• You liked BFD7 now you should join this forum and of course become a club member to see what CCA is all about.
  • Thank you to everyone who registered and showed up for the BIG Fish Deal #7.

Please explain teh Gold Ratio to me.

Prince

The ONE who is The ONE
Someone please explain the Gold Ratio to me. I am transferring my 20 gallon plant community tank to a 40 gallon breeder and would like to set up a great looking tank.
 

mscichlid

Founder
Basically it is a greek mathematical formula used in the arts that when applied to your tank will create a focal point to direct your eyes into and around the tank. Supposedly if you divide your tank into thirds horizontally and vertically, the intersections would be your focal points. The golden ratio says that you should place your focus point(s) at a 1/3 point in your aquarium.The focal point can be, but not excluded to, a cluster of planting, a larger plant, a red plant, hardscape placement, open space (negative space) etc.

Please consider joining GWAPA. A good club that will provide more indepth feedback and excellent resources for knowledge and plants.

To get some idea of what is going on out there in the land of Aquascaping, here are some examples (good and the not so good).
http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2009.cgi?&op=ishowcase&category=0&vol=1

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2009.cgi?&op=ishowcase&category=0&vol=2

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2009.cgi?&op=ishowcase&category=1&vol=-1

Keep us posted on your progress!
 

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
Francine, those threads you posted make me want to tear down my planted tanks and start over, lol.

Most are simply stunning....
 

ingg

Members
Using the Golden Ratio on a tank:

http://gwapa.org/wordpress/2008/01/january-2008-meeting/

Yes, you find a focal point, at about a third point. You try and create a flow - a natural line for the eye to follow - to that point. There are little tricks involved in terms of angling materials, plant selections, etc., to emphasize and do it right, but that is the basic gist of it.

After a while, it is sorta almost second nature. Takes some practice to find it, but once you do, it becomes very natural feeling to find it again.


That scape from above grown in:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/?p=vB53770

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...php?i=5526&original=1&c=member&imageuser=6784

Second link... where does your eye keep going? Keeps going back up to that clump of anubias on the wood on the right, doesn't it?

Look at the wood..... from left to right, sweeps up into that point. From right to left, sharp incline up to same point.

Look up high.... red on left fades out down into green coming down to that point....

Look right underneath it... all those little arrow shaped leaves pointing up to it....

Look at that rock on left side.... arrow pointing to same place...

And remember, it is a natural spot for your eye to go, we do it by like instinct. Used in architecture, in art, all sorts of things.... the golden ratio is created to use how we already "function" on that instinct; a way to just use the way our eyes already work to make it feel aesthetic and "natural" for the way our eyes work.
 
Last edited:
Top