# If you had a 90x35x45 what would you do...



## Steve Smith (5 Mar 2009)

Playing about with this at the moment, and tried one layout, which isn't working for me.  I'm currently waiting on a bag of AS from TGM (should be with me tomorrow) as I didn't have enough.

I'm scaping with Seiryu stone, but I have a limited amount.  Sadly, no big chunks.  Might be aquiring some more this weekend from Ice if I can arrange transportation 

I'm now trying to decide if I should go for a mound or, like I have been playing with, 2 opposing sides.  I've been having trouble getting a good feeling of depth.  My rocks are a bit too small 

Planting with be mostly Rotala sp green and then some highlight plants, along with downoi and maybe hair grass or some such up front.

Sooo... mound or opposing?


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## Tony Swinney (5 Mar 2009)

Me and you both Steve !  My 90x45x55 arrives tomorrow, along with some AS and some seriyu stone too !

Gonna be playing with it this weekend, so see where it goes.

Cheers

Tony


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## Thomas McMillan (5 Mar 2009)

If the rocks aren't very big... I'd say opposing. I don't know why, I just think it would look better considering you don't hae any large rocks.


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## Steve Smith (5 Mar 2009)

Well, this is where I'd got too, but should give you an idea for the stone I'm playing about with...







Like I say, not enough depth...

(Oh, the water isn't murky, it's the backing that hides the cables in the background )


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## Mark Evans (5 Mar 2009)

theres some amazing rocks there. character wise. 

you could do what amano does...i think he calls it mounding?...something like that.

anyway, you can create the impression of a larger rock by starting at the bottom adding AS around it and work your way up to a mound.theres a bit more to it than that, but it gives the impression stones are linked as one underneath the ground. this is one of his techniques if he's stuck for a particular stone....yeah right   

it's a shame really....you only need 1 big one and your away. those stones really are ace

you definitely have something there of quality


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## Steve Smith (5 Mar 2009)

Thanks mate 

I will hopefully have these available at the weekend, depending on circumstances:






Again, no huge feature stone, but some more to choose from   I'll hopefully have my AS tomorrow giving me a weekend of playing 

heres a bit of a side angle if it helps:


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## JamesM (5 Mar 2009)

I think you should send me the stones, then use something else. They clearly aren't suitable for that tank  


Have you used a barrier between the AS and sand, Steve? I'd consider a mound like Mark has suggested. Those rocks are ace mate


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## Tony Swinney (5 Mar 2009)

Lots of potential there Steve.  Perhaps the 3 rocks on the right hand side are a bit similar in shape, height and position ?

Tony


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## Steve Smith (5 Mar 2009)

Thanks for all the rock appreciation   Most were hand picked at TGM, with a smaller tank in mind, and the others were bought from AE blindly (Rich did a great job of picking out rocks that I tried to describe via my online order).

Theres no barrier in there, just started with the rocks in place, layed the AS, layed some of the Zambezi sand, moved rocks and mounded everything up a little.

I was more or less happy, untill I added the water.  Wish I hadn't now!  Oh well, will drain it and start fiddling


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## Mark Evans (5 Mar 2009)

JamesM said:
			
		

> I think you should send me the stones,



your joking right?.....send em to me!   

they are very nice pieces it has to be said.


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## ice (6 Mar 2009)

If your after more depth how's about running smaller rock to the rear but higher than the front give the illusion of going uphill into the distance just be sure to place the rock at the back slightly out of sight as if it going round a corner, But i'm sure with the amount of plants you got you will make anything look great!!


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## ice (6 Mar 2009)




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## Steve Smith (6 Mar 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions guys 

I think I've settled on a layout.  After a few hours draining and playing about with sand and stones, this is what I came up with:






I then tweaked it a little, moving the little stone in the foreground and adding to the left rock and the one next to it:






I'm still a little unsure with my tweaks, I might have another play tonight.  I have my Aqua Soil now, so I'll be covering most of the sand and filling in a bit inbetween the rocks.

Thoughts?  Critique gratefully accepted


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## Mark Evans (6 Mar 2009)

fantastic mate, great work in trying to create something large.

of course theres tweaks to be made, but you've got it goin on there mate. the second works better, as the left most stone is distracting in the first image. there are on-line, images of amano iwagumis that use seryiou stone in the same manner as your doing it now....low, rather than one stone that sticks out. 

keep playing mate


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## Steve Smith (6 Mar 2009)

Thanks Mark   Nice to get positive comments from someone who's mastering the rock layouts!

Here's a side angle:






It'll all be a bit better merged with the substrate when I get the AS spread about tonight.  Then a weekend of planting!


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## Tony Swinney (6 Mar 2009)

Hi Steve

Looking very good there.  Prefer the 2nd layout myself, easier on the eye.

Just a thought on your background, I've just bought some window frosting film from ebay, and used it on my nano (and going on my others too ).  It smoothly diffuses the back wall of the tank so you cant see details through it, and responds really well to the top light, and being backlit too - great for photography   

Cheers

Tony


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## Steve Smith (6 Mar 2009)

Tonser said:
			
		

> Hi Steve
> 
> Looking very good there.  Prefer the 2nd layout myself, easier on the eye.
> 
> ...



Thanks Tony   Believe it or not, that's grease proof paper on the back.  It's a bit tatty now so I was gonna remove it.  Good idea on the window frosting   I've thought about tracing paper in the past, to get away from the orangey look, but then I can't help it with the nasty orange wall in the back ground.


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## a1Matt (6 Mar 2009)

I like that last image, looks fantastic.


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## Steve Smith (6 Mar 2009)

Thanks Matt   I'm trying to get a little continuity with the white streaks in the rocks, specially on the left and mid-front rocks.  It's a shame the two  at the back didn't have any of the white veins in them too, but I don't think it's too noticeable


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## Dan Crawford (6 Mar 2009)

Love it mate, they are both terrific, i'd go for the second one if it were mine.
PM me if you want some crystal for the back pane, i have hundreds of meters of the stuff. Nice idea BTW Tony.


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## Dave Spencer (6 Mar 2009)

Get the details of the planting in and around the rocks right, and it should be a beauty Steve.

Dave.


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## Steve Smith (6 Mar 2009)

Planting is gonna be -

Rotala sp. Green (by the tonne!)
Rotala "Nanjenshen"
Blyxa Japonica
P. Helferi
E. Acicularis

Also, a couple of focus plants, if TGM get them in stock


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## LondonDragon (6 Mar 2009)

Now that is looking much better Steve, love the second layout specially when you see it from above.
Now really gives the impression the tank is deeper, looking great mate


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## Stu Worrall (6 Mar 2009)

the second one for me too, looks really good as a mound


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## George Farmer (6 Mar 2009)

Wow!  Very impressive, Steve.  +1 for the 2nd layout.


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## Thomas McMillan (6 Mar 2009)

That second one looks amazing! I can't wait to see this one plants, it's gonna be one to watch.


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## JamesM (6 Mar 2009)

Nice going, Steve  2nd one gets my vote mate!


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## Steve Smith (6 Mar 2009)

I think I've cracked it now.  I'm pretty happy with how it looks.  Added a second bag of AS, it must be about 6" deep in the back right corner!  I might mine some out some day and pad it with some sand, cheap skate that I am 

Anyhow, I've tweaked the left rock in a smidge, and raised it, along with the back "peak" rock, infact I've rasied them all a tiny amount.  I've also added a small accent rock left of the main left rock, which I think works but I'll probably bow to opinion when I'm able to post a picture.  I didn't realise but I've left my memory card reader at work, so no pics till monday, unless I use my iPhone camera, which is crappy at best!

You'll just have to take my word for it, it looks a little better now   

(I just hope I haven't over tweaked it!)


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## Steve Smith (6 Mar 2009)

Snapped a crappy shot on the phone:


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## John Starkey (6 Mar 2009)

Hi Steve,i like it mate,i like it a lot,if the planting goes well this is gonna be a stunner,regards john.


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## Mark Evans (6 Mar 2009)

i second that mate.


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## George Farmer (7 Mar 2009)

That's really, really nice.  One of the nicest rock layouts I've seen on UKAPS.

Nice camera phone too...

Have you considered going minimal planting with low ground cover?  I think it may suit the rock composition better than stems etc.

I'm excited about seeing this develop.  Well done, Steve!


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## Dave Spencer (7 Mar 2009)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> Have you considered going minimal planting with low ground cover?  I think it may suit the rock composition better than stems etc.



I am totally with George on this. I did shudder a tad when I saw your plant choice. Even the E. acicularis would overpower your rockwork.

Dave.


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## Steve Smith (7 Mar 2009)

Hmn, I must admit, I do agree with you on the plants.  I'm in a bit of a sticky situation though.  I might need to grovel to TGM and change my plant order  

So how does this sound?

HC carpet
Downoi around the rocks
Some selective hair grass placement mid-back ground


I'd really like to work some blyxa into this somewhere... maybe back ground/behind rocks.

Any other suggestions?


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## John Starkey (7 Mar 2009)

Hi Steve,i think some bylxa would look good in the far left corner  :idea: ,
regards john.


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## Mark Evans (7 Mar 2009)

look into my eys, not around my eyes...when i count to 3 you'll wake up with the thought, "i'm to send these rocks to saintly"   

fantastic layout Steve. 

it's a shame you cant see aqua journal  dec 2008, dedicated to iwagumi. on page28 there's a layout reminiscent to yours.  in that layout he's used the following.....

_lilaeopsis _in the foreground with HC mixed in
_blyxa_ behind the rocks
and _vivipara_ in the back.

like Dave says though even _acicularis _could over power the stone, unless you really mound it high. then the grass would soften the overall look.

in similar layouts to this amano sometimes just use's HC.

and the end of the day, it's your call dude


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## Steve Smith (7 Mar 2009)

Thanks for all the input guys   It's weird to think I wasn't aiming for a 'gumi scape originally. 

I think I'm starting to get an grip on a planting scheme.  I've changed my TGM plant order to include 4 pots of HC.  Not sure it's going to be enough, but I have a little more floating in my storage tank at the moment.  Obviously the HC will be all up front and around to the left.  Next, around the rocks will be Downoi, and I'm also playing with the idea of Staurgyne around the rocks too.  Then, at the back right, behind the rocks, I'm thinking Bylxa.  Then behind the rock at the back and moving to the left maybe the E. acicularis.

I don't think I could cope with vivipara


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## Tony Swinney (8 Mar 2009)

Cracking hardscape Steve - really looking forward to seeing it planted up.

Having just planted HC in a 12 x 10 nano, I dont envy your task in that tank   

Good luck !

Tony


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## Steve Smith (10 Mar 2009)

Hey guys.

Remembered to upload a better hi-res photo   The rock on the right has been moved a tiny amount to the right and opened the gap between it and the middle rock by maybe 1cm at most.  Just means I can plant into that bit a little easier...






I've started an official journal now 

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5182


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