Rule of Third and aquascape

[k2-]

Hey Aquascape Guru's,
Context : TL;DR, I can keep SPS corals to thrive but aesthetics I suck.

With my new build of 96x30x24 i plan to change this and put some serious effort. I like -ve space concept and hub and spoke kind of design and can give space for each SPS to grow out. ,I want to play sith the lighting as well - by that i mean not a constant equi-spaced light across the tank but more like aquascape is highly lit to suit SPS and there is a gradient of light.

About questions for Rule of 3rd -

In a 96" tank do i only put 2 rock structures - each peaking at 32 inch ? Or how does it work in large tanks ? I do not want the tank to look empty either.

I am looking for inspiration of pictures of similar sized tank as well and any new idea that i am not exposed to yet.


"Since i know its not my area of expertise , if any guru here looking to live bi-curiously in being involved in my build would love it" - Its a garage build but my plans are not garage standards.

 

[blaxsun]

I'm not following the Rule of 3rd, but this is the rockscape in my 71" x 23.6" x 25.6" tank if you wanted a few ideas.

 

[reefadam]

When I think of the rule of thirds, the main focal point will be 1/3 over and 1/3 down, so I would recommend this be a peak of the aqua scape. The secondary peak could be 2/3 over and 2/3 down, I wouldn’t recommend making them equal heights. Normally I like to split my scape into multiple islands or bommies as well creating a lot of negative space. The intended growth of corals should also be considered, if you plan on putting acro on the uppermost peak, it will quickly grow to the surface, so you should decide if you want this included, or to leave room to grow. Encrusters typically don’t change the scape as quickly or as dramatically.

 

[reefadam]

Here is a scape I did last year in a Reefer 900. I had this giant toadstool leather that I wanted as a focal piece, tho due to its size , it would pretty much be on the sand.

I divided the tank into thirds and created the focal point on the red line, framing it with the reef walls angling towards the red line as well to draw one in. I was also inspired by the finger Canyons we sometimes come across while diving.

 

[LightingBug]

I am researching my planned aquascape and thought this video was really helpful:

About 8 mins in they talk about the thirds rule.

 

[Legendary Corals]

I think the rule of 1/3rds is just ok. It's a good starting point, but a lot of that gets thrown out of the window once you start to fill your tank with corals. The corals themselves change the scape and all of the different colors/ shapes/ patterns found in corals will also change the way you view your tank.

Here's a really good article someone created on Reef2Reef for it, and the inspiration photos are great as well!

Tips and Tricks on Creating Amazing Aquascapes

Being a artist for fun and profession, I see things different than most people. I decided to create a article about composition, balance, color, and depth within your reef aquarium. I really hope this can help some of you out to create your dream...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[k2-]

Thanks , Follow up

When I think of the rule of thirds, the main focal point will be 1/3 over and 1/3 down, so I would recommend this be a peak of the aqua scape. The secondary peak could be 2/3 over and 2/3 down, I wouldn’t recommend making them equal heights. Normally I like to split my scape into multiple islands or bommies as well creating a lot of negative space. The intended growth of corals should also be considered, if you plan on putting acro on the uppermost peak, it will quickly grow to the surface, so you should decide if you want this included, or to leave room to grow. Encrusters typically don’t change the scape as quickly or as dramatically.

Thanks Guys, Amazing tips here. Looking forward to sharing the progress.