Aquascaping

Introduction

It is the craft of arranging aquatic plants, as well as rocks, stones, cavework, or driftwood, in an aesthetically pleasing manner within an aquarium—in effect, gardening under water. Aquascape designs include a number of distinct styles, including the garden-like Dutch style and the Japanese-inspired nature style. Typically, an aquascape houses fish as well as plants, although it is possible to create an aquascape with plants only, or with rockwork or other hardscape and no plants. Although the primary aim of aquascaping is to create an artful underwater landscape, the technical aspects of aquatic plant maintenance must also be taken into consideration. Many factors must be balanced in the closed system of an aquarium tank to ensure the success of an aquascape. These factors include filtration, maintaining carbon dioxide at levels sufficient to support photosynthesis underwater, substrate and fertilization, lighting, and algae control.

Types

Dutch Style- The Dutch style was the first style ever used and attempted for a planted aquarium. The principles behind the Dutch style technique consist of using many plants; specifically stem plants of no more than 10-12 species, to create a lush arrangement. The use of stem plants in the Dutch style are grouped and neatly planted in rows from back to front.

Nature Style- The second style of planted aquariums have equally much to do with fulfilling the human desire to grow things, and like the Dutch aquariums, these underwater gardens are also created to bring the beauty of nature into limited indoor spaces. 

Jungle Style- a challenge with large-leaved plants, limited visible decorating materials and a few open spaces, the challenge lies in avoiding the layout's ending up in chaos. The use of large-leaved plants, tall plants that reach the surface and floating plants form the thick growth at the top to create this wild, natural look. Use small and medium-sized plants in the foreground. Many variants and different leave textures are used to catch and keep the attention of bystanders.

Triangle Style- Instead of spreading the taller plants throughout the entire background of the tank, taller plants are placed behind the focal point plant or hardscape concentrated on one side of the tank. Usually surrounding the area of Golden ratio. Hardscape or focal point plants then radiate outwards from the taller background plants to form a right triangle. Low-lying foreground plants will compliment this look and draw the eye to the focal point. For this scape to work well, the focal point of the tank must be within the background of taller plants or in the area of maximum height of the triangle

Nano Style- The scarcer large living spaces become, the more aquascapers must innovate to keep on having their hobby. This led to a new genre of aquascaping under the collective name of nano-tanks. Nano-tanks are small aquariums, and can have less, but should not have more than 30 litres of water.  You can follow any of the aquascaping disciplines in a nano tank; there are no restrictions.  Lately, though, there is a trend to cultivate a collection of nano-tanks,  and to enter them as small ‘show' tanks into competitions, when they are then called ‘nature art'.

Wabi Kusa- Wabi Kusa, which when used in  thge context of aquascaping literally translated means ‘tiny nature'. Reminiscent of terrariums, these are miniature aquascapes which cater to the increasing scarcity of space. Wabi Kusa involve balls of substrate that are covered with plants that are grown in their terrestrial, or ‘emersed' rather than ‘submersed' form, very similar to plants that are grown hydroponically in nurseries. These substrate balls are placed directly into a small glass container with some water and then allowed to grow naturally.

 

Advantages:

 

•  Filtration

•  Maintaining carbon dioxide at levels sufficient to support

•  Photosynthesis underwater

•  Substrate and fertilization, 

•  Lighting

•  Algae control.

 

For further information please contact :

Ponic Greens
Platina Tower, MG Road, Opp. 
Sikanderpur, Metro Station,
Sector 28, Gurugram NCR - 12201