# Expert advice on hardscape



## GillesF (8 Sep 2013)

Hi guys

I've started working on the basic hardscape of my "easy maintenance" tank. It's going to have a large piece of wood with  lots of mosses, crypts, java ferns, E. tenellus, bolbitis, ... I'll do a dry start in the first phase (for the mosses & foreground) and in the second phase low light with CO2 injection and EI fertilisation.

I'm basing myself on this scape by PeHa69: Aquascaping-blog.com's photos | Facebook

I've added akadama and the large piece of wood but I'm not really satisfied with the end results. Something just "feels" missing when looking at the result. Can anyone give some advice on how to improve it? Maybe add more slope to left, put the wood more to the right (so it fills more) and more upright?

Some pictures:














Thanks!

Gilles


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## GillesF (8 Sep 2013)

Plants that I'll be using:

On the wood: blender method with Fissidens & Riccardia. Java trident and narrow attached to the wood from base to halfway.

Foreground: LIlaeopsis & E. acicularis mat. Different kinds of cryptocorynes in front of the wood base, also some anubias and bolbitis.

Background: different kinds of hygrophila and Ludwigia arcuata?


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## Alastair (8 Sep 2013)

Hi Gilles, I think personally just looking at the pics, the wood may look more natural if you banked the substrate up the rear left more, and have the wood coming from the rear left pointing diagonally towards the right corner if looking from above and maybe just tilt the wood up slightly so as its not completely horizontal with the level of the tank??? 
.if that makes any sense 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2


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## GillesF (8 Sep 2013)

Hi Alastair

Good to hear from you, mate!

I've added some extra akadama to the slopes (was already planning on doing that). I tried placing the wood as you say but that puts the wood too much in front, blocking the background. I've bought three extra litlle pieces of wood and added them. What do you think?









I want a "crude", dark scape with lot's of brown & green. I'm not sure about the piece of wood on the right though


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## Ady34 (8 Sep 2013)

Hi Gilles,
you may need more smaller pieces of wood, or perhaps even some rocks to add around the base of the wood which will give a natural look, to these you can attach mosses and riccardia to give a similar effect to that created in the linked aquascape. They will also help in retaining any slopes in the substrate from levelling out over time.
Good luck.
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## GillesF (9 Sep 2013)

Hi Ady

I've been thinking of stones too, any ideas about the style? Maybe lava rocks because that will blend it nicely with the wood (+ easy to find over here). Can get Seiryu online too but I cannot handpick those so might be bad quality (20£ for 6kg)


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## Ady34 (9 Sep 2013)

Hi,
if you have access to lava rock I think that would be ideal, especially if your going to attach mosses etc to it. It will disappear and blend nicely with the overall look your trying to achieve. It won't mess with the water chemistry and is lightweight so easy to carry about 
If you'd rather include rocks as a feature then perhaps look at an alternative that stands out a little more, however I don't think that is the look you are going for.
Cheerio
Ady


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## GillesF (9 Sep 2013)

Hey Ady

I bought Seiryu stones just to try it out. I think the scape looks better now but still needs "filling up". 

Cheers
Gilles


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