# Critique my hardscape please



## Iwagumi_Scaper (19 Jun 2018)

Hi all,

I've just set up the hardscape in my 25L and I am looking for some critique and any potential improvements I could make. With the rock on the left I tried to create the illusion that it had broken off of my main stone. The placement of the rock on the right hand side I am unsure about.

Thanks a lot


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## JenCliBee (19 Jun 2018)

Swap the front rocks round and maybe add a few smaller ones around just to give some scale possibly?


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## Iwagumi_Scaper (19 Jun 2018)

JenCliBee said:


> Swap the front rocks round and maybe add a few smaller ones around just to give some scale possibly?



Hi JenCliBee,

I'm trying to sick to the three stone set up if possible. I've had a tweak and swapped the right hand stone for something different. What do you think now?


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## Iwagumi_Scaper (19 Jun 2018)

Damn I keep trying new things  here's the latest (after taking a hammer to some more dragon stone)


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## sparkyweasel (19 Jun 2018)

I ilke the second arrangement much more, the lines and flow are better.
The right hand rock in the first one is not a very useful shape.
The right hand rock in the third one looks as if it's trying to get away from the others. 
Also not so much difference in size in the third scape between the Oyashi and Fukuishi.
hth


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## Iwagumi_Scaper (19 Jun 2018)

sparkyweasel said:


> I ilke the second arrangement much more, the lines and flow are better.
> The right hand rock in the first one is not a very useful shape.
> The right hand rock in the third one looks as if it's trying to get away from the others.
> Also not so much difference in size in the third scape between the Oyashi and Fukuishi.
> hth



Yes I think I agree, but I don't know if the right hand rock is a bit too big. Perhaps I could sink it into the substrate a bit more. Do you think there is enough tension in the set up? I know one rock is supposed to be angled differently to the main stone for this reason.


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## sparkyweasel (19 Jun 2018)

When you're happy with the arrangement, yes, bed the stones into the substrate a bit more, so they look as if they're growing out of the landscape, not sitting on top of it. Or just scatter a bit more substrate to build it up, if you have some spare.
Are you going to plant a carpet? If so, it will hide some of the bulk of the right hand rock, especially the right end where it is low. It won't make as much difference on the Oyashi, as it is taller. If you're not going to carpet, then probably sink the right hand rock/Fukuishi a bit deeper in the substrate.
hth


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## Iwagumi_Scaper (19 Jun 2018)

sparkyweasel said:


> When you're happy with the arrangement, yes, bed the stones into the substrate a bit more, so they look as if they're growing out of the landscape, not sitting on top of it. Or just scatter a bit more substrate to build it up, if you have some spare.
> Are you going to plant a carpet? If so, it will hide some of the bulk of the right hand rock, especially the right end where it is low. It won't make as much difference on the Oyashi, as it is taller. If you're not going to carpet, then probably sink the right hand rock/Fukuishi a bit deeper in the substrate.
> hth




I've put a bit more substrate down at the front and increased the slope at the back so it's now 2.5cm at the front, going up to about 6.5cm at the back. I'll take a photo later this evening and post an update of how it looks. The plan is to keep it basic with simply a carpet of Monte Carlo which I'm going to grow out with the dry start method before I flood the tank  Pretty happy with how i looks now so I'm going to leave it as i is while I wait for my pots of MC to arrive.


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## Iwagumi_Scaper (19 Jun 2018)

This is where I'm at currently.


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## sparkyweasel (19 Jun 2018)

That's good, I still like the second version though. Certainly better with the extra substrate, amd the slope gives more apparent depth.
Have you got Photoshop, or Gimp? You could mock up what they would look like with the carpet grown in.


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## Keith GH (20 Jun 2018)

Iwagumi_Scaper





This is the best by far its very easy on the eye.   There is still room for improvement.   The small rock front LH just not fit in as a matter of fact sorry to say it looks like you bought a rock and put it there to give you an uneven number of rocks.

You might be able to move it around in that general location to give you a slope in the same direction as the other two rocks.  You have enough substrate if required it could be buried a little to help in getting the same slope. 

You might like to try something like this.   Just make sure the top part of the large rock is your main focal point.   The sloping substrate gives it another character.





Keith


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## Iwagumi_Scaper (20 Jun 2018)

Keith GH said:


> This is the best by far its very easy on the eye. There is still room for improvement. The small rock front LH just not fit in as a matter of fact sorry to say it looks like you bought a rock and put it there to give you an uneven number of rocks.



Hi Keith,

Thanks for your input. Do you think the RH stone creates enough tension in this set up? Also could you explain why you think the LH stone looks out of place? I tried to position it so it looks like it came off of the main stone.

Thanks


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## Iwagumi_Scaper (20 Jun 2018)

Keith GH said:


> This is the best by far its very easy on the eye. There is still room for improvement. The small rock front LH just not fit in as a matter of fact sorry to say it looks like you bought a rock and put it there to give you an uneven number of rocks



Hi Keith,

I've changed the scape again and tried to match the angle with the LH stone but the strata doesn't flow in the same direction a the main stone. What do you think? I still like the way it looks but perhaps theoretically it isn't 100%


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## alto (21 Jun 2018)

Just to muddle the waters 
What happens if your turn the main stone?
I'm not a fan of the double "peak" effect ... I think traditional Iwagumi (vs the mountain style rockscapes so popular now) is difficult with dragon stone which lacks defined edges (in contrast with Manten etc stone)

I recall some of Takashi Amano earlier work (small tanks, 3-5 stones) but can't find much online 

Have you gone through the ADA YouTube channel? 
- somewhat time consuming as often 3 different scapes may show in the video but thumbnail/English title give little away re content


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## Keith GH (21 Jun 2018)

wagumi_Scaper

Here are two very small adjustments for you to try.
I moved the RH rock towards the front RH corner so it's in the Focal point.
The front LH rock still has me puzzled its very difficult to get it in "that" position.
What I finally came up with was to rotate the front towards the right one reason it looked to square on to the front.

Its come to the point now try these simple moves or return them to where they were.
The most important point now is as long as you have tried and now you are happy with what you have achieved.   Remember once planted it will look totally different.

Keith


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## Iwagumi_Scaper (21 Jun 2018)

Hi Keith,

Yes I think your layout has improved the look so I'll leave i as it is until this evening and then think about starting to plant my MC. Unfortunately one of the tubs I got had turned the MC upside down so the leaves were sat in the water and it looks a bit worse for wear but I'm sure it'll spring back once planted.

This is my first ever planted & aqua scaped tank so it's a bit of a learning exercise more than anything. Also my firs time using co2, so even if I end up thinking "oh this would've looked a bit better" in a months time, there's always my next tank 



alto said:


> What happens if your turn the main stone?



I'll give this a try also, Alto. I did experiment with angles on the main stone a little, but I'll have another tweak and see what happens.

I've been looking tthrough various youtube channels and I think the ADA one was included. With the stones and budget I've got I think I'm close to as good as I can get it now. Over the years I'll build up a larger selection of stones.

Cheers


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## alto (21 Jun 2018)

Iwagumi_Scaper said:


> Unfortunately one of the tubs I got had turned the MC upside down so the leaves were sat in the water and it looks a bit worse for wear but I'm sure it'll spring back once planted.


If the MC is not already pushing against the upper "lid", just set the pot to rights & wait a couple days - the MC will quickly sort itself out


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## KeeperOfASilentWorld (22 Jun 2018)

Dear @Iwagumi_Scaper,

I would advise you to keep looking for some larger stones if you want to stick with a Sanzon Iwagumi layout. All photos are angled (top view). Could you take a full frontal photograph from the tanks level? ( At 90degrees to the front glass) You could try taking the photo from far away, that could work.

Happy Scaping


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## Keith GH (22 Jun 2018)

Iwagumi Scaper



Iwagumi_Scaper said:


> Yes I think your layout has improved the look so I'll leave i as it is until this evening and then think about starting to plant my MC



The most important point now is as long as you are happy with what you have achieved.   You can always make a mock tank and have as much fun as your want for future Aquascapes .   It's a great way to learn.   The substrate can be cheap sand or even garden soil.

Keith


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