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17g Mr. Aqua

3K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  madness 
#1 ·
Finally got my ADA Aqua Soils!!! Here are some photos, probably gonna start planting in a day or 2.

-Mr Aqua 17g
-24" Odyssea 4x24watt 6500k (Should of got the 20" so it can fit, now I gotta find out how to hang it or cut a little bit longer plexi glass so the stand can fit) Any other ideals?
-Sprinkled some Bacter 100 and Tourmaline BC (Should of bought some Clear Super) on bottom
-1/2 Fluval substrate bottom
-3/4 ADA New Amazonia Aqua soil Regular
-1/2 ADA Amazonia II Aqua soil Powder, spread on the front 1"h x 2"w and a think layer on top of the rest of the Aqua soil.




Like my free Petsmart member sand flattner? hahaha









 
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#10 ·
I am not good at art or anything involving design or aesthetics but I have recently done some research on some of the design terms that get thrown around by people in regards to aquascaping. I will take a stab at explaining the basic ideas to you and then you can follow some links to get detailed information from people with actual knowledge and talent about design.

There are methods and tricks (using certain perspectives, manipulating focal points, etc.) that allow the artist or designer to sort of force a certain viewing experience that humans tend to find aesthetically pleasing.

With aquascaping the primary goal seems to be upon using specifically located focal points to not only draw in the viewer's eye but also to help tie together the aquascape as a whole.

The most commonly used and discussed system for doing this is called 'The Golden Ratio.'

Here is a link to an explanation of how to use the Golden Ratio in an aquascape and it just so happens to use a 20 gallon high tank (very similar dimensions to your 17G tank) as the example so you can basically just copy the focal points and measurements to get you started and then fine tune your positioning from that point on.

http://www.aquascapist.com/aquascaping/using-the-golden-ratio-in-aquascaping/

Here is a link to a general Iwagumi aquascaping article that includes some more info about the Golden Ratio -

http://www.leonardosreef.com/guide-to-iwagumi/


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Cliff Notes: you need to have one primary focal point in this aquascape and you do not want it to be dead center in the tank - you want it to be off center. In your tank it should measure in 15" from one side of the tank (leaving ~9" to the opposite side of the tank).
 
#11 ·
It looks to me like the focal point of your current layout is the grouping of three rocks right next to each other with the tallest rock in the center.

The cluster of hair grass in the background on the left side of the tank also draws the eye in.

Maybe for a test you could move the group of three rocks to the left side of the tank (measure 9" in to the tank from the left hand wall of the tank and center the middle rock of the group on that location).

This will take the focal point that is the rock cluster and position it according to the Golden Ratio and it will also allow the hair grass to sort of 'backdrop' the rock cluster.

In theory this will allow the hair grass to add emphasis and impact to the rock cluster that you are using as a focal point rather than distracting from it.

Once you get the focal point figured out in a way that you like then you can attempt to add the remaining rocks back into the aquascape in a way that doesn't 'break' the layout.

Basically start with a good focal point or centerpiece (though it won't actually be centered) to form the core of the design and then everything that you add after that should compliment the focal point rather than distracting or detracting from it.

Hope that helps.
 
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