[Desert Bettas]

I doing the hardscape for my 55 and can't quite get the cholla log right. What do you guys think?

It's not letting me post pictures for some reason.

The fake plants are temporary until my plants get here. The plants below are the ones I ordered.

 

[Diana]

It is a typical problem with these tanks. They are tall, long, but very narrow front to back.
Adding water makes them look even narrower.
To make the scene show some depth (front to back) the usual trick is to angle the hardscape, or use several rocks, installed in overlapping layers to make it look like the 'scape retreats into the distance.
These tricks do not work very well with a 55. If you turn the cholla wood so it is more angled front to back you bump into the glass. There is not enough room for more than about 2 layers of rock: big one toward the back, mid sized closer to the front, and the smaller ones end up off to the side, not really part of the group.

I would try rearranging it all.
Move the main mass of things about 16" right, so it is at about 1/3 of the length of the tank.
Then add more wood, perhaps larger wood.
More rock, and larger rock, make the central mass higher than the surrounding area.

 

[Desert Bettas]

I'll try and get some more cholla, its just going to take forever to soak enough to sink. Luckely cholla grows wild out here and a lot of little shops around here offer it. I plan on adding more gravel, the right side doesn't have enough to plant in. I'll steal some more big rocks from my yard today!

 

[mot]

When I read what your trying to do the idea that came to mind is the linear style that James Findley put together for his Crimson Sky aquascape. Do an internet search for it and take a look and see if that helps inspire you. Its a shorter tank but I think you could still do this style effectively in your 55.

 

[Desert Bettas]

Yeah it's kinda like that.