55g Hardscape Critique

[Tank Man]

I am starting up a new 55 and want to get opinions before I flood it and start planting. My main debate is whether to add rocks or not, I have yet to find any "good" ones.

Here is what I have so far:







The two Dw's look really different colored in the picture but the look nearly the same irl.

[UDGags]

I like the wood but I think the tank needs something else but this could be accomplished with plants. It's too uniform right now for my likes.

What does the wood on the right look like upside down from what it is now?

[stevenjohn21]

I agree with the above poster in that it looks too uniform. Are the pieces the same color ? Is it possible to turn them so the roots are pointing up and make both pieces look like its just 1 piece ? maybe put them 1/3 of the way in the tank.

[Tank Man]

Here is one straight upside down



A little tweeked..

Some others:

[pmcarbrey]

I wonder if they wouldn't look better both beside each other towards the middle of the tank? Possibly with the branches facing out in opposite directions or something?

[Dx3Bash]

Can you put the two wood pieces together on one side of the aquarium so it looks like they are one larger piece? Then leave the other two thirds open for plants, carpet plants, rocks, or whatever?

[Tank Man]

They are slightly different colored but will be mostly covered with moss/java fern so it should not be too bad, will post some pics after I mess with the idea a bit.

[Tank Man]

I think this is it!





Any thoughts on how best to hide this gap between the big piece and the little? How much will moss do?

[pmcarbrey]

Much better! That looks great!

[ensartain]

I love it with them together!

[Wolf19]

Add some slope from front to back to add depth.

[Tank Man]

Originally Posted by Wolf19

Add some slope from front to back to add depth.

Had to go out and get some more substrate, I have a small layer of dirt underneath and was afraid to disturb it without getting more. I will be posting pictures later of what it looks like after the new gravel and some tweaks.

[Tank Man]

Added some more substrate and put a slope in it, thoughts?



I also used some small pieces of DW to make it look partially buried, did it work at all?

[accordztech]

Its just me but I like my wood a little more towards the corner and the substate sloping up to that corner.

[UDGags]

I like the wood much better. But I agree slope the substrate up to the right corner and back wall. Something like the slopes in this picture but for just that one corner.