aquascaping world

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1/60NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 AquaScaping World 1

www.aquascapingworld.com ISSUNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 20

AquaScapingWorldAquaScapingWorldMaking Magic In Glass Boxes

Inside the ADA Nature Aquarium GalleryAquascape In Focus: World Before ColumbusVietnam Aquascaping Competition ResultsSCAPE at the Orange County FairIAPLC 2010 Results


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Inside our November/December Issue

I know you all have been waiting patiently for the next latest andgreatest issue of the AquaScaping World Magazine. I am proud to saywe are back and better than ever!

ASW has high professional standards, and therefore we are switchingfrom a monthly publication to a bi-monthly schedule to allow us ampletime to develop the articles and magazine. With the extra time, you canbe sure future articles will be more in-depth, more comprehensive, andtouch extensively upon aquascaping techniques and activities from all

over the world. Now, lets get right to it.

In this issue, youll find an array of aquascaping competition resultsfrom the Aqua Design Amano, International Aquatic Plant LayoutContest 2010 and the Aquabird Vietnam, Aquadesign AquascapingContest. This years participants have continued to push the bar increativity and execution.

Our Aquascape in Focus for this issue comes from Italian Aquascaper,Pasquale Buonpane and his World Before Columbus layout. Thislayout achieved an impressive 106 ranking in the IAPLC 2010. Findout a little more about the aquascape and how you can make one

yourself.

Also, the ADA Nature Aquarium Gallery in Japan is a must visit for anyplanted aquarium enthusiast. While many of us cant make the trip toJapan, we can live through BJ Ruttenberg. He takes us on hisadventure to the premier aquascaping headquarters.

Finally, planted aquarium promotion has made great strides in theUnited States through the Southern California Aquatic PlantEnthusiasts Club (SCAPE). SCAPE hosted an aquascaping booth atone of the largest fairs in Southern California, helping to draw newmembers to the hobby. Check out what they did, and maybe you can

promote planted aquaria in your region too!

Happy Aquascaping everybody!

John NguyenEditor in Chief

AquaScaping World Magazine

Letter from the Editor



TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER FROM THE EDITORIntroduction for the eighth issue of AquaScaping World Magazine.By John Nguyen

COMPETING AGAINST THE BEST AQUASCAPERS IN THE WORLDAn close and personal depiction of what it takes to create an aquascape thatcan compete well against thousands of high-class aquascapers.By Marcin Pczek

SCAPE CLUB AT THE ORANGE COUNTY FAIRThe Southern California Aquatic Plant Enthusiasts attracts new visitors to thehobby through events such as this one at the Orange County Fair.By Billie G.

AQUABIRD VIETNAM AQUASCAPING CONTEST 2010 RESULTSA showcase of some of the TOP Aquascapes featured in this regionalaquascaping contest in Vietnam.By Nguyen Quang Hung, Ngo Truong Thinh, and Dao Sy Hiep

A BEGINNERS PERSPECTIVELearning to become an accomplished aquascaper is a process. Here is anadventure of experimentation, success and failures.By Shawn McBride

AQUASCAPE IN FOCUS: WORLD BEFORE COLUMBUSThis issue features Pasquale Buonpanes World Before Columbus. This

aquascape features extensive rock work, which helped place it at animpressive 106 rank of over 1,800 entries in the IAPLC 2010.By ASW Editor

INTERNATIONAL AQUATIC PLANT LAYOUT CONTEST 2010 RESULTSThe largest aquascaping contest releases its results. Find out more about thecontest and enjoy some of the entries and the results.By ASW Editorial Staff

ART AND CREATION INSIDE THE ADA NATURE AQUARIUM GALLERYHeres your chance to see inside the Takashi Amanos Nature AquariumGallery and some of his aquascapes.By BJ Ruttenberg

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Discover how this aquascape placed among the Top 100

in the ADA International Aquatic Plant Layout Contest 200


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In 2008, my aquascapeGreen Recess ranked awhopping 77 out of 1200entries in the 2008

International Aquatic Plant LayoutContest. Let me tell you, it wasntall the easy.

My name is Marcin (Martin)Pczek, Im 34 years old and Ilive in Lodz, Poland. I have awonderful wife Anna anddaughter Maggie (2.5 years old).Both of them love waterworld. Istudied chemistry, which issometimes very useful in aquaria.

With some breaks inbetween, I have been addicted toaquaria since I was seven. Myfirst aquarium was metal-framed

and I raised Xiphophorus hellerithere. Later, the time came formy first silicon glued tank withplants and fish. It was a typicalcommunity tank, which after afew years it was torn down. I owemy current comeback to aquariato my wife (at that time mygirlfriend) as she was the onewho bought me my first fish.When I first heard about Dutch

By Marcin Pczek

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010AquaScaping World 5



Style Aquascaped Aquariums, Iwas really pleased by the visionof a tank, where plants are themost important. A few years later,on a Polish discussion forum, I

read about the famousaquascaper Takashi Amano andhis Nature Aquarium. Sincethen I began learning how toarrange aquarium layouts toconform to the Nature Style.

Inspiration of Green RecessThe inspiration of Green

Recess was from one of theaquascapes, made by Takashi

Amano, which I saw in The Styleof ADA catalogue(page 68-69 ofthat book). I wanted to challengemyself and see if I can manage tocreate something similar. Of

course my aquascape turned outcompletely different in the end,but I still learned a lot of newtechniques and I realized thattrying to copy an existingaquarium is not as easy as itappears to be.

I began the layout inSeptember 2007 and I continuedto nurture it until July 2008. Aftersome attempts with red plants, in

Spring I went all the way andaimed the scape into my favorite,all green plants.

As the layout developed, thetitle of this aquascape came tomy mind when I noticed thatwhen I gazed into the scape, I feltdrawn into a quiet and relaxedstate. I imagine the feeling issimilar to how a fish feels whileresting under driftwood thatswhere the Recess part of thetitle came from.

Arranging the HardscapeThe rocks used in Green

Recess are called MantenStone. I received them from mygood friend Adam Paszczela.

Beside being simply pleasingto the eye, the Manten Stonefunctions to separate thesubstrate and the sand. This wasessential in keeping the layoutclean and composed. The linesdefined by the rock layoutcreated a foundation for whichthe viewer could return to as theireyes move slowly from theplants, driftwood and the rocks.

Driftwood setting was notdifficult since I only had twopieces of it. I just placed theminto the tank and I was satisfiedwith the result instantly.

Aquascaping the PlantsThe main plant in this

aquascape is one of my favorites:Eleocharis sp.. This time Idecided to buy Eleocharisparvula from Tropica. Thevariation of Eleocharis isincredible when compared to E.parvula from non-commercial

farm which I had in the previousaquascape. Tropicas Eleocharisleaves (needles) are moredelicate and they bow down tothe substrate, while growing, sothe plant is not so high.

Eleocharis sp. is a relativelyeasy to grow plant so Irecommend it for the beginners.Planting does not require muchexperience. It is enough to take it


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out from the basket, clean it fromthe wool, split into severalportions and then put the plantinto the substrate where we wantto. After 2-3 months we will havea beautiful, green lawn. Inorder to speed up the effect it isgood to cut the plant very lowafter planting, removing theemersed grown leaves, so thatalgae will not grow on them, andthe new submerse leaves will

appear sooner.I trimmed Eleocharis every

two months in different spotswhich allowed me to achieve thenatural effect of higher and lowergrass. I took this idea right fromthe wild lawn in front of myhouse. The overall effect createda more chaotic and wild (butnatural) atmosphere in the layout.

My second favorite, is a

grassy plant called Sagittariasubulata. In the beginning I didntplan it to be in this aquascape; itis correct to say that it appearedsurprisingly I must have left anold bulb of the plant in thesubstrate when forming it. Aftersome time the Sagittaria grew solarge that I spent long hours withthe scissors, trimming it back sothat it would not dominate theaquascape.

Another of my favoritep l a n t s , H e m i a n t h u s micranthemoides (HM) has aparticular leaf structure with onlytwo leaves in the vertical that Ilike. It is very good plant to trimand form. In my first aquascape,which I sent to 2005 International

Aquatic Plant Layout Contest,with frequent and low trimming Icreated a HM lawn in the front

part of aquarium. Th is time Ididnt need it so I let it grow as itwished to. Two months afterplanting I did the first trimming at1/3 of its height to let it growdenser. After that, I trimmed HMregularly on different heights toincrease the growth density. Thefinal forming was made a fewdays before the photo was taken,I trimmed only stems which weretoo long and did not look good.

Trimming PlantsI know youre thinking that I

trim the plants regularly to getthem groomed into the shape Iwant. However this is quite theopposite. I rarely force the plantsto anything, and even when I tryto do so, it is even more rarelyachieved. Thats why I usually letthe plants grow as they wish and

A Bud of Sagittaria Flower emergesfrom the tangles of moss patches.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 AquaScaping World 7



where they wish to in myaquarium. Of course there aremoments when I have to usescissors, but I do it rather onimpulse, without a specificscheme. Sometimes a plantmass need to be trimmed so thatfish have the space to swim, orother times while looking at theaquascape something justdoesnt look fine to me. Trimmingis a moment which I sometimesregard and sometimes I amsatisfied with.

Substrate DesignThe substrate I used is a few

bags of new ADA Aqua SoilAmazonia Normal and Powder,and a few liters of used Aqua Soilfrom previous aquascapes. At thevery bottom I also added Bacter100, Clear Super and TourmalineBC to start up the bacterialcolonies. In the front, as adecoration sand, I used ADABright Sand.

The substrate height was 2.5cm in the foreground and about7.5 cm in the background. Asmentioned previously I usedManten stones to separate thesand from the Amazonia.

Although the stones did a greatjob at keeping the two substratesapart, of course my shrimpswould dig up the Amazonia anddirty up the sand. I had to cleanthe sand every so often using 4/6mm silicon hose during waterchanges. A few times when itwas too difficult to clean, I wasforced to replace part of sandforeground with fresh portion.

Tank Maintenance is anEveryday Activity

From daily fertilizing, weeklywater changes, and theoccasional trimming, it all addsup to a lot of effort to keep ahealthy aquascaped aquarium.

I made a fertilizing schedulefor each day. The beginning was

Sunday, 1/3 water change (about22 liters) and progressively Iwould add various amounts offertilizers each day.

For the most part, the biggert r immings (s tems, moss,eleocharis sp.) are done beforethe water change on Sundays.The other days I often do smalltrimmings with scissors to keepthings tidy, especially when itcame to stopping new runners ofSaggitaria subulata.

Overcoming AlgaeIn this aquascape I had

some problems with Blue-greenAlgae (BGA), especially on thesand by the front glass, and onthe rocks. In order to get rid ofthem I used ADA Phyton Git,which is a liquid supplement thatcan stimulate stem growth, andchemically, at the same time canhelp deter the growth of algae.However, the best method onBGA was removing the dirty part


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of sand and replacing it with freshs a n d . I r e m o v e d B B Amechanically, using Pro Pickerfrom ADA it is a great toolespecially in difficult to reachplaces.

Of course the best way tocontrol algae are frequent waterchanges, stabilized fertilizing andkeeping the tank clean and tidyas a whole, so that low levels oforganic carbon appear. A l g a eeaters such as Caridinamultidentata and Crossocheilussiamensis are also helpful, butthey dont always want to eatalgae.

Fish Selection: If it aint brokethen why fix it?

In this aquascape I usedG r e e n N e o n T e t r a s(Paracheirodon simulans) fromthe previous aquascape. Fromthe beginning I felt they fit thislayout just as well so I did notconsider any other species. I didhowever increase the school sizeup to 40-50 fish.

Favorite Aspects of GreenRecess

I think I like the mid-left ofthe aquascape the best. Manyspecies of plants join togetherthere Eleocharis parvula,Glossost igma elat inoides,Microsorum pteropus Narrow,Sagittaria subulata, Taxiphyllumalternans and moreover MantenStones and driftwood. Theaquascape in this area is verydetailed, which dynamicallychanges as plants grow andinfiltrate each other. I feel, that

this part of layout is the best, andeveryone will find somethinginteresting here.

Prevailing ChallengesThe biggest problem (and

most tiring) was keeping the sandclean and BBA occurrence fromthe rocks. Despite using the ADAPhyton Git, cleaning the stonesand frequent water changes

(sometimes even twice a week)they always came back aftersome time. At the end (in May)cutting out new runners ofSagittaria, while attempting not todest roy the wel l grownaquascape became quite tiring.

Accomplishment at the 2008IAPLC

Personally I was verysurprised that I achieved adreamed place in the first 100. Iranked #77 among over 1200entries. I have already seen thisyears contest album, and I thinkthat the participants level in thefirst 100 was very high as always,and I am even more delighted

and honored to be graded amongthe other beautiful layouts.

If I had to make thisaquascape once more, I think Iwould change the arrangement ofstones in the central part.Especially one of them is not finefor me, I didnt manage to soften

the bold driftwood impression.But all in all, I wouldnt change alot, I still like this layout andworking on it, even though it wassometimes difficult, GreenRecess gave me lot of pleasure.




After placing Bacter

100, Clear Super and Tourmaline

BC at the base, use a plastic

divider to separate the front and

back areas. Fill in the back area

with ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia.

Now that the back is

filled in, proceed to place the

ADA Bright sand in the front

area. Be sure to keep the plastic/

cardboard divider in place to get

the substrate curve desired. .

When both sections are

filled in, carefully remove the

divider. Do this slowly as to

minimize mixing of the two

substrates.


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Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1/3 water change

(about 22 litres)Brighty K 2ml Brighty K 2ml Brighty K 2ml Brighty K 2ml Brighty K 2ml Brighty K 2ml

GB Step 2 2ml GBS Shade 2ml GBS Shade 2ml GB Step 2 2ml GBS Shade 2ml GBS Shade 2ml

GBS Lights 3ml ECA 2-4 drops (seldom) GBS Lights 3ml ECA 2-4 drops (seldom)

Green Bacter 6-10 drops

Green Gain 6-10 drops

"Green Recess" Maintenance & Fertilization Schedule

Begin arranging your

hardscape starting with the stones.Here Manten Stones were used to

help maintain the division

between the Aqua Soil and the

Sand. Moss covered driftwood

was placed to maximize the use of

vertical space

After the hardscape is

arranged to the desired look,

Eleocharis parvulawas planted

through the background evenly. .

Over time, with minimal

trimming, the plants will fill in with

a natural appearance.




Green Recess (IAPLC 2008 entry)

Dimensions: 60x35x30cmVolume: 63 litersLight: 2x15W fluorescent tube 7500 K - Arcadia FreshwaterPhotoperiod: 8 hours

Substrate:ADA Substrate System(Bacter100, Tourmaline BC, Clear Super, Aqua SoilAmazonia and BrightSand)

Fertilization:ADA - Brighty K, Green Brighty STEP 2, Green BrightySpecial SHADE, Green Brighty Special LIGHTS andGreen Gain, Green Bacter, ECA.

C02Injection: Pressurized C02 with ceramic diffuser


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Plant ListEchinodorus tenellus,Eleocharis parvula,Glossostigma elatinoides,

Hemianthus micranthemoides,Microsorum pteropus 'Narrow',Sagittaria subulata,Taxiphyllum barbieri

FaunaCrossocheilus siamensis,Otocinclus sp.,Paracheirodon simulans,

Caridina multidentataNeocaridina heteropoda var. red.




Wild, Wild...Green (IAPLC 2007 entry)

Dimensions: 60x35x30cmVolume: 63 litersLight: 2x15W fluorescent tube 7500 K - Arcadia FreshwaterPhotoperiod: 8 hoursSubstrate:Aqua Soil Amazonia - Normal, Bacter 100 and Multi Bottom.Fertilization:ADA - Brighty K, Green Brighty STEP 3, Green Bacter, ECA.

Green Brighty Special SHADE, and Green Gain,C02

Injection: Pressurized C02 with ceramic diffuser


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Plant ListCryptocoryne beckettii ''petchii''Eleocharis ''parvula''Hemianthus micranthemoidesMicrosorum pteropus ''Narrow''Microsorum pteropus ''Philippine''Rotala sp. ''Green''Sagittaria subulataVesicularia montagneiVesicularia ferriei

FaunaCrossocheilus siamensisHemigrammus hyanuaryOtocinclus sp.Paracheirodon simulansCaridina multidentataCaridina sp. "Tiger"




Tigers in the Jungle (IAPLC 2006 entry)

Dimensions: 80x35x40cmVolume: 112 litersLight: 2x18W - Philips Master 865Photoperiod: 8 hoursSubstrate: Quartz gravel about 3-5mm and Aqualit - Hobby

Fertilization: Planta Gainer Classic, Planta Gainer Macro,Planta Gainer Ferro+

C02Injection: Pressurized C02 with ceramic diffuser


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Plant ListBlyxa japonica,Microsorum pteropus ''Narrow'' ,Sagittaria subulata

FaunaLimia nigrofasciata,Caridina multidentata,Neritina natalensis




Dream-land of Limia (IAPLC 2005 entry)

Dimensions: 80x35x40cmVolume: 112 litersLight: 2x18W - Philips Master 865Photoperiod: 8 hoursSubstrate: Quartz gravel about 3-5mm and Aqualit - HobbyFertilization: Planta Gainer Classic, Planta Gainer Macro,

Planta Gainer Ferro+C02

Injection: Pressurized C02 with ceramic diffuser


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Plant List

Blyxa japonica,Hemianthus micranthemoides,Microsorum pteropus ''Windelov'' ,Rotala rotundifolia,Sagittaria subulata.

Fauna

Limia nigrofasciata,Caridina multidentata,Neritina natalensis.




By Billie G.



The idea of a localplanted tank club startedon an internationalplanted tank forum by

people located in and aroundSouthern California as adiscussion about trading aquaticplants locally. As the discussionthread progressed and peoplelocated in and around Los

Angeles and Orange Countiesstarted trading plants, it was

mentioned that some locals oughtto create their own club. Theideas and suggestions startedflowing with what a local clubshould look like.

T h e r e w e r e a f e wenthusiasts that had the time,resources and knowledge tocreate an online forum and comeup with a club name. It wasdiscussed that the club shouldserve those in the ornamental

fish hobby whose focus is onplanted tanks and reside in theSouthern California area.

This is how the Club NameSouthern California Aquatic PlantEnthusiasts was created. Thisname turned out to be quitesynonymous with the art aspectof creating a Scape, which isshort for Aquascaping.

The club did not fair too wellin the beginning and its leaders

became disinterested. It thenchanged hands in February 2008and the membership dues weredropped. This is when the newSCAPE started to flourish withactivity and the membership skyrocketed. There are currently 321active members from all overCalifornia with monthly meetingaveraging 70 people inattendance.

T h e m e m b e r s h i pgeographical locale covers areasas far North as San Jose and asfar South as El Cajon and TijuanaMexico all points West withsome members attendingmeetings as far East as Phoenix,

Arizona.Members gather every third

Sunday of the month where thereis some sort of educationalpresentation or demonstration

followed by a live auction wheremembers can get a multitude ofrare and exotic plants includingfauna and inverts at bargainbasement prices. The clubssuccess is primarily based on itsVision and statement of purpose.

SCAPE is a local, non profitgroup formed of the mostded ica ted Aquat ic P lan tEnthus ias ts in SouthernCalifornia who, together, form a




movement to promote awarenessand knowledge of the science,art, and beauty of planted tanks

among both hobbyists andretailers.If hobbyists support their

communities through educationand the local retailers, thecommunity and retailers willsupport the club!

Promoting the HobbySCAPE is always

looking for ways topromote awareness andeducation about thehobby. In April 2007 adisplay booth wasprocured during the

Americas Family PetExpo at the Costa MesaFairgrounds. It turned outto prove quite successfulby introducing ourselvesinto an environment wherepeople love and care about theirpets including fish. It was there

where SCAPE was visible tothousands of people in a singleweekend.

One of which was theass is tan t coord ina tor a tCentennial Farms which islocated at the Costa MesaFairgrounds. He felt the Clubseducational purposes alignedwith theirs and invited the Club todisplay planted tanks in theirfloral building.

It was a good match! Thepublic paraded through the floralbuilding in amazement as they

gazed at the planted tanks. Manydid not realize they could bringthe same beauty and techniques

from their flower gardens intotheir fish tanks.

Transporting AquariumsIt is best to plan the tank

months in advance so that thetank has a chance to mature andall the plants settle in nicely.Tanks 10 gallons or less are

much easier to transportand set back up. Theprocess entails drainingthe tank as much aspossible to eliminatesloshing during transport.Water sloshing back andforth will ruin many hoursof plant placement androoting.

Remove as muchequipment as possible

and cover with plastic wrap totrap moisture and air. Ambienttemperatures need to stay

Visitors were veryimpressed by the planted

aquariums beauty.



consistent with no direct sunlightwhile in a car. Set ting themback up is pretty tedious andtakes delicate care.

Focus of the ExhibitsThe exhibits focused on style

and ease of setting up and

maintaining a planted tank. Wetried to cover the basic tanks setups with as little tanks possible.We had a 10 gallon high techMalaya Biotope, a half gallon allnatural Dutch style aquarium, a 5gallon medium tech Iwagumi , aWabi-kusa and a one gallon lowtech Betta paradise. Below eachtank was a descriptions of eachtank on display discussing thetype of aquascape, flora and

fauna names/scientific names,maintenance, lighting, etc.

Visitors ImpressionVisitors were very impressed

by the planted aquariumsbeauty. Some had no idea therewas such a thing as tropicalaquatic plants. Others wereinterested in the design aspect,while more were interested in the

science aspect. As theireducation about the symbioticrelationships between the floraand fauna increased, the morethey wanted to transform theirown fish tanks into plantedaquariums.

For those first timers who

just loved the tanks usuallyasked, how much would it cost toset up these types of aquarium?People with previous aquariumexperience asked about where tobuy such beautiful plantspecimens and the equipmentthat was used. Are they easy totake care of? How often do youdo water changes?

The ones with moretechnical and detailed questions

asked to join our online forumwhere we gave them SCAPEcards with our online information.

For most SCAPE members,it was an amazing experience totalk about something they reallylove to do. Sharing informationwith people who are completestrangers enlists them to want toget involved because they seeand can even feel your passion.

One of several exhibits, this Betta Heavenshows visitors a Betta Bowl can be more thanjust a fish in a plain bowl.




Future of SCAPE and theHobby

Events such as this oneallow us to promote the hobbyand get more people involved inp l a n t e d a q u a r i u m s a n daquascaping.

I w o u l d s a ySouthern California is already

trying to catch up with the frontlines of the hobby with the likesof Japan, Germany, Taiwan,China and the rest of theworld. The geographic location ofCalifornia being nearer to Asia isan advantage for us hobbyistsspecifically with the influx of newand existing species andtechnologies to our existingmarket.

We continue to pursueexcellence in aquascapingdesigns, plant cultivation andbreeding by being more active inour monthly meetings. We try tohold more How To seminarsespecially to new recruits. Weseek the help of sponsors byreaching out to big and small

entrepreneurs in our areas whoare directly or indirectly related tothe hobby.

SCAPE has been invitedback to display exhibits andeducate fair goers in 2011. Otherplanned events have not beeninked yet, but we look forward toconnecting with the San Diegocommunity in some capacity in2011.

SCAPE has roving meetingsevery third Sunday of Month.Club membership is free and allinformation about SCAPE andupcoming meetings/activities andevents can be found on theS C A P E f o r u m(www.socalaquascapers.com).



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Vietnamese aquascapes become muVietnamese aquascapes become mu

more than a visually designed layoutmore than a visually designed layout


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Aquabird Vietnam (ABV)recently released theirresults for their regionalannual aquascaping

contest called the AquadesignContest (ABV Contest).

This contest was firstorganized in 2005 by theadministration team of the

Aquabird Vietnam Forums andhas grown tremendously eachyear. The contest is financiallysupported through voluntarydonations from the Vietnameseaquascaping community and theadministration team. Oneparticular member, Dui ManhTien (Tienbm), has been one of

the primary sponsors and activeorganizer of the contest.

During the six years of ABVexistence, the contest has beendeveloped each year with theleadership of Tran Quang Hung(Aquatichung), who manages the

judges and organ iza t ioncommittee for the contest.

ABV invites Vietnameseaquascapers from all over theworld to participate in the

Aquadesign Contest. The entryform and official rules arepublished several months

beforehand to allow aquascapersto develop their best aquascapesto present to the panel of judges.

T h e w i n n e r o f t h ecompetition receives a Trophy

Award and $300 (USD) prize.Some winners may receiveaquarium supplies as prizesthrough local aquarium storesand their donations. However,the best prize of all is priceless.The winners and participants of

the competition achieve braggingrights and increased reputationamong the local aquascapingcommunity.

To be ranked among theTOP 3 or even the TOP 50 ishighly honored and a significantachievement for aquascapers.

By Nguyen Quang HungNgo Truong ThinhDao Sy Hiep

NOVEMBER/DECEMBERAquaScaping World 29



The AVB contest isevaluated by an esteemed panelof aquascapers who have hadin ternat iona l success in

aquascaping competitions suchas the Aqua Design AmanoInternational Aquatic Plant LayoutCompletion (ADA IAPLC) and the

Aquatic Gardeners AssociationContest (AGA).

This year accomplishedVietnamese Aquascaper NgoTruong Thinh sat on the panelalongside other aquascaperssuch as Sylvain van Waerebeke,Uttoshi Guil lermin, Diego

Sandoval, Bjorn Hoorelbeke, andLuis Navarro.The AVB judges look for

creative and unique aquascapes,that employ a good use ofmaterials and planting skillswhich ultimately bring a sense of

Asian Culture in their layouts.Balance, harmony, depth andattention to detail are among thecriteria used to evaluate theaquascapes.

This years contest heldsome of the best aquascapes thecontest has ever seen. Eachyear the quality of entries gets

better and better due toaquascapers finding new ways todevelop a new style and a freshaquascaping perspective. Someof the top aquascapes includedrich colors, highly defined visuallines (through plant trimmings)and efficient use of depth andspace. When compared to otherc o u n t r i e s a q u a s c a p e s ,Vietnamese aquascapes ofteninclude specific features native to

the land of Vietnam. From rocks,driftwood, stones, and evenplants, Vietnamese aquascapersuse the locally availableresources in their aquascapes tobring a personal meaning to theirlayouts.

In addition, the aquascapesfeatured in this competition makethe best use of photography andpainting rules (Golden Rule) toprovide the most optimal visual

layout in terms of depth andspace. When these rules arecombined with the personaltouch, Vietnamese aquascapes

become much more than avisually designed layout. Theselayouts become homage tocountry and represent the level ofaquascaping Vietnam has to offerto the world.

In the past three IAPLC,Vietnam has slowly risen amongthe ranks of internationalrecognit ion. Vietnameseaquascapers have been honoredwith a number of honorable

rankings and TOP 3 rankingsincluding Bronze Prize 2008,Grand Prize 2009 and SilverPrize 2010. Some of thesewinning layouts feature and useVietnamese materials such asrocks, stones, and driftwood.

In Vietnam, the aquascapinghobby has fluctuated a lot withmany ups and downs, in terms ofplanted aquarium supplies andinterest. The future of planted

Memory by Haicu (5th Place)

Seven Deity Wind by Desperator (6th Place)



aquariums and aquascaping inVietnam remains bright asevident in the many young

members who have joined theABV forums in recent years.The aquatic shops and

stores located in Ho Chi MinhCity and Hanoi are highlysupportive of planted aquaria,and they continue to providehobbyists with access to anabundance of aquarium plantsand materials. In addition, manyhobbyists continue to explore thelocal mountainous areas and

waterways for aquatic plants andexperiment with them in theaquarium.

One of the most importantgoals of the ABV forums is tohelp new aquascapers improvetheir planted aquarium designskills and to maintain our successin the international contests.

The next AquadesignContest will be scheduled in mid2011. While the competition ismainly financially supportedthrough our membership, as AVBgains additional sponsorship

Stone Garden by BanhBeo (8th Place)

The Sounds of Silence by DangThanh (9th Place)

Nature by Ducvtv (10th Place)

s u p p o r t f r o m a q u a r i u mcompanies and local stores, thecontest is surely to expand

across the region.In the next contest, the AVBadministration team expects anincrease number of participants,more innovative aquascapes, andmore aquascapes that capturethe intricate beauty of nature.



Wakening Grand Prize

Dimensions: 125x60x50 cmVolume: 375 litersLight: fluorescent 6x40W Jebo 10.000K

C02: Pressurized C02Author: SolidComment: Tank describes a mountain chain in the early morning. Livingbeings just have waken up after a long sleep with the new fresh day, full ofpower. This tank also marks my return to planted tank with many changesin the manner of presentation and idea expression.

Plant ListHemianthus callitrichoidesMarsilea hirsute

Hemianthus micranthemoidesGlossostigma elatinoidesEleocharis acicularisVesicularia montagnei

FaunaParacheirodon axelrodOtocinclus



ShangriLa Silver Prize

Dimensions: 106x61x48 cmVolume: 310 litersLight: fluorescent 6x39W

C02: Pressurized C02Author: VietlamComment: Shangri-La is a legendary valley leading from the LamaReligion monastery deep in the west end of the Kunlun Mountains.Shangri-La paradise on earth where the trees live on this land is alwaysgreen, things seem to live immortality and the happiness becamepermanently...

Plant ListEleocharis acicularisEleocharis quadricostatus

Marsilea drummondiHemianthus callitrichoidesUtricularia graminifoliaGlossostigma elatinoidesHygrophila sp.Weeping Moss

FaunaParacheirodon innesi



Changing Season Time Bronze Prize

Dimensions: 108X50X48 cmVolume: 259 litersLight: fluorescent 4x39W Aqua Japan 10.000k

C02: Pressurized C02Author: Coi77Comment: During the business trip to the Northwest in the last spring, thepicture of rice terraced fields intermixed in the limestone mountains andthe immense imposing rock fields remained always in my mind. From thatidea, I used plants to combine with the Iwagumi arrangement to createChanging Season Time.

Plant ListEleocharis acicularisEleocharis quadricostatus

Glossostigma elatinoidesMarsilea drummondi

FaunaParacheirodon innesi



Think Again 4th Place

Dimensions: 80x30x40 cmVolume: 96 litersLight: fluorescent 3x30W Atman 10.000K

C02: Pressurized C02Author: VKNComment: The green immense windy, sunny plains, chain of haughtylimestone mountains layers upon layers, premature rich rice fields arecurving well groomed.

Somewhere in the sky, bird herds are spanning wings into the highcloudall that pictures make the Northern people of the letter S countrybe homesick with an overfill feeling and also make a unforgettable memoryto visitors even only one timeAll the splendid things are created bypreeminent people? Oh no!

Mother Nature has given to us a lot of precious things, but its so sad thatwe had been destroying everything. Please thing again and take actionbefore it become to late cause there are precious things we can onlyrecognize when it slip out of out hands.

Do you want our descendants to be able to play on the green grasscarpet, breath the pure immense atmosphere and let the soul fly with nonstop birds wings in the sky? Or they will learn about mountains by thestories of ancestors, by pictures and video tapes?

Please thing again!

Plant ListHottonia palustrisGlossotigma elatinoides

Eleocharis acicularisFissiden fontanusPeacock mossMarsilea hirsutais

FaunaPristella maxillaris'Golden'


36/6036 AquaScaping WorldNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010

Learning to become an accomplishedLearning to become an accomplished

aquascaper is a process; one ofaquascaper is a process; one of

experimentation, successes and failures.experimentation, successes and failures.


37/60NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010AquaScaping World 37

ByShawnMcBride

Aq u a s c a p i n g h a scaptured the eyes andimaginations of many.From the moment I saw

pictures of various aquascapes Iknew I wanted to createsomething like what I had seen.So began my journey into thehobby that has since reawakenedmy passion for art and nature. Inthe series of articles for the

AquaScaping World Magazine

my column will focus on myjourney as a budding plantedaquarium enthusiast to anaspiring Aquascaper.

First, I will share a little aboutmyself to help you understandwhat brought me to this hobbya n d h o w I d i s c o v e r e daquascaping. I have always beenfascinated by nature and as achild would often catch any livingcreature I could find and attempt

to recreate its natural world.Often times this would lead me toponds, lakes, and streams. As Igrew older I began keepingaquariums. Im sure many canrelate to the feeling of walkinginto the local fish store as a kid. Ifyou are in this hobby it is anexperience many of us have incommon. For years I keptvarious tanks filled with thetypical fish: swords, tetras,

bettas, plecos, and at one pointthree large Oscars. These tanksalso had the typical decorations:tacky plastic plants, fake logs,and even a skeleton sailor whodrank rum when the bubbles filledhis jar.

One day I found myselfbored with the same decorationsand travelled to the local fishstore to see what new items I

could find. While there I beganlooking at the few live aquariumplants and decided to purchasethem. I eagerly planted these intomy tank and sat back to admiremy work. I liked what I saw, butmy admiration turned sour afterseveral days when I discoveredmy fish acting strangely. Myangels were gasping at thesurface and others showed signsof stress. Soon I began to

experience losses. The tank thathad been stable for a coupleyears was no longer inequilibrium. I tried many things toregain stability but with no luck. Idecided to transfer the remainingfish to an old 20 gallon tank andstart from scratch with the 37gallon aquarium. I now suspectthat through planting I may havestirred up anaerobic pocketswithin the gravel substrate

leading to oxygen deprivation,stress, and disease. This mishapwas a blessing in disguise.

While searching the internetfor what may have gone wrongas well as ideas for what to dowith my tank I stumbled acrosspictures of the most amazingplanted aquariums. I wanted tocreate something similar inside ofmy aquarium.

My first problem was where

to begin. All I had were pictures,great for inspiration, but nothelpful in more practical matters,such as equipment, plants, andthe overall process. I continuedto peruse the internet searchingfor information. I looked at ADAcontest websites and founds p e c i f i c a t i o n s r e g a r d i n gequipment used in eachparticular aquascape, some of




latching onto the concept ofsubstrate heating cables. I wentas far as purchasing a cheaperset of them only to discoverthrough various reliable sourcesthat the concept of heating cablesis bunk. Plants roots do as goodof a job, if not a better job, attransporting oxygen through thesubstrate. Anyone want to buysome substrate heating cables?

There are many products outthere intended to make money offof the nave or misinformed,beware of snake oil. One shouldalways be a critical thinker andthis skill is helpful as a beginningaquascaper.

Upon finding AquascapingWorld I knew I had come acrossa home to many experiencedaquascapers who were willing toshare their knowledge andexperience. I read every issue oft he Aq u a sca p in g Wo r ldMagazine, I browsed the forums,ingesting as much information aspossible. I found variousmembers and moderators whowere knowledgeable, friendly,and helpful. Jur4ik (Juri) wasalways there to answer aquestion and I owe him a lot ofcredit for what I have learned.

My second piece of advice isto use the forum! I posted everyquestion as I formulated a planfor my tank. I posted a chemicalanalysis of some substrate, Imade many posts aboutequipment, plants, critiques ofhardscape, hardscape materials,and the list goes on. Mostmembers can relate to what abeginner goes through as they,too, were once a novice.Hopefully what you have learnedwill aid you in sorting goodi n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h emisinformation or, worse yet, thedogma that can sometimesplaque advice given with goodintentions.

Another member whoseinformation is useful is Tom Barr,a respected aquascaper with abackground in plant biology. Heoperates a site called The BarrReport. This site was extremelyhelpful as well, but is not asbeginner friendly as AquascapingWorld due only to the extensiveamounts of more technical

information. Articles are researchbased and the information isbased in practice and soundexperimentation, which leads todefinitive answers and methodsregarding aquatic plant care.This fact is important because thefindings can be generalized tomore than one particular tankwhere someone found successwith a particular method.

which I had never heard. Carbondioxide injected into anaquarium? What? Plants namedby genus species, all of which Idid not know. Lighting equipment,flow and filtration specificationsall puzzled me.

I knew I had to learn more,so I dove into reading, reading,and reading some more.

Absorbing as much informationas possible is my first suggestionto those beginning. This alsocomes with a word of caution.

T h e r e i s a l o t o f misinformation to be found. Anexample of me falling into themisinformation product traps was

A typical high tech planted aquarium with pressurized CO2, canister filter, and bubble counter.



As I learned more I began torealize that my dreams of astunning aquascape were not arealistic goal for a beginner. Ahigh tech tank with loads oflighting, injected CO2, anddemanding plants just wasntfeasible.

Many of the aquascaperswhose aquarium layouts I hadadmired had years of experienceand practical know-how. Thesewere not the first scapes they hadever created. These people hadlearned how the plants grew, howto care for them, specialr e q u i r e m e n t s , t r i m m i n gtechniques, methods for combating algae, among manyother nuances that come alongwith experience. No matter howmuch I read I could not gainexperience through it.

There are, however, the fewrare examples of people whohave found exceptional successas beginners due to their artisticbackgrounds in areas thattranslate well to aquascaping,such as art, photography, design,and horticulture just to name afew. One such aquascaper isUS/Japanese aquascaper StevenChong whose natural artistic eyeand talent allows him to createthe most spectacular, natural andbalanced aquascapes even in hisearly years as an aspiringaquascaper.

Aquascaping has worked inreverse for me. Recently I wenton a vacation and found myselfviewing photographs with acritical artistic eye; the way Iwould analysis an aquascape.

Where are the focal points? Isthis interesting to look at? It hasmade me a more critical casualphotographer ( I m us ingphotographer loosely as I am

just a guy with a camera).For most of us, learning to

become an accomplishedaquascaper is a process, one ofexperimentation, of successesand failures. How long theprocess takes depends uponones goals, background, andexperience in aquarium keeping.

A low tech tank with lessdemanding plants may be bettersuited for someone with limitedexperience, whereas the hightech tank can require more careand leave less room for mistakes,which in turn would require moreexperience for success.

My suggestion is to start outslowly and expect bumps in theroad. View setbacks as a learningexperience and one more stepcloser to that masterpiece. Whenlearning to drive a car onedoesnt start on the Audubon witha high performance machine.You must walk before you canrun, in a sense. Our enthusiasmas beginners can prove a difficultbeast to tame; I still wanted that

stunning tank.In future articles I will share

my experiences as a beginningplanted aquarium hobbyist withmy 20 gallon tank, which I refer toas my practice tank. With thistank came the many strugglesand questions of a beginner. Howto introduce CO2 into theaquarium, what substrate to use,how much flow and filtration isneeded, what fertilizing routineworks for me, why arent theplants growing well and of coursewhat to do with all this algae?

I will also discuss thedevelopment of my first high techscape and how the elements ofdesign became a focal point (punintended) of its development. Ihope that by sharing my journeyinto the aquascaping and plantedaquarium world you can learnfrom my experiences andbecome a better aquascaper withme.

My practice tank allows me to learn the basics of growing aquatic plants.

My 37 Gallon practice high tech aquascape.




The World BeforeColumbus is animpressive aquascapefrom Italys Pasquale

Buonpane. This layoutachieved high rankings in the

International Aquatic PlantLayout Contest 2010 and is yetanother one of the greatmasterpieces designed byBuonpane. Curious to knowwhat the title of his aquascapemeans?

We were too, so we asked himin this issues Aquascape inFocus Interview.

An Interview with

Pasquale Buonpane



Q: Pasquale, what inspired thisaquascape?

A: When I started working atthe hardscape I did not have aclear inspiration. I just wanted tomake something that wasdifferent from my previousaquascapes.

To do that, I decided to use

these strange flat sedimentaryrocks. I began in mid-March andthe hardscape came togethervery quickly. In about two hours,the whole layout was complete inits initial planting and layoutarrangement.

In the following daysthereafter, I had no changes(unlike what generally happenswith all my tanks).

A s I o b s e r v e d t h e

hardscape, I noticed that themain stone reminded me of thegreat rock you can see near theancient city of Cuzco in Peru.The entire composition remindedme of a Mayan Pyramid. That iswhy I choose the title The Worldbefore Columbus.

Q: What types of rocks are

you using and arrangementpurpose?

A: I u s e d s e d i m e n t a r ylimestone rocks that I personallycollected on a lake shore.Because of their layeredstructure, I thought that the bestway to get a natural effect was toplace them in parallel horizontallines. Later, I could break themonotony of lines using moss.

Q: What is growing on therocks, moss? How did yousecure and maintain it?

A: The rock horizontal surfaceswere covered with small bushesof Vesicularia ferrieri (Weepingmoss ) and Riccia sp. dwarf.

Both species were tied tosmall flat stones with fishing line.I never use scissors to prunemoss and Riccia because then itbecomes difficult to eliminate allthe small pieces from the tank.

As these plants grow to a largebush and start to break awayfrom the stones I only divide themand tie them down again.

Q: What plant is used for yourground covering and how didyou maintain it?

Italian Pasquale Buonpane in front on one of his many aquascapes.



A: In the foreground I usedHemianthus callitrichoides.

I usually plant it in smallclumps of 5-6 stems at a distanceof 3-4 cm. It is a big job and ittakes a lot of time, especially inlarge tanks, but it is surely thebest way to get a compact anduniform lawn.

The hardest part wascovering the sloping sides of theforeground with H. callitrichoides.In first few weeks of the layout, Imade water changes very

carefully to prevent the collapseof the substrate.

Q: Describe the trimming oryour maintenance techniques?

A: I think that to be successfulwith H. callitrichoides is veryimportant to prune it frequentlyand the best way to do this isusing long scissors with curvetips. Usually I make sure that the

lawn never exceeds the thicknessof 1 cm. In this tank I paid muchattention to areas where H.callitrichoides touched the moss.I checked these areas frequentlyto avoid the two species mixingwith each other.

Q: Describe the plantingtechniques for some of theother plants in the layout.

A: As I mentioned before, Iprefer to never use the scissors

with moss or Riccia. I wanted theclumps of moss hanging from therocks, so I choose Vesiculariaferrieri for its weeping habit. Iused Riccia sp. dwarf to createcontrast with the dark green ofmosses and simultaneously recallthe light green of the lawn.

Additionally, I tied the mossto small flat stones and placedthem on the rocks. Thistechnique allows you to move the

bushes from one place to anotherwhenever you want.

Q: What are you using for yoursubstrate?

A: For the substrate material, Iused Akadama. I added somefertilizing capsules only in thea reas cove red w i t h H.callitrichoides.

In the foreground the depthis about 6-7 cm while in thebackside it reaches up to 30 cm.To maintain the difference in levelI placed two boxes made ofpolystyrene under the stones;

one for each group of rocks.

Moss and Riccia filled the gaps between the rocks and the Hemianthus callitrichoidesforegroundto create a uniform, balanced layout.

Sedimentary limestone rocks formed the base of The World Before Columbus. The horizontal lines and tight formation of the rocks inspired the title ofthis aquascape for its similarity to Mayan Pyramids and ancient undiscovered cities.



The World Before Columbus

Dimensions: 160x52x60 cmVolume: 500 litersLight: 4x58w T8(6.500K

Substrate: Akadama and SandC02: Pressurized C02

Plant ListHemianthus callitrichoides

Vesicularia ferrieriFissidens fontanus

FaunaParacheirodon innesiOtocinclus sp.Crossocheilus siamensisCaridina japonicaNeocaridina"Red Cherry"



Q: How often you do regulartank maintenance?

A: Every week I change aboutthe 40% of water and after waterchanges I add liquid fertilizerstoo. General ly , I pruneHemianthus callitrichoides everytwo weeks to keep it fromgrowing to thick and intermixingwith the moss species.

Q: Did or do you have anyalgae problems?

A: Not at all. In all of my tanks,as soon as the water parametersare suitable, I add a good numberof algae eaters such asCrossochei lus s iamensis ,Otocinclus, and Carid ina

japonica. I consider thesespecies almost indispensable. If

you put them in at the right timethis cleanup crew can completelyeliminate all the algae problemsfrom the start.

Q: What is your favorite part ofyour aquascape?

A: I really like the canyonbetween the two groups of rocks.I think it gives a good sense ofdepth to the tank.

Q: What was the most difficulttask for this aquascape?

A: Probably the greatestchallenge was to give a naturallook to the rocks I used. If youlook at the hardscape it looks likea building made of bricks. Usingmoss I tried to hide the gapsbetween one rock and the other,so that each group of rock

seemed like a single large rock.

Q: Where did you place in theIAPLC 2010?

A: The World Before Columbusranked 106th in IAPLC 2010.Last year my previous tank Eastand West reached 22nd position,so initially I was a bitdisappointed with the 2010 result.Then considering the large

number of participants of the 10thedition of the competition (morethan 1800 entries), I realized thatthe 106th position was still a goodresult. After all, there were about1700 participants who obtained aworse result than me.

Q: What would you change tothis aquascape to make it rankhigher?

A: Honestly, I never think aboutthe contests while Im creatingmy planted aquarium layouts. Itwould be like imprisoning mycreativity and my aesthetic sensein a cage. Certainly if I had moretime I could take care of moredetails, but I think I would notchange anything.

A previous aquascape titled East and West reached 22nd position in the IAPLC 2009.



Rank #275: Jordi Peligri from Spain


47/60NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010AquaScaping World 47

Earlier in the Fall 2010,the Aqua Design

Amano (ADA) companyreleased the results of

its International Aquatic PlantLayout Contest (IAPLC) 2010results. The IAPLC is the largestplanted aquarium aquascapingcontest in the world and istraditionally known for setting thecreativity bar for aquascapers.

Aquascapers spend upwardsto a year or more preparing their

aquascapes for the competition.This competit ion requiresaquascapers to keep their layoutsunpublished and hidden from theworld. Therefore, once thecompetition results come in, it isoften the first time we ever seeany of these aquascapespublished online. Its certainlyworth the wait.

10th Annual Competition!10th Annual Competition!10th Annual Competition!

Over 55 Countries!Over 55 Countries!Over 55 Countries!

Over 1,800 Entries!Over 1,800 Entries!Over 1,800 Entries!

Name: Mont-RalVolume (liters): 38Age: 1 yearSize: 45x28x30Plants:Glossostigma elatinoidesLilaeopsis brasiliensis,Staurogyne sp.Rotala rotundifoliaEleocharis vivipara

Taxiphyllum alternans (Taiwanmoss)Riccardia ChamedryfoliaLight: 1 pll 36w 865Fish & invertebrates:Neocaridinaheteropoda var"yellow"Planorbis corneusRasbora GalaxyFertilizer: KNO3 1 mg/l dayK2PO4 0.2 mg/l dayKSO4 1.5 mg/l day




Rank #106: Pasquale Buonpane from Italy

Rank #631:Albert Escrihuela Cceres from Spain

Rank #242 Sergiusz Kowalew from Poland



This year marks the 10thanniversary of the competition.With the growing popularity ofaquascaping around the world,the IAPLC received over 1,800

entries from over 55 countries, anew record high for the contest.

Now you may be wonderingwhats the draw for aquascapersparticipating in this competition?Well ADA offers its Grand Winner1,000,000 Japanese Yen,(approximately $10,000 USD).Yet besides that, ADA providesaquascapers to gain recognitionfor their works of art. For mostaquascapes, this competition

offers them a chance to seewhere they rank amongthousands around the world.Each year when the results arereleased there is a buzz in theforum communi t ies , l i ke

AquaScaping World, wheremembers proudly showcase theiraquascapes and their finalresults.

To be among the TOP 10,100, or even 1000 is a high honorfor many aquascapers.

In the 2010 IAPLC, this yearwe saw many of the TOP

aquascapes mimicking mountainscapes and executing highlyintricate variations of the Nature

Aq uar ium St yle. Theseaquascapes featured mosscovered driftwood or a rockhardscape shooting outwards intoall depths of the aquariumnaturally and majestically.

The Grand Prize winner,Pavel Bautin from Russia createdan aquascape reminiscent of

view from the middle of a woodyforest during Spring. Tall toweringtrunks sprouting from a field ofGlossostigma elatinoides werestrategically placed to provide anendless sense of depth andvastness.

On the AquaScaping WorldForums, you can see aquascapesposted from the international

community and their rankings.ADA will be producing acompetition book that is availablefor purchase, with most of theentered aquascapes.

The top aquascapers in thecompetition will be recognized atthe Nature Aquarium Party heldin Niigata at ADAs headquartersthis October. It is a perfectending to a outstanding class ofaquascapes that were producedthis year.

For the full list of winners visit the

ADA website (http://en.iaplc.com)

and browse the AquaScaping

World forums for a look at some

of the aquascapes entered into

this years contest.

References:

Photos credit to respective authors

http://en.iaplc.com




Tank Size: 120x60x50 cmVolume:360 litersLighting: DIY aluminum tub with Hagen GLO starter units, 6 x T5 54W philips aquarelle and deluxe 965 pro fluorescentlamps.Photoperiod:11h/dayCO2 Injection: 10kg pressurized system with a pH-controller and a reactor driven by a Eheim 2252.Substrate:Akadama DL and Swedish Rda sand.Fertilization: MDD (KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4 & Micro+ ProFe)Plants: Bolbitis heudelotii, Microsorum pteropus -narrow & -needle, Echinodorus tenellus, Hemianthus micranthemoides

Ranunculus inundates, Glossostigma elatinoides

Rank #513: Kim Pulkki from Sweden



Rank #544: Stu Worall from United Kingdom

Tank Size: 90x45x45cmSubstrate: Tropica Aquacare substrate, Tropica Aquacare capsules, ADA Amazonia Aquasoil topped with powder.

Hardscape: Rock quarried from the Llyn PeninsulaCO2 Injection: DAZS Bubble Counter, HK Diffuser, ADA Grey Parts SetLighting: 4x24w T5 LuminaireCustom Stainless Steel Light Hanger.Plants: Hemanthius Callitrichoide, Eleocharis parvula, Echinodorus tenellus



Day at the Beach By Tony "TYB" Borgebck

Tank Size: 125 x 50 x 50 cm (49 x 20 x 20 inches)Volume: 312 l (82,4 usGal)Lighting: Two (2) x Hagen Glo T5HO with 2 x 54W (2 x Life-GLO - 6700K and 2 x Power-GLO - 18,000K)

Photoperiod: 8h/day (Digital timer).Hardscape: Redmoor roots and local rocks.Substrate: DIY (Bauhaus) Gardol Torvmull naturell Sphagnum - 50% (Blomsterlandet) AquaInteriorNckroslera - 25% (Jula) Blstersand - 25%Filtration: JBL CristalProfi e1500 - spray barFertilizers: Reg. (AquaMagic) EX Fireextingusher 6 liter (Kalmar Brandservice). 2-3 bubblor/s, Aqua MedicReactor; the JBL CristalProfi e1500, Tropica capsules in the substrate and PMDD (EI).

My first real aquascape setup in August 2009 and it turned in to aMy first real aquascape setup in August 2009 and it turned in to aIAPLC entry 2010. This was nice for my first try.IAPLC entry 2010. This was nice for my first try.

I was ranked best among all the Swedes!I was ranked best among all the Swedes!

It is not the most advanced aquascape, but it is a start.It is not the most advanced aquascape, but it is a start.

I hope I have many more to come.I hope I have many more to come.



Plant ListLilaeopsis brasiliensisEleocharis acicularisBlyxa japonicaPogostemon helferiTaxiphyllum barbieriAponogeton crispus"hybrid"Cryptocoryne crispatula var. BalansaeMicrosorum pteropusVall. NanaAnubias barteri var barteri,Glossostigma elatinoidesEchinodorus quadricostatus,Hemianthus micranthemoides

FaunaCrossocheilus oblongus "siamensis"Otocinclus affinisPterophyllum scalare "Orinoco"F1Paracheirodon innesiCrystal red shrimpNeocaridina denticulata sinensis "red"Apistogramma agassizii "Red Tail"

Rank #455



Upon entry, each aquarium beckons with majesticUpon entry, each aquarium beckons with majestic

allure, each one imbued with its own kami, each one aallure, each one imbued with its own kami, each one a

living, breathing work of art.living, breathing work of art.

By BJ Ruttenberg

Its August 2010, Japans

hottest summer on record,Im sitting in a train car, no

A/C, sweat rolling throughevery crevice of my body, and Ihave a destination but nodirection. I think this is the righttrain...though it was my girlfriend,Doren, who at the train stationscreamed, THIS IS IT! andpushed me on without hesitation.The train took off.

Dor and I are now

rummaging through every map,every scribbled-on scrap of paperand every direction we havewritten down, trying to find theright train stop. The train keepsrolling through the Niigatacountryside, getting ever closerto, or further from, ourdestination.

A Japanese gentleman in theseat to my left sees our franticrummaging and, like every other

Japanese person we haveencountered on this trip,heroically comes to our rescue,where are you trying to go?The ADA Nature AquariumGallery, I respond hopefully,almost inquisitively.

A pause and a smile. Ah, Mr.Amano, he says, I have met Mr.Amano. He lives near me.I brighten. Really?



He is a very famous man inJapan, the man says and

proceeds to tell me of Mr.Amanos presentation of thePrimitive Cedar Tree in Sado tothe G8 Working Lunch held in2008 in Hokkaido, Japan.When did you meet him? I ask.He came to visit my winery twoyears ago, he said, and pulls outa local magazine, opening it tothe first page. This is Mr.

Amano, he points to a smallpicture of Mr. Amano surrounded

by gorgeous photographs of theSado coastline. He then flips thepage and points to a picture of aman standing inside a winecellar, and this is me. You canhave the magazine, they arefree, he hands it to me.Anyway, you should get off atMaki.

All I can do is stare pop-eyedand belch a Thank You!

taps my shoulder, did you seethat modern-looking building?

No, I say, and the cabbietakes a hair-raising right turn.

I think thats where wereheaded, she says and a slightshiver begins to build at the baseof my neck.

When I decided to travel toJapan, the decision was initiallybased on little more than myunrequited desire to see the ADANature Aquarium Gallery andSensei Amanos work first hand.

I of course found other reasonsbut the ADA NA Gallery remainedparamount.

Now, as we pull up to thefront entrance, all the world isswept away and in its place sits apresent, gift-wrapped in concrete,glass and steel. I honestly dontremember how many yen I threwat the cab driver, only the feelingas I strode through the swinging-

The man, Mr. TakashiHonda, owner of the Fermier

winery, got off at the next stopleaving Dor and I to again marvelat the incredible kindness ofstrangers.

H a v i n g p r o p e r l ydisembarked from the train atMaki we decide to grab a cab toavoid the absurd heat. I climbinto the cab and the cabbie turnstoward me as if asking, whereto? I oblige, ADA Nature

Aquarium Gallery? He stares

back at me like Im speakinganother language (oh, wait!). Ithen point to what I believe to bethe Japanese translation.

Ah, sakanaya, Japanesefor fish store.

Hai! I respond, and wereoff.

The view from the cab is ricefields and industrial warehouses.

After five minutes of driving Dor

Peering through one of the ADA Nature Aquarium Gallerys Aquascapes.



glass front doors to be greeted byan eight-foot wide artisanalmasterpiece. Like St. Peter atthe gates of heaven, it welcomedme with open arms.

ImpressionsThe wall adjacent to the

Nature Aquarium Gal leryentrance is inset with a natureaquarium of breathtakingelegance.

It is a classic V shapedlayout comprised of massive andbeautifully smooth Hakkai stoneand a maddening array of aquaticplants including Glossostigma

elatinoides, Sagittaria subulata,Cryptocoryne crispatula var.balansae, Valasernia americana,a n d A p o n o g e t o n madagascariensis, amongothers.

This masterful work servesas an eloquent and fitting framefor the myriad Amano stylednature aquariums that can beviewed through the negativespace of the valley layout.

The entryway to the ADAbuilding leads around a corner toa hallway, which stretches theentire length of the ADA buildingand out into a courtyard. The

right wall of this hallway is of floorto ceiling glass and on the otherside, the Nature AquariumGallery.

Upon entry, each aquariumbeckons with majestic allure,each one imbued with its ownkami, each one a living, breathingwork of art. Surprising still is thecomplete lack of any auditorydisturbance once inside. Wheresome would see fit to supplement

the publics viewing experiencewith music or ambient naturenoise, here, only the subtlebabble of water can be divinedamong the background ofsilence.

The first of the natureaquar i a I encoun t e r i semblematic of the style that Mr.

Amano is so well known for. Averdant, grass-like, foregroundcarpet of bright green Lilaeopsis

brasiliensis contrasts with thecenter weighted mid-groundf o res t o f r edd i sh -b rowncryptycoryne wendtii, microsorumpteropus v. narrow leaf, and

Bolbitis heudelotii.Rising from this mlange ofmid-ground plants, the arms of asingle piece of driftwood divideout of the center, branchingacross both sides of the layout,sheltering the underlying growth,each arm of wood covered in afuzz of well-manicured moss.

I move down the row ofaquaria, studying each inadmiration and amazement. The

first row of aquaria is arrangedalong the shared glass wall andleads toward two black woodentables at the back of the gallery,which are strewn with Amanoparaphernalia. To the left of thetables stands an emeraldlandscape of wabikusa styleaquascapes.

However, the most striking ofthe surrounding display is on theopposite side of the tables.

This Classic Amano layout is the first aquascape I encounter as I walked through the ADA Gallery.



Truly unlike any natureaquarium I have seen before, this

alien landscape can best becompared to those magazineimages of the Sado coastline.The black stones in this scapegrow preternaturally out of thewhite sand substrate likemonolithic basalt islands. Eachstone is covered, from base totip, in moss and the spaces in-between are accented withHydrocotyle sibthorpioides, andRiccia fluitans. The backdrop of

the composition is furtheraccented with twining strands ofEleocharis sp. The tank ispopulated with a prodigious cloudof cardinal tetras, in addition tothe token Caridinia japonica,making this nature aquarium apicture of unique inspiration.

It bears mentioning that anequally striking sight is the awe-

inspiring array of cameras andequipment stored in the back ofthe gallery, next to thephotography backdrop ostensiblyused for shooting aquaria.Everything from large-formatbellows style cameras to lightsand tripods are stored in cabinetsand on shelves.

Having made my way to theback of the Nature AquariumGallery, I ask to use the

bathroom. As I head down theoutside hall and behind theNature Aquarium Gallery, justbefore I arrive at the bathroom, Ifind a collection of stainless steelindustrial refrigerators.

What could he possiblykeep in there?

My interest piqued, I quietlyopen the door to a fridge

crammed full of large formatFujifilm. Takashi Amano shootsfilm! I suppose part of meshould understand this intuitivelyfrom the fact that the man useslarge format cameras almostexclusively for his majorlandscapes, but it neverthelesssurprises me to no end.

I continue to peruse theremaining aquaria. Two tanks inparticular strike me as uniquely

appealing. Juxtaposed next toone another, one a hill stylelayout and the other a wedgestyle, the two form a uniquecomplement.

The hill styled aquariumcaught my attention initiallybecause of the steep grade of the

Among the many aquascapes, this alien aquascape caught my eye for its unique black stones reminiscent of the Sado coastline.

Amanos Photography area filled withcameras, film, studio lighting, andbackdrops.



substrate slope and the well-

manicured foreground of Glossostigma elatinoides. Theclosely cropped foreground lawnhas yellowed in parts, lending (inmy opinion) a more natural feel tothis layout.

Addit ionally, the plantarrangement is unquestionablynovel because it utilizes largerplants in the foreground that aretraditionally placed in thebackground. A large foreground

tuft ofEleocharissp. has in someplaces grown to the entire heightof the tank, and Bolbitis areattached intermittently to twopieces of driftwood placed in thefront corners of the tank.

The wedge style layout issimilarly eye catching, butbecause of the complementingshapes of the Glossostigmaelatinoides foreground and theAnubias nana v . pet i te

background. Adding to the visual

complexity of this layout is apiece of knotty, branching root-wood that stretches from the toprear of the tank to the oppositeforeground corner at the bottomof the aquarium. The root-woodalmost elicits images of aFloridian mangrove but for thedark stone used in thebackground, which impresses amore temperate climate on thescape.

Having made my final roundsthrough the Nature AquariumGallery I call a cab and take afew final mental notes. After Dorand I move out to the ADA lobbyentrance, I snap a few morepictures and wait for the cab toarrive.

Amid all the beauty andnovelty and natural wonder, myone realization was that each andevery work in the ADA Nature

Aquarium Gallery is born of

collaboration collaboration ofman and nature, absence andpresence, mind and body, spiritand soul and no greater lessoncould be taken away.

My experience now just acollaboration of memory, I get inthe cab and ride silently back tothe train station.

Two aquascapes, the Hill and Wedge layouts are positioned together to create a jarring contrast yet provides a unique complement to one another.


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