Arghhh, aquascaping!

[Gypsum]

I've been trying to 'scape my 125L and I'm not achieving what I want. Trying to make something resembling a rocky river bottom.

This is the tank. I don't like how I've configured the rocks on the right side. The aircraft carrier has to stay, because the plecos love hiding in it, and hey, rivers have random junk in them anyway. At least it's not a shopping trolley.

Any suggestions?

 

[mbsqw1d]

First thing I would suggest is a black background, which can be achieved by using a black bin liner, it hides any wires and airlines and also allows everything in the scape to 'pop' against it.

The rocks/pebbles you have on the left are quite large looking by themselves, so if possible, if you could source some of the same in colour but smaller, to help blend the larger ones into the substrate.

The 'rule of thirds' always seems to work too.. so draw imaginary lines through your tank (birds eye view) and chop the tank into thirds, so there'd be a grid of 9 rectangles. Then try and position the main features on the intersections. This is a truly awful sketch so I apologise but trying to show what I mean lol

The shipwreck I'd put off centre on one of the intersections, and use some of the grey stone around the base of it to blend it in, and also scatter the grey stones a little rather than have a wall of them. River beds are generally a scattering of stones rather than any structures. Id possibly have the tree root positioned behind the shipwreck, and then the orangey coloured pebbles, again on an intersection, back-right. Try and have the plants in and around the features

 

[2tank]

Remember rule of thirds for auqascaping

 

[Colin_T]

Put a picture on the back to make the fish feel more comfortable. Dark coloured backings show up most fish and plants well.

Get rid of the 3 rocks on the left.

Move shipwreck to left side of tank and leave the middle open so you can see into the rocks on the right side (to check for debris and bodies).

 

[Gypsum]

The idea behind the big rocks on the left was constructing a cave for the vampire shrimp, facing the little powerhead, but as you can see, they've moved into a couple of the pleco caves and prefer the current from the big powerhead.

 

[Meg0000]

I don't think the rocks are necessarly too big, if you want to acheive a sense of scale and for it too look more natural, I would add smaller rocks of the same color. Maybe try to add plants that are native to river environment that would look good in the flow. I will link a ytb video, maybe it will inspire you!

 

[Meg0000]

 

[thuctoanvietnamese]

Dont stack equally big rock.use more small rock and small pebles.add tannin

 

[thuctoanvietnamese]

Remove the ceramic cave and the piece of wood to,or try to put them partially burrowed in sand

 

[Gypsum]

I'm not going to win any aquascaping contests, and my fish were very unimpressed when I upended their world, but I'm a lot happier with this. Got rid of the whole drystone dyke thing, and made my rocks look far more natural.

It will get a background on Wednesday, so watch this space.

 

[ClownLurch]

Get a piece of black “mounting board” from “The Range” to gaffer tape to the back of the tank. Costs under £5. The fish will feel safer.

 

[Gypsum]

I got a thing on evil Amazon with round rocks and grassy plants for a fiver. Hence alluding to Wednesday, because that's when it shows up.

 

[Gypsum]

Background finally showed up. I might have to replace the vallisneria with something more amenable to my water, but I'm happy with this tank now.

 

[Fishmanic]

Looking better. Hope you enter it in our February Tank of the Month contest which will feature tanks sized at 31 US gallons and larger.

 

[mcordelia]

looking good!!