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Critique my hardscape First hardscape attempt

AquaSam

Seedling
Joined
10 Aug 2017
Messages
7
Location
Dubai
Complete aquascaping novice here, and this is my first attempt at hardscaping my 180L Rio.

Eventually going to plant a Monte Carlo carpet in the foreground, staurogyne repens and dwarf hair grass in the mid ground, and hoping for a thick Rotalla green and Rotalla Wallichi background.
The bare tank floor you can see will be filled with sand.

Criticism and suggestions welcome!
(Sorry for the smartphone photos, one expensive hobby at a time...)

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After sitting down with a cup of tea staring at the tank, I felt the main rock on the left didn't have enough 'presence'.

So I've propped it up to try and give it a bit more height and footprint
 
Hi, I'm not in a position to comment on the hardscape unfortunately as not done many myself but I do like the river bed up the middle. Good luck with the project!
 
I think you need to buy a bigger stone to make a Nice impact. The main stone needs more height and width. Main stone Should at least be 2/3 of the height of your aquarium.

Don't make the path so straight make a nice twist in it on the end.


Overall the Stones are not dominant enough IMO.

Keep on scaping

Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk
 
Aqua Sam

This is my first post here on UKAPS but it is far from my first post on Aquascaping. Several members here know me very well.
My Critiques will always be honest and hard but I would rather call it "Constructive Criticism"
Its very easy to see you are a beginner just by your selection and placing of the stones and the bare pathway.
I have photo shopped the large rock to the size, the location (was very good). I would use a larger rock in that location and slowly get the LH side completed first.
The pathway all I can see is an uninteresting area of bare glass it has no shape. I use this photo to explain what I consider an excellent pathway full of interest.
The rocks with the red dots are way to small and one the planting is established all would be lost in those locations. They can be used later when when establishing your pathway.
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Next step do a lot of research, think about the rocks, tell us your thoughts on what and where you are going to locate them
Most important do not buy any rocks unless you can return them and get your money back.

Keith:):)
 
I have to agree with @Nigel95 and @Keith GH .

You need bigger (and more) rocks. For the size of your aquarium you need a few really big stones to use as eye catchers of your scape. Your main stone should reach 3/4 of the height of your aquarium. Your secondary stone 2/4 of the height.

For the pathway: try to make a curve in your path so that it disappears behind some rocks, this gives the illusion that the path continues out of sight. Also place some stones on the division of sand/soil. If you don't do this the sand and soil will start mixing up and it will be unsightly. I would also crush some stones to create a rubble effect where the stones and sand meet. This gives a nice realistic effect (like on the picture of keith).

In summary: bigger and more stones. The more stones you have, the better your hardscape will be. You will have more choice which will make it a lot easier to create something nice.

Have fun 'scaping!
 
Thanks for the feedback, keep it coming!

I agree the rocks didn't make a big enough impact, they were the biggest the LFS had at the time and was trying to get by using what I had but I underestimated the size of the scape and it doesn't work.

Based on the advice and critique I've rearranged my biggest rocks, and accentuated the curve in my pathway. I have some smaller pieces that I'll crush up to make the transition from sand to soil, I want to be happy with the bigger peices before I do that though.

My main stone is still missing I'll have to be patient and wait till I find one big enough, but this is my new layout so far, and the main stone will be place where the blue outline is shown.

Improvements?

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AquaSam

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That is a good improvement but not quite there yet.

The red lines indicate the slope of the rocks as you can see they are all over the place making it very distracting to the eye.

LH side in nature with a slope like that they would possibly be sloping down the slope and not all exactly the same. I would keep them sloping like the tallest one especially your main feature rock.

RH side two OK one not.

Pathway what are you going to do not show the glass I hope not. I have given it a little more shape as its the only other feature you will have.

What is your opinion on the rocky pathway of the photo I posted.

Substrate keep it the same depth across the front if not another distraction.

Keith:):)
 
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