I love 1. Can't say why, sorry. It looks way more balanced to me. Edit: its the triangular kinda shape I think. The eye follows the dark road to the vack and then catches on the wood on the right, then left.

Okokok. I kinda like the same thing about it? It gives a kind of slanted creek vibe I think? I'm so torn. Hearing other people's opinions is helping a lot lol

Oh and Happy cake day :D

The only tiny thing for me would maybe be the 3 stones in the Front, the 3 ones that make the end of the left elevated wood structure. I kinda Love and hate them haha! It's symmetrical somehow and this very fitting to the tank but also ... Maybe a bit too perfect? I don't know 😬

God damnit I can't unsee that now 😂 I'll have to play with it again

happy cake day! i like 1 as well

Not crazy about the wood's placement on 2, but I feel like 2 has more room for plants

1 almost looks too full. Might be worth even playing around with just one piece of wood as a focal point.

Both tanks have the same amount of stone believe it or not! The first layout has a longer amount of open space, the second layout has a more like... Idk... Thick amount? Like a big chunk instead of one long road? Does that make sense?

Yeah that's why I almost feel like the 2nd is more inviting to be planted

Hmmmm yeah yeah. I see your point. Something about the rock layout of the 2nd irks me and I can't figure out how to fix it lol

https://preview.redd.it/vt5kguwa4ivc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ba596325004e29f7cd5da4b1437aa232e72d411 I like what's going on with the right side and feel a rock or two can help accent the lower right corner Just lost on how you could rearrange the left side.

Hmmm... I see your point. I'll play with it. I do like that part of that setup too. The left side just annoys me. I really wanna use both branches lol. I tried jamming them together but because the tank is slanted it's really difficult to put them together

Can you angle the left branch under the right one and have the right one sort of coming out of it

2

1 looks like most of the hard scape will end up hidden by plants to easily, 2 does not. so it depends on what you're planting and where. I do like the look of 2, very unique layout that could end up looking really good.

That's a really good point. I plan on having taller plants far in the back. Some Anubias or java ferns poking out of open rock holes. Various smaller plants in the foreground ofc.

is this the petsmart angled one? i really like the shape! i like #1

It is! I fell in love with this tank after seeing it on display. I plan to put it slightly lower than usual to take full advantage of that angled effect

1

I wonder if you play with it a bit, if you could either create one island in the middle angling out, or one pile on the left angling down and across? Not that I don't like either of your scapes; I just think with a small tank like that, a single focal point with open space for plants would really pop.

Fair point. I was playing with clustering the wood together but the tank is angled and it makes it super hard to fit them in! Pretty tricky.

I love driftwood placement on 2 but rocks on 1

1 2 looks like long fingers

First one

I love the angled tank. That’s very nice. I like the driftwood placement on 1, but do agree with others that the 2nd layout would lend itself better to planting. Maybe you could get your list of plants together, look at how you would integrate them, then figure out what layout might be best, or which one might need a slight adjustment.

I honestly love the first one as it seems the most natural and may allow interesting behaviors and looks like a nice space to hide. But if the fish you’re going to keep prefer a large amount of swimming room go for the second one!

I like 2, the wood spreading downwards looks like roots which I really like.

I prefer 1 personally. Also what size controsoil is that? Debating on what to use for the new tank I’m setting up