job I did. any tips on what to plant, and where?

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## cdSan (Nov 17, 2011)

Good plant selection. What kind of DHG is it. The eleocharis parvula variety?

What I would do is plant the nana, and crpyts (if these are the smaller crypts), around the stones and driftwood. Maybe tie the nana to driftwood, and get some moss for the driftwood as well. Then plant a foreground with the HC and dwarf hairgrass. Make sure to plant these inbetween the stones as well and not just in the front.


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## singolz (Oct 27, 2011)

it's actually acicularis. I put mini vietnam in the side backgrounds they'll go along the back of the rock formation making sort of a semi diagonal going towards the center of the tank. an unidentified ludwigia in the middle. maybe put aromatica behind the biggest rock, sort of outlining the rock in the back drop? possibly use it on the left side as well in the very back left corner. pictures below of how it looks right now. anacharis and banana will be removed. using them temporarily to soak up the nutrients.


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