Give Me Your Advice On My Hardscape.

[SuperColey1]

As per the title really, I am moving house in the next 2 weeks and I am planning on totally rescaping my tank.

I have put in 2 pictures below. The first when I originally set it up so you can see what is there and how it is positioned and the second how it looks at the moment (now things have grown in.)

Some things to take into consideration though:

The Nuphar is either coming out totally or one quarter of its core will be replanted left or right.
The White background is going and it will be clear (Ivory white house walls with clear glass back)
The filter pipes are being moved to the right side of the tank with the diffusor being positioned at the front left one third way up (Yes...Im copying George).
All the taller crypts will be moved more toward the back and the smaller ones to the front giving me a more 'traditional' layered look.

So on to the hardscape. I am not getting anymore so what you see is what I can move. In the first and second pic the hardscape is in the same and is as follows:

Back Left - 12cm x 12cm bogwood with Philippine and Needle Ferns on it
Left Central 20cm x 15cm Plum Slate Block resting on another 15cm x 10cm Plum Slate Block (Cave like and is plecs fave place)
Centre Driftwood tree which has 1 long branch moss covered pointing upward. 1 long branch pointing left along the substrate with Anubias Barteri v Nana, Anubias Barteri 'Petite' and Needle Leaf Ferns attached. 1 short branch pointing right along the substrate with Anubias Barteri v Nana attached (This piece will only stand up on all 3 branches or as it is now.)
On the right is a 30cm x 15cm L Shaped Mopani Cave with a ledge and it has Anubias Barteri v Nana, Anubias Barteri Petite and Needle Leaf Fern attached.

So I am just after advice really on how you think I should arrange these 4 items. My current thinking is to leave the 3 branched piece of driftwood as it is. Make the large slate piece much more prominent by moving the smaller piece further underneath leaving it on the left but angling it towards the back of the tank. Move the small piece of bogwood with the Philippine Java Fern on it more towards where the tip of this slate will be (approx one third from the left) and finally leave the Mopani as it is.

Looking forward to all your help on this one because as you can tell I'm useless at the hardscaping part. lol

Pic at setup:

Pic at present:

Thanks in advance
Andy

 

[RYO]

Hi SC, first part on the hardscaping is planing. Find the look your after and plan the build. The basic composition shapes are

mound Thanks Paulioo.

u shaped Thanks George.

triangle

When you read up on composition of waterscapes you will come across the golden ratio. The ratio of 1:1.618 is the golden section. If you can understand it your a better man than me lol (someone might be able to explain it ) but as far as i can get my xmas ravaged brain around it , its its all to do with esthetics's and not plonking everything dead center which intern is more pleasing on the eye.

Have a look through members journals and see the way they have built up the substrate to help create a scape rather than have the normal flat moon scape.

Hope this is of some help Im off replaning one of my tanks now lol

Roy