Golden Ratio

[stanchung]

My question is: Should I include the dark areas (substrate area) in my calculation of 1.618?
I notice that the golden nana are nearer to focus point A, if i were to use Picture 2 as the base of my calculation compared to Picture 1.

To calculate GS, IMO should not include the gravel.
All the water plus the underside of the water reflection the way I've drawn the lines.
Use one GS point and then you can use the diagonal lines to plot the height of the plants/wood.

When you take the picture you can get a better horizontal GS by raising or lowering your viewpoint. You cannot do anything about your vertical GS except plant something there or move the furniture.

In your case I suggest move the wood to your right a bit. 2-4 inches.

I suggest you plant you golden nanas in a tighter bunch. The stem plants look too sparse. You need brighter lighting to make them grow tighter.

The ferns will grow big. Too big for your tank. I suggest you abandon them or the stem plants.

Tie some nice moss on the wood to create a lush effect. Your foreground would help with a low growing small leaved plant like Marsilea minuta/HC/Chendol plant.

[dom]

Please take my tank as example...

Ok here you go and i must say miscue ha. So maybe one of the reasons it didn't get a higher placing. Maybe we can learn something?

This is the first time i'm trying out this GS idea.

I use to sit in front of the spring hunt tank and imagine for hours
[what to do what to do what to do]

I think now it's a given that i will mark on my tank EXACTLY where the intersections are on the side for future rescaping purposes!

Sorry. Just found out you took my pic and put the rules of third. Ya. it is out of shape and never follow the rules of third. And yes, I marked my 4ft for that. It helps a lot.

[shamrocq]

I beg to differ on calculating the GS.

IMO, lets just say you take a pix of your tank for the competition. Correct me if I'm wrong, but are the rules that the pix have to be taken in a way the depth of soil is visible?

If so, my opinion is that you have to include the soil level. I dunno if you guys can understand or make sense because, I see it as the pix that will be taken for competition should be treated as like a whole piece of painting. Imagine you painting a aquarium scape. Normally you won't obmit the soil level right?

just my 2 cents

[creep]

Hi Shamrocq. The rule of the thirds act as a guide only. With the objective of creating a scape or picture that is naturally pleasing to the eye. Otherwise the scape will look too symetrical or unnatural. IMHO, whether the gravel is taken into account or not should depend on whether the effect is pleasant to look at or not. (Stan, correct me if I'm wrong here) I wouldn't get too caught up in deciding to measure the gravel or not. Cheers.

[cjloong]

I think this is subjective, as in someone will view the gravel is non-important because it does look like the frame of the picture. Some of our eyes tend to ignore it.

For competition, maybe we can put in some top ranking tanks in ADA and do a GS analysis on it, whether it includes the gravel or not. Not sure can be done or not in public but we can do it personally.

Regards
cj

[shamrocq]

yes i agree its pretty subjective, considering the soil is quite an insignificant element in the scape. just say if ones soil level is merely of 2 inch only, I guess it won't make much of a diffrence on the GS if the soil level is not included (just 2 inch out of GS only)

but here's a point to ponder. just say you have 2 inch soil infront which terrace to like maybe 4 inch back, how would one consider and apply the GS theory?

if you take the example, place the tank eye-level with you, you will probably see the soil level as 4 inch. (which to me is quite a significant height)

anyway, what I'm trying so say is also that it's diffrent looking from a 3d and 2d point of view. Not trying to be anal, but as an artist, I would consider everything within my cropping frame, even insignificant soil level... hehe

[dom]

Stan, take this tank as example. Is it close to any GS?

[stanchung]

Dear shamrocq,

I think i have to partially agree.
The reason is if the soil/gravel is dark, it becomes the framing of the tank and removes itself from the GS equation.

If you have coloured marbles or white sand then i agree it becomes part of the GS equation as it becomes a visible element that draws attention.

[stanchung]

Hi Dom,

The GS of your tank is very good. A very pleasing layout.
I know you changed it already.

BTW, rule of thirds not the same as GS.

[cjloong]

I guess to have a better standing in competitions, which one should we use?

GS or rule of third? I would guess is GS.

Regards
cj

[dom]

Ai...should keep that setup n growing all the crypts for ADA 2007.

I up this setup after i read the aqua journal. Not so acculate. But i am quite like this setup. It is tiger barb biotope!

Will try something like this for my balcony tank. thx man.

I think we should use the rules of 3rd and bring out the GS? Am i right?

[isaacgoh]

Dom,

Actually that was the best tank from you in my opinion, told you that when I went over to your place to collect the crypts. Even commented on the nice twigs that you said collected from roadside. I like the use of big and small crypts, but then you have itchy hands. LOL.

[isaacgoh]

Stan,

From this tank by Norbert, looks like the GS is a bit weak (dark) but yet the tank as a whole looks very soothing. The strongest thing to a GS for me is The group of false neon tetra. Can you explain a bit? I don't think he deliberately wait for the fish to post at the GS point, right?



This biotope tank as well, but generally the tank is still very good. Probably the group of small twigs is the strongest GS point.

[isaacgoh]

I've found that bolbitis are mostly used as bg plants because of the nature the way they grow. The are not suitable as your GS points because the leaves move as the rhizome grows.

Plants that I like to use are those that stay in one spot and grow slowly.
The are 'off centre' centre pieces that must look outstanding.
Bulb plants [eg A. madagascariensis, Crinum calamistratum-large tanks]
Rosette plants[those that don't creep eg. The larger Echinodorus types like E Red Rubin, Large Cryptocorynes, Blyxa aubertii]
Groups of stem plants that have bright leaves will work and mixing a few types ala ikebana works as some winner of PJ Magnin AGA2005.
Some lotus like Nymphaea micrantha and Nuphar shimadai can work.

Those off my list-
Lotus like Nuphar japonica looks good for awhile but move over the course of a few months.

However, instead of plants you can use hardscape. Rocks and wood are perfect for this purpose. Finding the perfect rock or wood is important.
However for future aquascapes you may have to keep looking for new rock or wood. [a once a year thing]

Reread this thread and found that you brought up some interesting points here that I missed replying to.

I have to agree that Bolbitis is not a good GS point given the way that it grows but it can still be done by expert(obviously not me) because young Bolbitis leaves are very eye catching.

There's one guy in Ipoh who used green lotus as the focus point and it's very effective. He keep trimming the lotus until it grows big leaves in a group submersed, I must admit when i went to his house and saw the tank, the first thing I saw was the green lotus even though I am not a fan of lotus. He(Dr. Tang) got number 258 if I'm not mistaken in ADA 2006.

Rocks and fixed items are best in this case as the GS because it can be frustrating when your GS moves. LOL

[stanchung]

Isaac,

Not all lotus/lily move. Only those with rhizomes.