Aquascaping Help/Feedback

[JCSReefing]

I recently set up my new 100g tank. It's 48x24x20. I need some feedback/help/criticism so I can get this to look great before I do my par readings this weekend. I'm simply just not great at scaling so feedback is the best way for me.
Here is what I have so far. The tank is filled and many coral are attached so some rework is limited. Please let me know your honest thoughts and any advice. Mind you no corals are out because it was just completed.

 

[glb]

I recently set up my new 100g tank. It's 48x24x20. I need some feedback/help/criticism so I can get this to look great before I do my par readings this weekend. I'm simply just not great at scaling so feedback is the best way for me.
Here is what I have so far. The tank is filled and many coral are attached so some rework is limited. Please let me know your honest thoughts and any advice. Mind you no corals are out because it was just completed.

Nice tank! It might look more interesting if you had the rocks on two islands, one bigger than the other. I'm thinking the bigger rocks on the right and the smaller ones on the left. I did two curving rock islands in my 40g and liked how it turned out.

 

[JCSReefing]

Nice tank! It might look more interesting if you had the rocks on two islands, one bigger than the other. I'm thinking the bigger rocks on the right and the smaller ones on the left. I did two curving rock islands in my 40g and liked how it turned out.

Wish I could make that! I am absolutely horrible at scampe

 

[glb]

Wish I could make that! I am absolutely horrible at scampe

It just takes patience. You can arrange and rearrange the rocks until you find what you like (although you'll have to do it underwater). It took me several days of moving the rocks around before I settled on a rockscape. Just give it some time!

 

[JCSReefing]

I re did my scape. Think this is better and more practical and space for corals!

 

[glb]

I re did my scape. Think this is better and more practical and space for corals!

I love it! It looks much more natural. Really nice!

 

[Idoc]

I really like that one!

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

I would highly suggest you read some articles on aquascaping. the rule of thirds would REALLY help this tank out.

imo..
1. the highest rock is too high.. grabs all the attention.
2. there are no diagonal lines for the eye to follow, thus making it look blobby and flat.
3. i would say the lack of diagonal lines and lack of tension is the biggest factor. you have a lot of vertical lines in a long horizontal rectangle...

 

[JCSReefing]

I would highly suggest you read some articles on aquascaping. the rule of thirds would REALLY help this tank out.

imo..
1. the highest rock is too high.. grabs all the attention.
2. there are no diagonal lines for the eye to follow, thus making it look blobby and flat.
3. i would say the lack of diagonal lines and lack of tension is the biggest factor. you have a lot of vertical lines in a long horizontal rectangle...

curious how you would suggest to do this differently?

 

[Reef Monkie]

curious how you would suggest to do this differently?

I wouldn't worry to much, rules are for little people as they say, or was it, if you are intelligent enough rules can be seen as general guidelines that you can break when appropriate. And this certainly goes for the rule of thirds. If you understand what the rule of thirds is you can then freely bend it to your will or circumstance.

Your first scape didn't look too bad, the second scape looks quite a bit better, it has space for your corals, and space for your corals to grow out, it has a few hiding spots for fish, it isn't a wall of rock, there is plenty of negative space, there is some sense of depth. Could it be better? Perhaps, does it look good, well it does to me!