First look- 125G driftwood aquascape

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Jellopuddinpop

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I just wanted to post this very beginning look at my new build plans. I've only received the first 2 pieces of wood, but have 8 more on order. These are the 2 biggest, and I have 4 pcs @ 18" & 4 pcs @ 12" on the way. I'm excited!!

The plan is to have most of the incoming wood pieces on the right hand side, with the longer pieces angled in a sort of fan shape behind the big piece. The shorter ones will sort of come out of the rocks that will be on the right and look like roots. It's pretty hard to see, but at about 1/3 of the tank coming from the left, there will be a while sand path that narrows towards the back. The left side of that huge piece of wood is resting where the sand will be. The left side of the sand will be bordered by big rocks, creating a sort of cliff.

This is still early and the hardscape isn't even all in yet, but any feedback is appreciated!

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Very nice wood with a lot of details, looking forward to see the full hardscape with the rest of the wood, will you need to soak it first to avoid floating or are you going to put some rocks and glue them together?
 
I had to order a watering trough from Tractor Supply to soak it because I don't have a container big enough =(. That will be in next Saturday, so I have time to play around with it until then.

I'll also be using rocks, but haven't decided what kind yet. I know I want them to be inert, because the tank currently has a TON of Seiryu stone in it, and I hate the leeching carbonates.
 
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So you have my favorite username on the site. (y)

May I ask what is your inspiration for this aquascape? Do you have a vision of what you want to create?

I found that many aquascapers have a feeling they are trying to create with the aquascape. I initially thought that was strange because I always thought that you need to visualize a picture and then try to execute it in the aquarium. However, when I started to add a “feeling” to my thinking, it really did help as I was putting it together.
 
Art said:
So you have my favorite username on the site. (y)

May I ask what is your inspiration for this aquascape? Do you have a vision of what you want to create?

I found that many aquascapers have a feeling they are trying to create with the aquascape. I initially thought that was strange because I always thought that you need to visualize a picture and then try to execute it in the aquarium. However, when I started to add a “feeling” to my thinking, it really did help as I was putting it together.
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I have it in my head, but hard to put into words. Sort of like a stream bed I guess. I know it "breaks the rules" of aquascaping, but as far as I'm concerned, the more chaos and unpredictability, the better. Nature doesn't follow any defined rules, so neither should I. It's still early to see the final plan for this, but I was sp excited when the two big pieces of wood came in that I couldn't help myself =)

The stones I'm going to pick will be tan / gray, round river stones. I think that should show the stream bed idea more clearly.
 
I just remembered one of the best troll posts ever on TPT, where a guy was GOING OFF on people covering very nice driftwood with moss and epiphytes. I wish that guy was still around, because he would have a meltdown if he sees what I'm going to do to this wood lmao.
 
Unless you’re doing a Dutch aquascape, no real rules other than to follow your inspiration. The Japanese word for the chaos you speak is “wabi sabi” - finding beauty in nature.

Sorry to keep on this but I find that people are happier with their aquascape if they achieve the feeling they had for it. So, for you, your vision is a stream in nature. For example, is it a fast running stream on a crisp spring day? The feeling is energetic, happy, sunny. Or, is it an old, slow moving stream going through a dark forest? The feeling is melancholy, longing for nature, transcendent.

By having “kinda” of a visual image AND a feeling your going for, your implementation will be more informed. You would arrange the wood in a specific way. You may cover it in moss or not. You would choose more muted plants rather than colorful, springy ones.

Now that you have some time, meditate on what you want your aquascape to feel like to viewers. The wood will serve as the skeleton and frame your composition.
 
Jellopuddinpop said:
I just remembered one of the best troll posts ever on TPT, where a guy was GOING OFF on people covering very nice driftwood with moss and epiphytes. I wish that guy was still around, because he would have a meltdown if he sees what I'm going to do to this wood lmao.
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Glad I missed that.
 
At this point those are really nice pieces of wood. Has that nice windswept look to it. I could definitely see the long riverbed idea working well with those pieces. If your using a dark substrate the wood as you know will get much darker so you'll need alot of plants to cover the wood anyway to keep some type of constrast,

Jellopuddinpop said:
I just remembered one of the best troll posts ever on TPT, where a guy was GOING OFF on people covering very nice driftwood with moss and epiphytes. I wish that guy was still around, because he would have a meltdown if he sees what I'm going to do to this wood lmao.
Click to expand...

I remember that guy, LOL. He saw my epiphyte/moss tank and made some comment like "see what I mean"
 
Art said:
Unless you’re doing a Dutch aquascape, no real rules other than to follow your inspiration. The Japanese word for the chaos you speak is “wabi sabi” - finding beauty in nature.

Sorry to keep on this but I find that people are happier with their aquascape if they achieve the feeling they had for it. So, for you, your vision is a stream in nature. For example, is it a fast running stream on a crisp spring day? The feeling is energetic, happy, sunny. Or, is it an old, slow moving stream going through a dark forest? The feeling is melancholy, longing for nature, transcendent.

By having “kinda” of a visual image AND a feeling your going for, your implementation will be more informed. You would arrange the wood in a specific way. You may cover it in moss or not. You would choose more muted plants rather than colorful, springy ones.

Now that you have some time, meditate on what you want your aquascape to feel like to viewers. The wood will serve as the skeleton and frame your composition.
Click to expand...
I get what you're saying, now.

The feel should be calming, like the kind of stream you'd love to set a blanket next to and read a book. The substrate will have a large are of white sand, and the rocks will.be lighter. I'm going to contrast that by painting the background black to sort of isolate the tank itself without distracting the viewer with any colors or lights.
 
JPog said:
At this point those are really nice pieces of wood. Has that nice windswept look to it. I could definitely see the long riverbed idea working well with those pieces. If your using a dark substrate the wood as you know will get much darker so you'll need alot of plants to cover the wood anyway to keep some type of constrast,



I remember that guy, LOL. He saw my epiphyte/moss tank and made some comment like "see what I mean"
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I'm going to have quite a bit of unplanted white sand as well.
 
Jellopuddinpop said:
I just remembered one of the best troll posts ever on TPT, where a guy was GOING OFF on people covering very nice driftwood with moss and epiphytes. I wish that guy was still around, because he would have a meltdown if he sees what I'm going to do to this wood lmao.
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HA! He was also the one advocating green sand instead of a carpet 😪
 
Jellopuddinpop said:
Was that the same guy?!?

Lmao I just remembered when he was like "why haven't you shown us your tank, Gregggy? I bet it's sh!t"

I replied back with "BOY is your face gonna be red in a minute!"
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LOL I remember that exchange! I've interacted with some real characters over the years that is for sure!!
 
Some more wood came in, and I set it up closer to what I'm hoping to achieve. Check it out and let me know what you think! I'm always eager to get feedback.

The only real concern I have is the height on the right hand side. I REALLY need to get the substrate up high to get the look I'm going for, but that might mean the substrate will be pretty high all the way to the glass. I can also pile the substrate maybe halfway, them prop the big piece up with a couple of rocks, but that might be asking for trouble. Either way, let me know your thoughts. Any criticism? Critique? Ideas?20230208_162933.jpg20230208_162940.jpg20230208_163017.jpg
 
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If you build up a big hill of substrate on the right, won’t it all gradually sift back down unless held back by rocks, anyway? I think a combination of rocks (or one big rock or mesh bags of lava) under the wood to hold it up plus a few smaller ones strategically positioned to hold the substrate in place is how I would approach this scape.
 
*Ci* said:
If you build up a big hill of substrate on the right, won’t it all gradually sift back down unless held back by rocks, anyway? I think a combination of rocks (or one big rock or mesh bags of lava) under the wood to hold it up plus a few smaller ones strategically positioned to hold the substrate in place is how I would approach this scape.
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There's going to be a lot of mesh bags of lava rock holding the final height. This one's going to be tricky, for sure... I don't think I've ever gone this high with my substrate before.
 
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