Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board  

Go Back   Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board > General > Tank Journal

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #111  
Old 06-04-2014, 05:21 AM
asylumdown's Avatar
asylumdown asylumdown is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,806
asylumdown is on a distinguished road
Default

Awesome build. Next tank I'm going to construct rock with rods exactly like that.

I think what you might not be liking is the way that arch is visually offsetting against the rock on the other side of the tank. Try to think in terms of photography and the rule of thirds. Take a picture of your tank with the rocks in it and place two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines across the image and see how those rocks you've got in there are positioned relative to the lines and their intersections. You've got a really strong visual feature that spans the full height of your tank on the left and sort of cascades down, then over in the other corner there's this tall, narrow structure that is almost an inverse of what's happening on the left and doesn't really visually relate to anything.

Since you've got the ability and patience to make structures like that, your options are pretty much endless, but FWIW I've never really been in love with the idea of a classic arch in a tank. Between the mish mash of rocks that go in to building them, and the rods they need to be attached to, they always seem to end up looking like a pop-corn necklace. It's almost impossible to make them look like they belong. I've seen it work in tanks that have really big footprints in both length and width as the bases of the arches can be built up enough to make it all fit together with the rest of the scape, but it's a challenging shape to work with.
Reply With Quote
  #112  
Old 06-04-2014, 02:08 PM
daplatapus's Avatar
daplatapus daplatapus is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Port Alberni, B.C.
Posts: 1,315
daplatapus is on a distinguished road
Default

Hmmm, I think you have a point. I've heard and read of that rule of thirds in a couple aquascaping papers and threads I've looked through. For some reason it's harder to pull off in person, lol.
I am a little disappointed in the acrylic rods though. They're much softer and pliable than I thought they'd be. I used 1/2" rod, but even the pillar tended to want to sag to one side at the top, even though the rod ran basically straight through it. I had to epoxy and shim quite a few of the larger pieces for it to stand straight and be solid. The arch piece absolutely will not stand on it's own and needs to be supported on the end, even though I built it on a large platform foot that could take the off centre weight. I didn't take the time with it though, to fill in the cracks between the larger pieces because I could tell right away I wasn't going to like it, but wanted to get the basic structure in the tank to see it. It's not what I had envisioned.
You are absolutely correct in describing it as a pop-corn necklace. The base is definitely too small, but I already seem to have more rock in there than I wanted. Damn, maybe I need a bigger tank.....the wife would kill me

So, I need to reconsider the arch. I'll try and take a FTS, print it and divide it up like you said. Then see what I can do to re-arrange those pieces.
Reply With Quote
  #113  
Old 06-14-2014, 03:41 PM
daplatapus's Avatar
daplatapus daplatapus is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Port Alberni, B.C.
Posts: 1,315
daplatapus is on a distinguished road
Default

Well, after sitting and looking at those structures a bit, I decided I really didn't like that arch where it was and that cutting more rock to make it look like it belongs was chasing my tail and probably was going to be wasting rock. So.... I decided to see what it would look like if I just switched the 2, placing the arch on the rock that was already cut on the left side and put the pillar on the right.
I have to say I like this way better and I think it just might work
I have yet to take a look at the FTS with an eye for thirds I'll see what I can do this weekend...













Reply With Quote
  #114  
Old 06-14-2014, 04:08 PM
Aquattro's Avatar
Aquattro Aquattro is offline
Just a guy..
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Victoria, BC
Posts: 18,053
Aquattro is a jewel in the roughAquattro is a jewel in the roughAquattro is a jewel in the roughAquattro is a jewel in the rough
Default

So. Dom. Ya puttin' water n there soon?
__________________
Brad
Reply With Quote
  #115  
Old 06-14-2014, 04:39 PM
JDigital's Avatar
JDigital JDigital is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Airdrie
Posts: 2,795
JDigital is on a distinguished road
Send a message via MSN to JDigital
Default

That scaping looks awesome! Nice job!
__________________
180G Office Reef. Started Sept 2012 http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=88894

62G Starfire Reef. Started Jan 2013 http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=89988
Reply With Quote
  #116  
Old 06-14-2014, 06:53 PM
FishingGoalie FishingGoalie is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Calgary
Posts: 329
FishingGoalie is on a distinguished road
Default

I agree looks much better. Just a thought maybe you could put a few small rocks connecting the 2 rock structures on the bottom or make it have some sort of base? Maybe its just me

Looks really cool!
Reply With Quote
  #117  
Old 06-15-2014, 02:43 PM
daplatapus's Avatar
daplatapus daplatapus is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Port Alberni, B.C.
Posts: 1,315
daplatapus is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquattro View Post
So. Dom. Ya puttin' water n there soon?
Lol, I doubt it'll happen this summer, but I sure hope it'll have fish in it before the end of the year.

Thanks guys for the scape feedback, This new layout is definitely growing on me.
Reply With Quote
  #118  
Old 06-15-2014, 03:10 PM
kien's Avatar
kien kien is offline
¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.´¯`·.´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸. ><(((º>
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Calgary, AB
Posts: 7,665
kien will become famous soon enoughkien will become famous soon enough
Default

wow, that's a wicked structure you got there Dap.
Reply With Quote
  #119  
Old 06-16-2014, 01:49 AM
asylumdown's Avatar
asylumdown asylumdown is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,806
asylumdown is on a distinguished road
Default

yah that's really awesome, I love it. Also, how on earth do you have the patience to sit looking at an aquascaped tank for months without putting water in it? I couldn't stand it!
Reply With Quote
  #120  
Old 06-16-2014, 01:55 AM
Slyguy00's Avatar
Slyguy00 Slyguy00 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Abbotsford
Posts: 1,141
Slyguy00 is on a distinguished road
Default

That rock scape is killer! Cant wait to see it running!
Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 03:57 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.