Reef aquascaping video series
- Thread starter Ardeus
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It was a custom built tank made to fit an existing island wall. 52"L x 36" wide x 30" tall. The whole working set up was offered to me, I just had to do the work (break it down, and get it all out of its previous home)...
It was a custom built tank made to fit an existing island wall. 52"L x 36" wide x 30" tall. The whole working set up was offered to me, I just had to do the work (break it down, and get it all out of its previous home)...
This was my first putting of pencil to paper after doing a fair amount of research on aquascaping...
I have been meaning to sit down with much larger graph paper I picked up, and do a new larger, closer to scale rendition/tweak.
Life is FULL of stuff that gets in the way!!
https://www.reef2reef.com/attachments/20180429_105049-jpg.734014/
I have been meaning to sit down with much larger graph paper I picked up, and do a new larger, closer to scale rendition/tweak.
Life is FULL of stuff that gets in the way!!
https://www.reef2reef.com/attachments/20180429_105049-jpg.734014/
NY_Caveman
likes words, fish and arbitrary statistics
If you are interested, a program like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets can also be used like graph paper to place and move shapes around. It’s fairly easy to customize the stock shapes and the grid will help to create a useable scale. Not as fancy as the videos presented here of course, but it is quick and it works.
This is an example of some I did if you are interested:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/brand-new-aquascape-forum.386276/page-3#post-4690222
Ok... first mock up. Ardeus, and anyone else who would care to give their IMHO...
Just threw this in. The back tall spire hasn't been envisioned for this spot, but wanted to see the flow of the vision on this side and I've been planning something taller in the back so this gives a general idea. Its just this right side set of structures we are looking at.
OP
OP
It's a 240 gallon tank, but to me it looks much smaller, because it seems that there's rock going from back to front.
Could you post 2 photos of the 2 views you will have of the tank?
There are many rocks that don't look like they belong to any structure. In the long run it may not be that much of a big deal as corals grow on them.
I see that you have smaller rocks under bigger rocks. If they are going to be visible, it won't look good.
There are different ways to come up with an aquascape.
You can have a concept in your head and then use the rocks you have to build it. It works well in larger tanks.
You can choose the rocks you like the most and play around with them, starting with the bigger ones. It works well in smaller tanks.
Could you post 2 photos of the 2 views you will have of the tank?
There are many rocks that don't look like they belong to any structure. In the long run it may not be that much of a big deal as corals grow on them.
I see that you have smaller rocks under bigger rocks. If they are going to be visible, it won't look good.
There are different ways to come up with an aquascape.
You can have a concept in your head and then use the rocks you have to build it. It works well in larger tanks.
You can choose the rocks you like the most and play around with them, starting with the bigger ones. It works well in smaller tanks.
I was just asking about the right side of the tank. Coral on the bottom on the other side is just sitting there. I just picked up some more Coral, and am letting it dry out and die before I start messing with it for more structures.
See my link in post #26 for my first drawn out plan.
My plan doesn't show variation in height but there will be distinct variation in height, and depth. Like the one thread about the principles of art (rules of thirds), I'm going to be guided by that, as well as many of the things you talk about. No symmetry, etc... I'm wanting to have more auqascape than some of these tanks show. I admit that some of them look amazing, stunning, like works of art! But... I want to have a balance of something that's pleasing, interesting to look at, draws your eye to different areas, heights, depths, etc.. but also have a reef, with lots of nooks, crannies for hiding and darting, bridges and tunnels for swimming through and under, that are view-able. I want it to be a playground, not just a minimalist work of art as if on a canvas hung on a wall. I don't plan on having my tank stuffed to the GILLS with coral like some of these tanks are (NO disrespect intended, I just prefer a little less crammed together and busy)...
The tank is 52" long x 36" deep x 30" tall = approx 240 gal
OP
OP
Ok, now I can understand your goal better and I think it's a tough task.
The more you have, the more difficult it is to make it look harmonious, that's the main reason why minimalist aquascapes are much easier to pull off.
When I am coming up with aquascapes for these videos I limit the amount of structures because not only it's easier for me, but it also is easier for anyone who watches them to understand the layout and why in my opinion they work.
One of the best exercises anyone can try out is creating layouts with 3 rocks. Get 3 rocks with different sizes and try rearranging them in multiple ways, seeing what works and why. Then try doing it with 5. And then 7.
The more you have, the more difficult it is to make it look harmonious, that's the main reason why minimalist aquascapes are much easier to pull off.
When I am coming up with aquascapes for these videos I limit the amount of structures because not only it's easier for me, but it also is easier for anyone who watches them to understand the layout and why in my opinion they work.
One of the best exercises anyone can try out is creating layouts with 3 rocks. Get 3 rocks with different sizes and try rearranging them in multiple ways, seeing what works and why. Then try doing it with 5. And then 7.
OP
OP
Here's an example you won't like 
It reminds me of things I have seen while diving. That being said, I find one thing terribly wrong here: the fish choice.
A pair of clowns without anything to host them is a big no. A layout like this needs tiny fish that hang in the hard corals and sand sifters. The yellow tang is also out of context there.
It reminds me of things I have seen while diving. That being said, I find one thing terribly wrong here: the fish choice.
A pair of clowns without anything to host them is a big no. A layout like this needs tiny fish that hang in the hard corals and sand sifters. The yellow tang is also out of context there.
OP
OP
The speed I am putting out videos is limited by the speed of my computer, who's rendering images at the rate of 1 per minute.
I finished working on the peninsula aquascapes 2 days ago...
I already have another, much longer series of videos planned
I finished working on the peninsula aquascapes 2 days ago...
I already have another, much longer series of videos planned
I do agree with your assessment... the more rock, the more going on, the harder it becomes to make it look appealing, unique, natural, harmonious, with depth of height, foreground and background. But I'm going to take my time and work at it, build unique structures, cut/chip/break/drill/holesaw/chisel pcs to fit, magnet pcs to hang on back/side wall. I'm also working on something really unique for a pc in my tank, that I'll unveil when done...
This past weekend I went and saw a 300 gal tank, 96" long, 24" deep, and 30" tall. With all the coral in place and grown in, this tank looked like one long one dimensional wall that sloped up and back, with barely enough room for fish to fit between the coral and the glass near the bottom. While it had amazing corals to look at and lots of left to right reef to admire, it really felt one dimensional. It totally lacked character, or interest. It was a perfect lesson in how many corals can I maximally display top to bottom left to right...
Not my taste at all. So I'd say... in my head, in my vision, I'm somewhere in between where you are, and where that tank is. More rock scape, but still with interest/variation/depth, and maintaining some open space as well.
Not my taste at all. So I'd say... in my head, in my vision, I'm somewhere in between where you are, and where that tank is. More rock scape, but still with interest/variation/depth, and maintaining some open space as well.
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