# Hardscape critique please



## Stussi613 (May 8, 2009)

I'm pretty close to getting water back in my tank. Ran into several issues that put me a few days behind, but I'm almost there.

I cleaned about a hundred pounds of lace rock tonight and did my first cut at the hardscape. I'm thinking I need to lower the area in the middle and make the areas on either side higher...but would love some feedback. I also have 2-3 more lace rocks with annubias attached (crazy amounts per rock, actually).

Tank is a 72" 135g and will house yellow labs, black acei and male haps/peacocks.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I like that you have allowed space around the glass...make sure all spaces are the diameter of a python or more. To make more territories I would remove rock to make 3 or more separate piles. That also allows you to use a divider to section off one of the end piles when removing rocks to net a fish. Visually I would like to see the heights of the piles vary.

Finally, since you will have haps and peacocks...opening up that little bit more of open space on the substrate will be appreciated.


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## Stussi613 (May 8, 2009)

Here's round two, and I think the final version. Better, right?


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

yup i like it.


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## testeve (Sep 17, 2012)

+1 for round two. I like it. Much better than the first version.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

:thumb:


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## halffrozen (Sep 24, 2011)

I like it... but IMHO it needs something else... Maybe try and stack them to make a central bridge type passage way?

Don't get me wrong, round two looks good.. just needs more... "cowbell". lol


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## tharsis (Dec 5, 2012)

I definitely like the second one, it looks really nice.

I would tweek it just a little bit though. I think that the small pile in the middle is a little distracting, it makes it a little too symmetrical and it tends to draw your eye away from the big piles. If it was me, I would move that middle pile over to either the left or the right so that it is an extension of one of the other piles. This will result in an assymetry and it will also make the piles different and more interesting.

But it looks really good as is anyways


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## Stussi613 (May 8, 2009)

tharsis said:


> I definitely like the second one, it looks really nice.
> 
> I would tweek it just a little bit though. I think that the small pile in the middle is a little distracting, it makes it a little too symmetrical and it tends to draw your eye away from the big piles. If it was me, I would move that middle pile over to either the left or the right so that it is an extension of one of the other piles. This will result in an assymetry and it will also make the piles different and more interesting.
> 
> But it looks really good as is anyways


My wife, a graphic designer, said the same thing...and I agree with you both. I'm going to move them over to the bigger pile on the left so the eye is drawn to the left side first and then moves to the right.

I was hoping to get this rebuild done in 2-3 days days but I've been at it for a little more than a week because I want this to be a show tank. I might get water in it tonight and run my XP4 with 6 layers of filter floss to get rid of the sediment from the aragonite before getting one of the seeded filters back up and running this weekend and adding my yellow labs in on Monday. I guess 3 more days won't kill me considering I started the project 9 days ago


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## tharsis (Dec 5, 2012)

Sweet! My initial impression was to make the pile on the left bigger as well, since it is already a little bit bigger than the one on the right.

9 days is certainly respectable for a project of this magnitude.

I look forward to seeing the final product!


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## bearcatsean (Nov 29, 2012)

first picture looks far more natural and realiastic IMO


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## car0linab0y (Aug 10, 2009)

bearcatsean said:


> first picture looks far more natural and realiastic IMO


I agree... but we have to think about what the fish need vice what we prefer to look at. We don't have to live in there lol


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## eTrain (Oct 15, 2012)

halffrozen said:


> I like it... but IMHO it needs something else... Maybe try and stack them to make a central bridge type passage way?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, round two looks good.. just needs more... "cowbell". lol


+1


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## Randy_G (Nov 3, 2003)

Very nice!! :thumb: WOuld like to see it with water and fish now.


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## Stussi613 (May 8, 2009)

Randy_G said:


> Very nice!! :thumb: WOuld like to see it with water and fish now.


I'd love to show it to you...but I filled it with water and the capped bulkheads had slow leaks so I had to empty it 










I tested everything before putting it back together and it was fine, but adding the pressure of 135g of water showed that the plumbers tape wasn't adequate. Going to a PVC specialty shop tomorrow to get some 3mm tape and to make sure the nuts I'm using to cap them are adequate.


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## elimsprint (May 28, 2011)

Black electricians tape works really well on those fittings if you happen to have some of that. 
Kim


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## Stussi613 (May 8, 2009)

I ended up getting new plugs for the top of the bulkheads and 3mm Teflon tape rated to schedule 80 from a PVC store locally. I've tested everything and no leaks, but sadly I don't have any fish to put n the tank yet so its going to sit empty until I get back from Cuba on Jan 13th.

Longest. Build. Ever.

On another note, I ended up ordering some beamswork led fixtures for it which should be here in the new year so its going to be a full on brand new look and feel when it's done.


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