Tips and Tricks on Creating Amazing Aquascapes

[Veganbrian]

Being a artist for fun and profession, I see things different than most people. I decided to create a article about composition, balance, color, and depth within your reef aquarium. I really hope this can help some of you out to create your dream looking reef that is pictured in your head. Once you have your tank in front of you with your rock, most people tend to blank out and just throw the aquascape together with little to no thought. When you search through the internet looking at the amazing reefs that you only dream of having, there’s one thing they have in common. Composition, balance, color, and depth. If you think you’re not capable of pulling off this effect in your tank, you are wrong. Once you understand the basics it will come natural to you. I have never written a article or done anything like this, so bear with me.


Lets focus on your Rock work first. The first thing that you see, but do not notice in pictures of your dream reef, is the placement of the rocks and exactly why it is so appealing to you. Well, For the most part it’s a simple answer really. The rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is a compositional technique for making art more interesting and dynamic. This does apply to reef aquascaping also. Look at your reef as a piece of living art. Take your time with this process and really plan it out. Your goal here is to not center your main structures. Picture a tic tac toe board.

There’s 4 points where the lines intersect with each other. Your goal is to hit those points. You want the overall look to be off center to throw the viewers eyes all over instead of just right in the middle.

The way i see that works best for this is having one rock hit the upper right point and a smaller structure hitting the bottom left. You can place your plates, brains or small rock works in the middle just slighting off center. This creates a balanced reef.


Next is the rocks themselves. One thing i see people do a lot is just buy a big rock and put it in the tank. Theres no thought in that and it does not create a natural feel and takes away from the movement and shape or the rock. Why are mountains so amazing to us? Its because they are not a big slab of rock. They have all sorts of movement and depth. Things like points, divots, Certain lines or trees,caves, snow and running water.

Its throws our eyes all over of place and that is what the human mind finds attractive. Make sure to incorporate all sorts of movement in your rocks. One thing that will help it to picture the rock structure as a silhouette. If it’s just this big round blob thats not that appealing then you should change it up.Think about how you want your rock to be shaped and do not go with what you bought. Buy some main pieces and some smaller or one to break up with a hammer and epoxy to adhere them together. I think that dry rock is great for this because you can take your sweet old time with no die off to worry about. Dry scape your rock till you are happy. If you do consider all live rock, then look at the rock and make sure it’s not filled up with a bunch of random colors try to find more solid colored rock filled with coraline algae or another plain solid color. It will make your scape look confusing and your coral will be hard to find in the overall scape. Make sure to take a lot of pictures in case you created a scape that you loved but tried something else then you forgot what it was and how it looked before! If you are uncertain of your scape you can always post the pictures on a forum and see what others think. Constructive criticism is a artists greatest tool. You get a chance to see things from other peoples views.



Great example of all the tips for aquascaping i’ve shared.


Depth of field is a photography term but applies to your reef tank. To explain DOF (depth of field) lets go back to basic art class. DOF is created by having a foreground, mid,and background within a design.

What you mainly want to achieve is to have a main rock structure and push it more towards the back of the tank. In my opinion, it’s always good to leave room behind the rock so you can clean the glass especially on clear background tanks. Build off that main structure. Add a peak and have it slope down. Go from big to small and moving the rocks closer to the front. You do not want a straight line or bigger to smaller rocks though. Again you want it to look composed. Make it have a slight curve towards the center of to tank. You can have one big rock work towards the back and have a medium on the opposite side of the thirds point, having the medium rock more center/foreword. Congratulations, you just created DOF! I like to have some small rocks almost right up the the front of the glass. When all is said and done you should have a back ground structure, a mid (whether it be a coral or a medium rock) to the Forward structure. You need to make sure your going from big to small going from the back to front. I hope that makes sense.


Another thing to add is to keep in mind your lighting and how that will hit onto your rock work. The taller the rock work the more light will hit it and the brighter it will be. Light will become important when the reef is started up. Consider that within your aquascape.


Once you have your aquascape done, then what? The rock work needs to have flow and correct composition of color introduced. Coral placement is just as important, if not more important then rock work. You need to throw the viewers eye where you want it. One big thing to remember is you do not want a group of green, a group of red and, a group of blue. You have to pretend you cannot touch the same color together. If you have two red coral then place one of the far left and on on the right. The trick is to throw the color throughout the tank. That is one rule for contrast and composition. One thing also is keep in mind where you want the viewers eye to gravitate. Keep that coral more alone and make sure to not have it clash with other colors. Having a bright red coral, surrounded by blue coral will make that coral pop and draw your eye to it. If you want to get very technical as if you were painting you can look at a color wheel.

Look at the complimentary colors. Yellow will pop the most in purple, green in red ,and blue in orange. having those colors next to each other will draw the viewer into that section of color.







Keep in mind your space within the reef. Make sure to have equal positive and negative space, unless you want to go with the minimalist approach. Then do about 35% positive (rocks, corals) and 60% negative ( open swimming space)


Theres no how to on aquascaping but theres lots of tips and tricks. Some people may not agree with my views and prefer other methods of “rockwall” or piling rocks into the thank and that is fine. It’s all opinion based and not everyone likes the same stuff and that’s perfectly fine. I DO NOT own the pictures provided or claim them to be mine. They are used to provide examples of what i am explaining. I hope this write up has helped someone and my countless hours of studying art paid off.


If you have any questions feel free to ask them and i will do my best to help you out.

[Veganbrian]

In addition:

I firmly believe that the same rules apply to any size tank. The only difference is going to be scale. Instead of huge rocks break them up to create a smaller version of the beautiful reef tanks you see. There's other things to try to still get that "look" In a cube the issue is theres not enough length to do multiple structures. Thats when you only do one. Rule of thirds still applies but only use one intersected point instead of two.


Here is a great example. It is only on one point with one main structure. notice the movement and shapes of the rocks. Great play with shadows and highlights. If you look at the one structure they still managed to hit two intersecting points. Thats what makes this look go good to the eye. Make sure to "taper" off the structure for that same Depth of field you need to aim for, also for maximum coral space

[woodsonfan]

Awesome stuff! This is great!

[Big E]

Great info...........I hope you don't mind me adding to your thread

Here are some comments from Steve Weast about aquascaping & referencing this picture from an old aquascape thread.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...d.php?t=853513

[IMG][/IMG]

"Greg (Bonsainut) posted the best example of aquascaping perfection. It's the one I always come back to for inspiration....and why ? ....because I believe the answer to all your aquascaping questions are right there in that pic..... you just need to notice its philosophies...

1) have just as much postive space (rocks and corals) as negative space (open water and sand)

2) Don't worry about creating nooks/crannies/caves/etc....they just will be eventually covered by livestock. Instead focus on the general rock shape that has both low and high points...perhaps even breaking the surface. Focus on large details...not small crevises (especially if you have a large tank).

3) Maintain an algae free back (and sides if possible) to create an illusion of infinite depth....contrary to what we'd all like to believe, coralline does not create an attractive back drop...only a distracting one.

4) hide all the things of man.....overflows...pumps...pipes....etc.

5) don't clutter the sand bed with a bunch of livestock....a clam or two...maybe...but that's it. Cluttered sandbeds just make the overall display look too busy. You can improve the overall display tremendously by just removing all the frags, zoas, blastos, etc that so many people seem to keep on the sandbed these days......it just distracting.


And finally....the aquascaping will have to be adjusted every so often.....growth eventually will destroy the best of aquascaping. I've seen so many tanks start off so promising, with fantastic rockwork.... only to spiral down into something less so..... just because the aquarist didn't take action to prevent its downfall or simply just over stocked it.. It usually ends up with a solid line of rock....all at the same height....covered in livestock....from end to end. There could be all the purple monsters, acans and superman monties in the world in there....but, if the overall structure is two dimensional and over crowded, it's just blah.....OR you could have the most ordinary of corals....and softies at that....as long as the rock structure follows the above guidlines, it will inspire all who view it and deliver the oooohs an aaaahs......just like the Japanese tank above.

This subject is very dear to my heart....I spent this whole three day weekend re-working my aquascaping.....it was just that time again."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More from Steve---

"1) When I look at a tank like the Japanese tank, it just soothes my soul....but why is what I want to know....afterall, it's just a bunch of common softies. Maybe it's a Zen thing....or maybe...just maybe....it's great aquascaping......and I want to know why it's so good. So I try to break it down into its individual components....what about it speaks to me ? Definately an example of something greater than the sum of its parts.

2) I would consider an over hang a major component and not a detail. In the subject tank, it's the major components....a ridge on the left.....a mound on the right.....with an unobstructed channel....that are the stars of the show.....not tiny crevises or caves.

3/4) Hiding plumbing is easy.....you just have to make it a priority. In my case, the circulation is provided through a closed loop that is hidden by the rockwork and just jets out from nozzles hidden throughout the rockwork. The overflows are hidden by having the rock work break the surface in front of the overflow....obscuring its view from the front. Of course, hiding plumbing is more difficult if the tank has multiple viewable sides.....but, that's no excuse for not limiting their visual pollution....you just have work harder at it. In my case, my tank is viewable only from the front since it is built into the wall.....I use the rockwork to obscure all traces of plumbing from that view point....if you were to remove the rear panel and look from the rear....there would be plumbing seen everywhere. One more point...in the Japanese tank, the plumbing isn't 100% concealed....but, it doesn't scream at the viewer "here I am....look at me" like so many tanks these days. When I see plumbing, or worse powerheads, my eye goes right to it instead of the aquascapng. It's as if there was a big bee on the Mona Lisa....I just can't stop looking at the bee."

Link to Steve's old Sps reef & concepts---
http://oregonreef.com/sub_philosophy.htm

[Veganbrian]

Originally Posted by Big E

Great info...........I hope you don't mind me adding to your thread

Thanks, I don't mind. I will be slowly adding more info touching on other things. Hiding equipment is one of those subjects i will cover in time along with sand, maintience, backdrops and much more. The more info in this thread for people who are struggling with scaping, the better!

[robs.mark]

Great thread, thanks for the effort.

[Patrick Cox]

Great info! Thanks for posting.

[arbee]

Fantastic Tutorial. Now I am eyeballing my tank and wanting to rearrange. Thanks!!

[Veganbrian]

Originally Posted by robs.mark

Great thread, thanks for the effort.

Originally Posted by Patrick Cox

Great info! Thanks for posting.

Originally Posted by arbee

Fantastic Tutorial. Now I am eyeballing my tank and wanting to rearrange. Thanks!!

Thanks everyone! I'm glad this is helping so many people. If you need any help with your aquascape post a tank pic and others and myself will help you plan it better.

[Deinonych]

Excellent summary. Thank you very much for putting this together!

[LeLutinBanni]

very cool

[igot2gats]

Originally Posted by Big E

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...d.php?t=853513

[IMG][/IMG]

To the OP - GREAT thread. I really think this should be stickied, as people ask about this topic all the time it seems.

Anyways, this pic has an underrated aquascaping if you ask me - the path between the two piles that makes it look like it goes on forever into the ocean.

I'd also like to say that a lot of the "amazing" tanks that everyone always slobbers over - typically have a unique aquascaping to begin with. Aquascaping may not be a big deal to some reefers, but it can help your tank, by giving it the "wow" factor after your tank is established with corals, and other livestock.

It definitely takes some work, as your corals grow, and will cover up the path evntually, but it's worth it if you ask me.

[nbgen12]

Anyone know what the dimensions of that tank are and if the rock on the.left side is against the glass? That aquascape is beautiful

Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2

[Ptyochromis]

Hello, I am struggling with my 29 gallon sumpless tank. I have a piece of LR that I got without giving much thought on placement and now it is just sorta there. I also have 3 hitchhiking NPS that I would like to preserve. I have 3 HOB filters turned refugium that are also providing 90% of the flow.

Any ideas how I can incorperate the leftmost piece into the scape and still maintain view of my hitchhikers?

http://i.imgur.com/juPw7.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/juPw7.jpg?1

[Snakebyt]

great thread

[tylersarah]

I took a large rock out of my tank that was lying on the sand due to this thread. I love the rock it's bonsai looking, but the tank looks better with more sand.

[Veganbrian]

Originally Posted by nbgen12

Anyone know what the dimensions of that tank are and if the rock on the.left side is against the glass? That aquascape is beautiful

Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2

I do not know the dimensions of the tank. I can tell you that the rock is not against the glass. The key is to keep the rock away to the point where you can still clean the glass, but also looking like its against the glass. I space it enought for a nanomag to fit back there.

Originally Posted by Ptyochromis

Hello, I am struggling with my 29 gallon sumpless tank. I have a piece of LR that I got without giving much thought on placement and now it is just sorta there. I also have 3 hitchhiking NPS that I would like to preserve. I have 3 HOB filters turned refugium that are also providing 90% of the flow.

Any ideas how I can incorperate the leftmost piece into the scape and still maintain view of my hitchhikers?

http://i.imgur.com/juPw7.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/juPw7.jpg?1

My suggestion to you would be to break that rock in half. The long pieces like taht can be hard to work with. You could then create a nice overhang over the NPS so you can have the dynamic contrast between light source and shadow.

[chrishet]

This thread has legs! I would like to see some discussion on LR constuction techniques as well...I am building a 70 gal shallow reef at the moment and plan on minimal LR but lots of the elements you are discussing...being a photographer I know what I want, but the trick is getting it built the way I envision it...

[Veganbrian]

Originally Posted by tylersarah

I took a large rock out of my tank that was lying on the sand due to this thread. I love the rock it's bonsai looking, but the tank looks better with more sand.

Possibility of maybe breaking the rock up and creating more peaks and overhangs in your rockwork? giving more texture to the layout might work well for you if you feel theres not enough yet.

[Veganbrian]

Originally Posted by chrishet

This thread has legs! I would like to see some discussion on LR constuction techniques as well...I am building a 70 gal shallow reef at the moment and plan on minimal LR but lots of the elements you are discussing...being a photographer I know what I want, but the trick is getting it built the way I envision it...

I can try to get a little something together with rockwork construction for you. What areas would you like to hit for you? anything specific?

[jefathome]

I tried to use a lot of these techniques for my tank.
I don't have any recent pics, but here is one from when I first set it up.

The thing I really wanted was some sense of depth... Some rocks in front, some in back.
Some up high, some low, and utilizing the sense of thirds. The pillar on the right comes out about 2/3 into the tank, the ones on the left 1/3. None of them are "half way" and almost none of them are on the same exact level. They are all staggered a bit. The tank has a lot of depth and height to it while still allowing a ton of open room for fish to swim.

[Timfish]

Really good thread! I've been using the rule of thirds for years and it's amazing how well it works and the complements I've gotten over the years because of it.

[nrbelk]

Thanks for this awesome info!

Quick question, if you have a really big tank, (my dream tank will be at least 8ft) can you make multiple tic-tac-toe sections?

[Kayo2289]

Great info, love bonsai type reefs or offset aquascapes like featured above. If anyone has more examples please expand on this great thread. Great idea VeganBrian.

[Sandia97]

Any tips on aquascping a bowfront tank? It's a bit more difficult to create depth in these! At least for me it is.. I have pretty much one line of rock and of I try to move something back/forward it's too close to the glass. Thanks for this thread!!