The best aquascaping tip I can give anyone ...

[Ron]

I was going to put this in the other current aquascaping thread, but time got away from me and now it's a number of pages long on various topics. Perhaps this topic needs a thread of it's own...

#1 Tip:
Learn what the golden ratio is...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio

Does anyone else already do this?

[four_by_ken]

No... I just make it look good. 


Seriously... I unknowingly follow this... kind of.

[linuxrulesusa]

If you mean not putting focal points in the middle, yes.  Like Ken, I don't do it mathematically or thinking a whole lot about it, but try to have the focal points off center, and set up plants or other decorations so there's a mix of short and tall in front, etc, and offset the 'high'/'low' points of a rock or other structure so it's asymmetrical.

[Ron]

That's why I posted this. Before I first encountered this in a math class, my better aquascaped tanks used the principle unknowingly as well. Once I was conscious of it, it just because easier and quicker to make a great looking tank!

[Helloitsme]

That's the way I was taught. Now, you have me thinking.

[Steve]

I'm a bit of an amateur photographer so I try to use the "rule of 3rd's" guideline that is used in photography and transfer that over to aquascaping. Which from what I read in the link you posted Ron sounds like what the link is basically saying to do as well.

[Ron]

I'm a bit of an amateur photographer so I try to use the "rule of 3rd's" guideline that is used in photography and transfer that over to aquascaping. Which from what I read in the link you posted Ron sounds like what the link is basically saying to do as well.

It's similar, but I don't think it's the same. I'm more of a "picture snapper" than a photographer, but IIRC the rule of 3rds is primarily in one dimension, where as the golden ratio can be achieved in 1 or better yet, 2 dimensions. You can also utilize the golden rule in multiple iterations applying it over and over into smaller portions, where as in a picture I'm not sure how you'd pull it off.