# Something wrong with the scale of objects



## vincentwangz (22 Jan 2015)

Hi all, I've just ventured into aquascaping and I have been following videos and ideas I see on Pinterest to do up my first Aquascaped Nanotank. The problem is the scale of objects I see in my tank seem a little off. I think especially after I did the tree in the background things really looked disproportionate. Can anyone help me get the scale corrected? Thanks! 






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## Paulo Soares (22 Jan 2015)

Good aternoon, 

You may have problems with the way you plant that Eleocharis. If it´s possible or a very very recent plantation, take it carefully out and separate each one of those blocks into 3 or 4 more. Otherwise it will be strugling to grow. Or it will take an eternity to make a carpet. 

Is the only thing i can advise as you don´t put your set up.


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## vincentwangz (22 Jan 2015)

Thanks Paulo. I hardly know the terms to use as I'm new to the hobby and new to forums. Do you mean what goes into my tank interns of hardware? 
I have a CO2 unit for Nanotanks (that's the tube you see at the left hand corner) and the LED light was provided along with the tank. Looks bright enough. The substrate is ADA AS powder. 


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## Tim Harrison (22 Jan 2015)

I think it does look a little off...but it's fine for a first try. The best thing to do is to take your time planning and executing your hardscape, and thinking about your plant choice before filling with water...and sleep on it. It can sometimes take days or weeks of tweaking and playing around with ideas before it all clicks and suddenly works. Have a look this for some inspiration http://www.ukaps.org/forum/forums/planted-tank-gallery.49/


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## vincentwangz (22 Jan 2015)

Thanks Troi! I wish I had put more thought into it but I had the fish staying in it already, and they were so stressed in the bucket I had to complete the look in a day and put them back in. They seem happy enough anyway, but I shall give it another go when this batch of fish have lived their lives fully. In the meantime i hope to do small tweaks that does not involve taking the fish out again, so any advice on that is appreciated. 


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## tam (22 Jan 2015)

I like the two big rocks, you could maybe take the one out from the front completely. On the other hand you might find once the plants grow in it will look completely different so sitting back for now and waiting might be the best option


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## Mick.Dk (22 Jan 2015)

Hardscape often look "dramatic" in a new tank..........this will be seriously downscaled when plants grow in size.
- so if you are after a "strong" impression from your rocks in final appearance, you really need the "drama" in the start. The rocks are very nice, so there is good reason to let these  "3 sisters" stand strong in the scape.

In my opinion, the scape would benefit from moving the front rock a little back, if possible.......it's creating a "I will fall out and attack you" effect......and let the Eleocharis fill out in front of it.
Grown in, this scape is going to look strong in bright green plants supported by the orange and black. 
Congratulations !


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## Christian Walker (22 Jan 2015)

With a tank that size I think the left hand rock is too large.  The right one at the back is fine but then you want two smaller ones like the front right.  Or go with one rock and more small branches ?  The eleocharis definitely needs to be broken up into about a quarter the size if not smaller from each of those clumps and you will see it grow quicker and it may well change the perspective a bit too. Don't worry though, you should have seen my first attempt.  Im tankless at present and in the process of working out what to do too


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## Julian (22 Jan 2015)

I think less is more when it comes to making a good looking aquascape. I think you either go 'dutch', throw in as many different plants as humanly possible surrounded by wood, or you go the other route where you pick maybe 3 small plant types with minimal hard scape. Personally I prefer the latter, but each to his own.

Most people find it hard to decide the type of look they want, so they end up with a combination of the 2 styles, much like your self, but I think everyone starts this way, my self included. It's not impossible to make something in this style that looks good, but much harder than the 2 styles listed above.

It's very challenging to not only make a scape that looks good, but one that doesn't cause problems. The rock on the left in front of your tree is going to give you some flow issues as dead spots like this will create algae. If it were me, I'd get rid of the tree, move the rock on the left as far back as it will go and fill the gaps in with substrate and create a slope going from the back of the tank to the front. I think some HC flowing around/over the top of the rocks and down the front onto a carpet of hairgrass that you have below would look quite nice. I'd probably get rid of the rock at the front right as well, and the big leafy stem plant behind it. 

Big rocks and small plants is what creates scale and makes things look balanced. Minimal plant types and modest amounts of hardscape gives things symmetry and is easier on the eye. I have yet to take my own advice with regard to my own tank, but this is what I will aim for when I get the opportunity.


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## vincentwangz (22 Jan 2015)

Thanks Mick, Christian and Julian for the advice! I'm so glad I posted it here, there are so many knowledgeable ppl who can help! Ok so I have another medium sized rock which I can switch out the left rock for; it's smaller than the one in there now but bigger than the bottom right one. I'll put it in and show you guys later on. I'll also take out the clumps and split them further; I was worried of damaging the roots as they came bound quite tightly to one another but I guess I better follow advice than keep it this way. Thanks guys! More updates soon! 


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## john dory (23 Jan 2015)

I think the tree is too small.


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## kirk (23 Jan 2015)

Hello welcome, that's a good atempt for your first scape better than mine was.


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## Wisey (23 Jan 2015)

As has already been mentioned, I also think the tree looks a bit small. It seems as if it is an after thought rather than an integral part of the scape. It's size in proportion to the rocks makes it look a bit out of place. Personally I would loose the tree and concentrate on the rock layout and maybe use some stems at the back instead of the tree.


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## kirk (23 Jan 2015)

This is how things were for me before ukaps lol.


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## vincentwangz (23 Jan 2015)

Mine wasn't any better @kirk!  here's what mine looked like before venturing into Aquascape. 



In any case, yeah I'll relocate the tree to my other tank, and use a hammer to break the rocks into smaller pieces, and allow the HG to populate more areas. In other words, just one big rock and other smaller rocks with stems and not branches.


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## vincentwangz (24 Jan 2015)

So today is the day I set my tank right! Here's what I did on the lovely advice of you guys. I took out the tree, I smashed the rocks to smaller pieces and I separated the clumps of HG into smaller bunches and trimmed them. Here's a pic! 





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## vincentwangz (24 Jan 2015)

And it's done finally! Thankfully my fish weren't too stressed about it; managed to keep disturbance to a low level. Here's the new look! Comments please! 





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## vincentwangz (24 Jan 2015)

This was by the way really backbreaking work. To stoop over the tank to insert the HG was a real glut training exercise. Haha! 


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## Timon Vogelaar (11 Aug 2016)

Put them on a cutting board and use a long pincet to plant them should make it a lot easier


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## Aqua360 (17 Aug 2016)

Really good work  If it was me, on the most recent scaped set-up, id move the rock at the front right, to behind the big rock so that it's emerging from the back left of it, creating depth. I'd then do the smaller ones, grouped closer together at the base of the big rock. This would in my mind, give you a focus, and natural looking rock formation, which the plants would then carpet around


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## Aqua360 (17 Aug 2016)

also the stem plant at the front of the rock, would distract me from the back. I would perhaps plant it at the very back right, so that it emerges over the rock formation, as if in the distance


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## Manisha (20 Aug 2016)

Mick.Dk said:


> ...it's creating a "I will fall out and attack you" effect..



 I Should not drink tea whilst reading ukaps threads...


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