How did you guys to learn to aquascape? My aquascape skills are bad, well at least my tank does not look nice and lush like I see other posters. I seem to just have miss match of everything and everywhere in my tank. :hihi: I guess it bit of a jungle look. I need to get some expert to come do my tank. ha I am great with all the hardware and hardscape, but plants not so much. :icon_frow. Mostly just venting :wink:
How did you learn to aquascape?
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look at some photos in books or online. Look at nature. Try to keep things grouped together. Know what you're planting so short plants don't end up in the back being obscured by tall plants in the front. I see aquascaping as a never ending process. I think that's the fun of it - your plants are always growing and changing, that leads to different ideas of how this or that would look together
Glad to hear that your stuff is growing great
Glad to hear that your stuff is growing great
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I spent a LOT of time swimming in clear water lakes as a kid... Eventually you see enough that you eventually get a feel for what looks out of place and unnatural.
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Tips:
- Take it from the Master Creator, be inspired by nature
- Research rule of thirds
- Research Fibonacci's spiral
- Study the work of gurus
- Practice
- Take it from the Master Creator, be inspired by nature
- Research rule of thirds
- Research Fibonacci's spiral
- Study the work of gurus
- Practice
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88 Posts
I think what is most important is not to be caught up so much in what everyone else is doing. If you do that you get caught up chasing someone else's ideas of beauty and simply copying. I would highly suggest thinking long and hard about what you personally want to get out of your design. Look at nature and scenes in nature (not just aquariums). When you see something that is beautiful to you, think about why it looks beautiful to you. What aspects really capture your eye, what aspects lead your eye around, etc.
You don't have to think solely in 3's but there are some parts that you do. Think of the Background, mid ground, and foreground. Think of "bones" these are the parts that stabilize the scene and you build around them.
Some other tips in planting think in odds, meaning plantings in 3's, 5's, and such. Having odds generally makes things more interesting to the eye than even.
You don't have to think solely in 3's but there are some parts that you do. Think of the Background, mid ground, and foreground. Think of "bones" these are the parts that stabilize the scene and you build around them.
Some other tips in planting think in odds, meaning plantings in 3's, 5's, and such. Having odds generally makes things more interesting to the eye than even.
I agree 100% with what your saying, I kinda just put stuff wherever in my tank, and you know I like it that way, does stuff go where everyone else would put it? Nope, I like it :hihi:
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I like what you have done there. It's got an overall very pleasing look. The great thing about planted tanks is not just the start or the middle, but the overall growth and change of the tank.
The bones in the beginning take a strong role but down the road the plants really bring the life to the tank. I like what you have there. I hope to see it continue to grow and change.
If I might offer a little suggestion (take it with a grain of salt). In both corners your eye falls off the scene due to nothing framing it and returning the eye back to the center. I would suggest tall plants on the corners to help guide the eye back inward.
Hope you have a great day.
The bones in the beginning take a strong role but down the road the plants really bring the life to the tank. I like what you have there. I hope to see it continue to grow and change.
If I might offer a little suggestion (take it with a grain of salt). In both corners your eye falls off the scene due to nothing framing it and returning the eye back to the center. I would suggest tall plants on the corners to help guide the eye back inward.
Hope you have a great day.
Thank you for the comments and suggestion. Any certain plant that you would suggest I put in that area? Right now I have 2 rose swords, one on each side, but not very tall at this point. I was thinking of moving the 2 amazons one to each side rather than in the middle like that.
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Rip off one of these designs!
This site is GREAT for ideas!
http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2005/categories.html
This site is GREAT for ideas!
http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2005/categories.html
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Just some general suggestions of plant choices would be:
Vallisneria spiralis
or
Echinodorus martii
or
a Cabomba species (I'm a big fan of Cabomba so you can really ignore that but I think it's a great plant like Cabomba Furcata)
If you divide your tank into thirds look right in the mid ground and I would suggest putting a splash of red in there. Maybe something like
Ludwigia repens Rubin
or some other red just to give the eyes a pop and a reason to come back into the middle of the tank.
Just some thoughts off the top of my head.
Thanks for the ideas. I think I need to move the swords to the sides or something as well. Just not sure yet, but I feel like they look out of place.
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Looking at your tank in that picture I can see what you mean, however when I look at it a bit further I have a few other ideas. Right now I see approx 2 Swords dominating the background and looking great. To the right and left I see what I believe are similar swords that are smaller. I would say instead of rearranging I would allow the other swords to grow in and see how it looks. It could be an impressive backdrop to the rest of your tank.
Just a thought.
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I always think aquascape might need skills and talent. Only an artist can create something like that underwater aquascape. But you don't need to be an artist or got talent...as I am not. Give yourself time and experience. If you have some hardscape on hand, try to play around with them...make a few scapes. My first scape is terrible. But trial and errors. You learn from that.
You don't have to choose a rare and expensive plants aquascape. A simple plant that's placed in the right area...will turn out the scape.
And at the end, you need aquascaping tools, it'll help with time and trimming: tweezers, scissors, algea scraper...
I'm still learning, but here're a few scape that I tried:
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There's nothing wrong if you mimic someone's scape. At the end, you still choose different plants.
You don't have to choose a rare and expensive plants aquascape. A simple plant that's placed in the right area...will turn out the scape.
And at the end, you need aquascaping tools, it'll help with time and trimming: tweezers, scissors, algea scraper...
I'm still learning, but here're a few scape that I tried:
There's nothing wrong if you mimic someone's scape. At the end, you still choose different plants.
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Been doing a lot of gardening, love container planting. Learned a lot there.
Looked at a lot of Pinterest and forum photos for aquascaping. YouTube. The usual suspects.
Biggest rules that I follow- (eh, more like guidelines, if I follow them, my eye is pleased)
Avoid straight lines.
Plant in groups.
Odd numbers.
Height variation.
Texture variation.
Colour variation.
Above all else, less is more and sometimes the blank space is deliberate.
Looked at a lot of Pinterest and forum photos for aquascaping. YouTube. The usual suspects.
Biggest rules that I follow- (eh, more like guidelines, if I follow them, my eye is pleased)
Avoid straight lines.
Plant in groups.
Odd numbers.
Height variation.
Texture variation.
Colour variation.
Above all else, less is more and sometimes the blank space is deliberate.
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