When planning a reef aquarium, it may help to look at some planted tanks. I know, it must sound a bit strange since they are completely different worlds, but there is one thing that they both require to be visually appealing: a basic understanding of aesthetics. Planted aquariums have benefited greatly from both the Dutch style and Nature Aquarium (or Japanese) style of aquascaping, and the guidelines for creating a visually stunning planted aquarium can be translated to a reef aquarium to achieve the same effects.
First, it's important to decide what will be your focal point. There should be only one focal point, unless the tank is very large. The focal point acts as an anchor for the viewer's gaze and a comfortable starting point. It should immediately draw a viewer's attention. Therefore, using brightly colored corals or a bold piece of live rock or even a creative negative space would work well.
Once you decide what your focal point will be, you should place it according to a very specific ratio, called the Golden Rule. Discovered in ancient Greece, the ratio is 1:1.618, and when used in artwork, creates a pleasing tension. It's not centered, but it's not too far off center, so it looks natural but also ordered. To use it on an aquarium, just measure your tank lengthwise and divide that length by 2.618. For example, if your tank is 30 inches wide, you'll get a result of 11.45. Now measure 11.45 inches from one side of the tank (you can measure from either side, but which side to put the focal point on is up to you). This is where your focal point should be.
Once you have your focal point decided and the correct position determined, start building out from that point using your live rock. You want the placement of the rock to be visually interesting, but not contrived and man-made looking. The best aquascapes use the lines of the rock to create pathways for the viewer's gaze that radiate out from the focal point.
Put all of these principles together and you'll find you can create a stunning aquascape. Good luck!
Visit Andrew's freshwater aquarium blog Aquatic Eden for more aquascaped tanks, aquatic plants, fish, shrimp, and everything in between.
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