ASW Issue1 March2008

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2/322 AquaScaping World MARCH 2008

Welcome to the first issue of AquaScaping World Magazine!

This issue offers an excellent smorgasbord on a range of topicspertaining to Planted Aquariums and Aquascapes. I encourage you tochallenge yourself, whether its in designing an aquascape, growingaquatic plants, or keeping healthy habitats for your livestock. One cannever tell in our fast-moving Aquatic World when todays personalenthusiasm becomes tomorrows inspiration for others.

AquaScaping World Magazine publishes on a monthly basis to bringyou the best resource available to help you master the art of

aquascaping and growing aquatic plants for your planted aquariums.Each issue will cover a wide range of topics from aquascaping,equipment, algae, fish and invertebrates, and of course aquatic plants.

Our writers have a tremendous amount of experience between themwhen it comes to planted aquariums. They write about their personalaquaria experiences and views to help and inspire budding andadvanced hobbyists.

The planted aquarium hobby can be an overwhelming experience forthe new enthusiast. We aim to deliver a quality magazine toaquascapers and planted aquarium hobbyists all over the globe that is

not only understandable but simple, inspirational, and informative. Wehope we achieve our mission and wish you well in your aquascapingadventures.

Enjoy reading our magazine and happy aquascaping!

John N guyenEditor in ChiefAquaScaping World Magazine

Letter from the Editor


3/32MARCH 2008 AquaScaping World 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

DONT LET ALGAE BEAT YOUA look at the best algae eaters for your planted aquarium.By Tom Messenger

CREATING WATERFALLS IN PLANT AQUARIUMSThe past 2007 Aqua Design Amano Aquascaping contest featured a tankwith a waterfall illusion inside the tank itself. This article discusses themethod of which the waterfall illusion was created.By Andrew Nunn

AQUATIC PLANT ANATOMY PART 1: THE STEMThe first part of an in-depth look at the anatomy of aquatic plants.Understanding how plants grow is key to successfully growing and shapingthem to fit an aquascape.By Freemann

FINDING INSPIRATIONMany budding aquascapers have no idea where e to begin when designingan aquascape. This article examines the world around us that can inspirethat perfect layout.By Roy Deki

STOCKING A NANO AQUARIUMThere are many misconceptions on what fish and how many can fit in a smallnano aquarium. Lets clear the air once and for all.By Liz Marchio

AQUASCAPE IN FOCUS: NANO AQUARIUMSThis month features an interview with established aquascaper AntonioNikolic who masterfully creates beautiful aquascapes in small glass boxes.

AQUASCAPING WITH SKETCHESSome of the best aquascapes are drawn on paper weeks before any watergoes into an aquarium. Find out how to use sketching as an advantageousway to formulate and capture your aquascaping potential

By Steven Chong

METHODS TO PREVENT ALGAEThe running debate over best algae repulsion techniques is examinedthrough observational experiments conducted a hobbyist. Do certain plantshelp repel algae through chemical agents?By Aziz Dhanani

PLANTING AND CARING FOR ANUBIAS NANA PETITEThis months plant profile discusses how to care for one of the smallestaquatic plants in planted aquaria.By Stan Chung

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lgae can become a problemin the aquarium if left

unchecked or uncontrolled.Luckily, in a planted aquariumthere are several species of fish

and invertebrates that can helpyou win the war on algae. Theirsuitability will depend on the typeand size of the aquarium , andcurrent inhabiting species in thetank. Fortunately, most of algaeeating fauna can survive in awide range of aquariumenvironments. Here is a quickguide to some frontline defendersagainst algae.

Otocinclusspp.Otocinclus spp. are one of

the most popular fish used tohelp in the control of algae. Thereare a few species that I have

seen available here in the UK,and these are O. vestitus, O.affinis and O. macrospilus. Most0tocinclus sold are caught in thewild. When these fish areimported, they are often starvedduring the transport stages, andso many tend to die off evenbefore they reach the wholesaler/retailer. Because of this, youneed to be careful when choosing

your Otos. A fish with a nice,rounded silvery stomach shouldbe fine, as this indicates that theyhave been fed on adequate foodssince their import and should

continue to do so. All too oftenthough, Otos found in aquaticshops are very skinny andsuffering from malnutrition. Thisis why they are often consideredto be tricky to keep, and can dieoff during acclimatisation.

Most Otocincluswill grow toaround 2 or less and eat a widerange of algae. These miniaturesize makes them a great choice

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for an algae eater in either largeor small aquariums. They shouldreally be kept in groups of around6 and will often stay close to eachother in the aquarium. This iswhen they are at their mosteffective in a planted aquarium.In my experience they are verygentle with aquatic plants, andwill not damage soft leavedplants like Rotala sp. wallichiiwhile feeding. Otocinclus arediligent eaters of green spot andgreen dust algae clusters when inlarge groups.

Crossochelius siamensisSiamese Algae Eaters

(Crossochelius siamensis), orSAE as it is often written, cangrow much larger than theOtocinclus (up to 6) andbecause of this are suited to thelarger aquarium only. I wouldsuggest a minimum being a 36tank to keep these fish at theireventual size. I have found theycan be a bit boisterous and mayuproot newly planted carpetplants and disturb substrate,which is a problem if it cloudseasily. Like the Ottos, thesealgae eaters are said to eat avariety of algae types includingblack beard algae, or BBA. Thisis a common problem in plantedaquaria and it is sometimesattributed to low CO2 in thewater. There is often confusionbetween this species and theChinese Algae Eater, or CAE, asthey look very similar. Onedifference between them is thenumber of barbels, the SAEhaving one set and the CAEhaving 2 sets.

Caridina denticulataThe Amano Shrimp (Caridina

denticulata, formally japonica), orYamato Shrimp as it issometimes known, was broughtinto popularity by Takashi Amanoin his search for the perfect algaeeating shrimp. He tested manyshrimp, but eventually settling onthe Amano Shrimp, a Japanesenative species and orderingseveral thousand from thesupplier! They will eat most typesof algae and are very effective at

their job. They will reach around2 and are suitable to most sizeaquariums. One problem withkeeping shrimp in the aquarium isthat you will need to be carefulabout other occupants. AlthoughAmano shrimp are one of thelarger freshwater algae eatingshrimp, they can be eaten bylarge fish such as Angelfish andDiscus.

Neocaridina denticulatasinensis

Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridinadenticulata sinensis) are anotherpopular shrimp choice for theaquarium, mainly because oftheir size and colour. FemaleCherry Shrimp are bright red,whereas males can be slightlydrab in comparison. Theseshrimp are smaller than the

Amano Shrimp, and I havent hadany grow past one inch. You willneed to be wary of filter inlets dueto the small size of the shrimp.

Sometimes when you clean thefilter during maintenance, youcan find live baby shrimp thathave been sucked in and areliving off detritus or algae in thefilter. I recommend placing asmall cover over the filter intake ifyou want to save every shrimp.

Cherry shrimp will readily

breed in the average aquarium,given plenty of dense plant coverto protect the young frompredatory fish. Tetras are knownto snack on babies, whereascorycat fish and Otocinclus arecons ide red sh r imp sa fecompanions the cherry shrimp.

Crossochelius siamensis (top)Caridina denticulata, (bottom)



was curious as to how thetank above, which took World

Ranking 7 in the Aqua DesignAmano 2007 AquascapingContest created the waterfallillusion. I had seen similar effectscreated by rising bubbles, but thisseems to end before reaching thesurface, meaning it is createdusing a different method, or therewas a good deal of photo editinginvolved. However, , a poster onmy blog tipped me off to awebsite (www.xylema.net) thatexplains exactly how it wascreated, and it is quite creative.

Lets investigate how theeffect is created. To start off, fromthe initial impression, the illusionappears to be created usingrising bubbles that where eitheredited out with photo software, orvacuumed away into a hiddencavern. I come to find out neitherwere the case. Bubbles play alarge role in the mechanics of theillusion, but they are not what theviewer is seeing. Instead, theviewer is observing a steadystream of falling sand. Thatsright, sand.

Creating W aterfalls

By Andrew Nunn

in a Planted A quariumI



Through a cross section ofthe "waterfall we can identifyhow the sand is used for theeffect. A tube and airstone blowsbubbles up through a hiddenspace behind a wall. Thiscreates a vacuum of bubbles thatdrives a water current towards tothe surface.

As the water rises, tinygrains of sand from a reservoirare pulled into the vortex current.The sand grains move with thewater current and drift outthrough an opening near the topof the wall, and fall back downthe front side of the wall. Astrategically placed incline rampat the base catches the fallingsand grains and returns them

back into behind the scenesreservoir. The cycle is repeatedand the viewer sees an endlesscascading waterfall inside theaquarium.

This effect is not the mostpractical for everyday use. A veryfine sand must be used in orderfor it to be lift with the current.

The falling sand is affectedgreatly by other currents insidethe tank, and it will inevitably falloutside of the reservoir. With afilter running, it would probablyblow the falling sand everywhereelse in your aquarium. I'm suremuch tweaking is necessary tofind the best type of sand suitedfor this application, and what sizespace behind the wall works best.

How the sand is ejected fromthe top of the bubble column isalso probably a problem area thatrequires a lot of attention andadjustment. It's hard to tell fromthe diagram, but the bubblecolumn space most likely extendsabove the water line. This forcesthe water pulled up by the

bubbles out the sand-ejectionopening. Otherwise, the sandwould continue to follow thecurrent of bubbles and water upand out the top of the column(and you'd have a messy volcanoeffect instead of a waterfall!). Thefinal effect, if done correctly,looks absolutely stunning inaquascaped planted aquarium.

In this cross section illustration, sandgrains (blue dots) are drawn into therising water current, and pour out of thehidden space to form the waterfall.

Water fall illusion tested without the hardscape and plants (top)Completed aquascapes with cascading waterfall (bottom)


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Illustration 1: Parts of the Stem

Functions of the StemThe stem develops either in

the air, or in water or in the soil.Its growth is vertical to horizontalit can be the main axis or abranch. Stems have four mainfunctions which are:

1. Support for and the elevationof leaves, flowers and fruits.The stems keep the leaves inthe light and provide a placefor the plant to keep its flowersand fruits.

2. Transport of fluids betweenthe roots and the shoots in thexylem and phloem.

3. Storage of nutrients.

4. The production of new livingtissue. The normal life span ofplant cells is one to threeyears. Stems have cells calledmeristems that annuallygenerate new living tissue.

Stems are composed ofnodes, this hold buds which growinto one or more leaves, flowers,or other stems, Internodes, thesegment of the stem between twonodes. (ill.1)

Plant Shape and InternodesIt is mainly the length of the

internodes which determines thehabit of aquatic plants (Ill. 1).With elongated internodes thestem is clearly visible and theleaves are positioned at some

distance from each other.Hygrophila polysperma is anexample of this type. Withcompressed internodes, the stemis not visible as its base isconcealed by densely positionedleaves, e.g. Echinodorus andCryptocoryne species. The lengthof the internodes influences theform of the plant.(ill.2)

Parts of the StemThe Stem usually consist of

three tissues, dermal tissue,ground tissue and vasculartissue.

The dermal tissue covers theouter surface of the stem, inaquatic plants it protects andcontrol gas exchange. There is athin (or no) cuticle, plant cuticles



are a protective waxy coveringproduced only by the epidermalcells. The primary function ofcuticles is to prevent water loss,thus most hydrophytes have noneed for cuticles. The ground

tissue usually consists mainly ofparenchyma cells and fills inaround the vascular tissue. Its o m e t i m e s f u n c t i o n s i nphotosynthesis. The vasculartissue provides long distancetransport and structural support.

The angle between the leafand the stem is called leaf axil.(ill.1). Potentially, each leaf axil iscapable of producing a bud whichmay grow into a lateral shoot,

leading to branching of themother shoot. The degree ofbranching varies greatly from onespecies to another. As a rule,aquatic plants with elongatedstems branch quite regularly thusthose which are rooted in thebottom develop a bushy growthwhile the floating species growinto a dense mat. Aquatic plantswith a compressed stem rarelydevelop lateral shoots.

Stem Branching and FloweringTwo different types of stem

branching exist. In one type thetop of the stem (vegetation cone)continues its growth provided it isnot disturbed; all lateral shoots

are then subordinate to themother shoot, and flowers andinflorescences appear at the sideof leaf axils. Flowering Ludwigiaspecies is a good example(Ill.3).

In the other type, thevegetation cone of a shoot stopsgrowing after some time; it either

dies or loses strength afterproducing one flower or oneinterflorescence. The mothershoot is replaced and overgrownby a lateral shoot. FloweringCryptocoryne species exemplify

this type of branching (Ill. 4).The vegetation cone (alsoApex) is the length at the top partof the stem where growth carriesout itself. In that part and at somed i s t a n c e f r o m t h e t i pundifferentiated divisible cellsreach a state of permanency.

Illustration 2: Stem variation of internodes

Elongated Internodes Compressed Internodes

Illustration 3: Ludwigia Illustration 4: Cryptocorynes

Luwidgia grow laterally as it flowers fromshoots from varying positions along thelength of the plant.

A Cryptocorynes flowers from a low apexnear the base of the plant.


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Photos Courtesy of pdphoto.com



By Roy Deki

here are many places in thisworld that have spectacular

views and re-creating such viewsin an aquarium is just the first ofmany chal lenges for anaquascaper. I find inspiration formy aquascaping from manysources. My current aquascape

idea came from a beautiful butrugged place called Big SurCalifornia. The coastline alongthis majestic place is sospectacular that I just had to tryto re-create it in an ADA 60p.This is just one example of howyou can get inspiration for yournext aquascape. Taking a pieceof nature, whether it be a wholemountain range or just a smallout-cropping of rocks is a great

way to start an aquascape.Another method of obtaining

ideas is to view as many othertanks as you can; there are manygreat books out there to get ideasfrom. The person who has beenthe most influential in this hobbyis Takashi Amano. Mr. Amanohas published several books thatdisplay his work and also includenames of plants and fish. Isuggest that everyone have or at

least view these beautiful booksfor inspiration. I often go to thesebooks to look for new ideas. Ipersonally do not want to re-create his exact design butinstead I take small sections with-in one of his aquascapes toincorporate into my own design. Ialso find entering into or at leastviewing contests is a great way tofind new or unusual ideas.

Nobody wants to copy anotherpersons work but getting ideasfrom other designs is a great wayto start a new layout.

The next method is usingyour own creative ideas and re-creating them into an aquascape.This may be the most difficult

way for some of us. I think thatmy best aquascapes have comefrom this method. Envisioning aplace you might find in nature buthave never seen is very difficultbut everyone can do it. Ourminds can piece together imagesweve seen from magazines,books, television and othermedia.

Once Ive developed theconcept and place in my mind, it

becomes an awarding experienceto recreate my imaginary sceneinto a real life aquascape.Successfully completing such anaquascape gives you a greatsense of accomplishment andpersonal satisfaction. It is a one-of-a-kind aquascape that camefrom within .

Whatever source you chooseto use when finding inspiration isentirely up to you. The most

important aspect of aquascapingis to have fun. So get out thereand absorb as much nature asyou can. Who knows, maybe thenext award winning aquascape isright in your own backyard.

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Photo Credits:Daniel Powell: lamp ocellatus, danio choprae, cory cat, kribensisMatt Patrick: tiger shrimp, amano shrimp

By Liz Marchio



he term Nano Aquarium isoften used by hobbyists as a

descriptor for small aquariums,usually under 20-gallons in totalvolume. Many nanos are 10-gallons or less. These tanks withtheir small footprints are ideal forkids and/or desktops. However,due to their size, stocking themsuccessfully with fish andinvertebrates can becomeproblematic. Some simply find ittoo hard to resist adding just onemore! So, lets talk about how tostock such aquariums with long-term success.

Longevity and SizeMany people think of fish as

short lived animals. This is truefor some species such as annualk i l l i f i s h ( f o r e x a m p l e ,Nothobranchius species), whichlive, breed, and die within a yearin the wild. Fortunately, most fishwill live several years and makegreat pets if properly cared for.Many fish will live considerablylonger.

Larger fish such as Goldfish,some Cichlids and Catfish canlive more than ten years. Koi,which are ornamental carp, canlive seventy years or more. It isnot just the tank busters that arelong lived, however. There areaccounts of Corydoras aeneuscatfish, measuring a diminutive3, living twenty years [site]. Thepoint is: Take longevity intoaccount. Part of the draw tokeeping fish is to maintain themfor their entire life.

Killifish may not live long, butthey are productive during their

time and are beautiful as well.These jewels may be ideal forchildren since their interests tendto wax and wane over time. It isimportant not to rope yourself intoa larger growing, more long termpet if you cannot support it and itsgrowth.

Goldfish are typically thequintessential childs first fish.However, this endeavor often

ends in disaster for both the fishand the aquarist since these carpcan grow large very quickly andconsequently require copiousamounts of work to properlymaintain. In order to ensure yourfish keeping experience is apositive one, steer clear of largespecies such as this.

Fish Grow to the Size of TheirAquarium

How many times have youheard this saying? The statementit will only grow to the size of itsaquarium is true only becausethe fish become stunted due toconfinement. The health of a fishconfined in too small an aquariumwill quickly decline leading torepetitive ailment and eventualdeath. Goldfish bear the brunt ofthis myth as they are often toutedas the perfect bowl fish. Agoldfish that could live ten yearswill only live one in such ane n v i r o n m e n t . I t i s t h eresponsibility of the aquarist tomaintain appropriate volume ofwater for the fish species theyintend to keep.

Simply put, know yourlimitations as an aquarist. If youcannot maintain a large species,dont buy juveniles of thatspecies. Likewise, if you plan ongrowing out a large species in asmaller aquarium, maintainproper water quality and make aconcise plan to upgrade theiraquarium in a timely manner.Remember too that fish keepingsnumber one rule is to be aninformed hobbyist. There areconscientious stores that will be

honest about the care and adultsize of certain fish, but there arealso many stores that expect youto know what you are buying andthus will sell you anything youwant. Buyer beware!

Stocking aquaria is usuallythe most confusing part of fishkeeping. There is not a good wayto simplify it. Most people will tellyou that a freshwater aquarium

TBarbs: Certain species ofbarbs if youre planning aplant-tank. Many love to eatplants.

Cichlids: Lake MalawiAfrican cichlids. These arenot nano fish regardless ofadult size. Their temperamentis not compatible with smallaquaria.

Angelfish: These fish arealways available quartersized, but they get muchl a r g e r a n d c a n g e taggressive.

Line Breed: Avoid line bredand selected color forms offish such as powder bluedwarf gourami and fancytypes of livebearers. Due tothe line breeding used todevelop these varieties theytend not to be as hardy astheir wild-type counterpartsand because of this they areoften sick before youpurchase them.

Painted Fish: Painted andtattooed fish should also bei g n o r e d a s p o s s i b l epurchases. Avoid fish that aremade if you want tomaintain the animal long termw i t h o u t i l l n e s s o rcomplications. This saysnothing of the ethical andhumane issues that thepractice of tattooing, paintingand dying fish brings about

Goldfish: They are temptingbuy because they are socheap and cute when smallbut they can get big and arenot community fish. Keepthem outdoors in ornamentalponds for the best results.

FISH TO AVOID FOR A NANO



can hold one inch of fish pergallon of water. This is not a badway to think of stocking a tank,especially when dealing withsmall fish but there are a fewthings to keep in mind. When youadd ten pounds of gravel to a ten-gallon aquarium, it displaces afair amount of water. When youadd rock or driftwood, it displacesmore water. The ten gallons youonce had is now probably 10%less and thus cannot hold asmany fish as the rule states.Some fish simply produce morewaste than others.

Also it is important to takethe mass of the fish intoconsideration. For example thebody mass of one ten inch Oscaris far more than that of ten oneinch neon tetras and so, lengthitself cannot be the only qualifierfor stocking levels. Lastly it needsto be said that you should includeyour algae eating organismswithin your stocking total. Theyare in fact producing waste likethe rest of the fish.

The Curse of the KitBe aware that many

complete kits are complete forwhat the manufacturer thinks youwant or what they think you need.For example, there are kits thatdo not include a heater. Smallaquariums are not able tomaintain their temperature with alight alone.

A reliable heater is one ofthe most important parts of acomplete tropical aquarium.There are very few cool waternano-sized fish available to

hobbyists. Keep in mind thatthere are many different types ofaquarium heaters. The best typesare those that have a built-inthermostat and are ful lysubmersible. Many beginners buythe $12 hang-on the tank heateronly to break it during their firstwater change. Instead of makingthat mistake, invest in a moreexpensive and reliable heater.

Most aquarium kits comewith sufficient filtration. The funpart of fish keeping is realizingwhere you can simplify. If youmake your own kit, you can useanything from a sponge filter to awet-dry filter. The most popularchoice is a hang on the back filterpower filter, which unlike thehang-on heaters, are veryreliable. One the most interestingway to filter an aquarium is byemploying live plants to uptakethe fishs metabolites. You canstrike a balance between theplants and fish where there is noneed for outside filtration,however, water changes will stillbe necessary to maintain goodwater quality. This is a more

advanced technique and willrequire some tinkering to get itright. Aquarium keeping is itselfan experiment when you startout, so learn from your mistakesand take responsibility for yourpets.

Sparkling gourami (Trichopsis pumila): Beautiful and rainbowcolored; grows to about one inch.Peacock Gudgeon (Tateurdina ocellicauda): Small goby, peacefuland colorful.Threadfin Rainbow (Iriatherina werneri): Flares amazingly.Blue Eyed Rainbows (Popondetta furcata, Pseudomugl signifier,etc): Amazingly colored rainbows that look like helicopters whenthey swim.

Rasboras (Trigonostigma espei,T.heteromorpha,Boraras maculata,etc): Colorful schooling fish.Honey Dwarf Gourami (Colisa chuna): Larger nano fish, peaceful.Giant Dwarf Gourami (Colisa fasciata): Multicolored gourami,peaceful.Paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis): Pugnacious but extremelyhardy.Yasuhikotakia (Botia) sidthimunki: Small scavenger; schooling.Danio choprae: Oddball Danio, orange colored.Danio species: Fast moving and schooling fish; many new specieson the market other than the die-hard Zebra Danio.White Could Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys albonubes): Peaceful

and can tolerate low temps.Chela species: Danio-like and easy to keep.Swordtails (Xiphophorus sp.): Gaudy and breed able. Look for wildtypes such as Greens (X. helleri) or Montezumas (X. montezumae)for the best results.Endler's Livebearers (Poecilia wingei): Small streaks of color;great for a ten gallon.Killifish: Simply amazing coloration; productive and entertaining.Rice fish (Oryzias latipes): Eggs stick to their anal fin, hardy.Neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi): Staple plant tank fish.Cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi): bluer than the neon, sametemperament/care.

GREAT NANO FRIENDLY FISH



elements such as copper willquickly kill all invertebrate life.There are a great many shrimpspecies now available tohobbyists. There are tropical andcool water species, so make surethe proper choice is made.Crystal Red Shrimp and TigerShrimp are both commonly keptcool water shrimp. Keeping themin warmer water can result inshortened lifespan.

Bacteria: The Most ValuableLife in Your Aquarium

The nitrifying bacteriacoating the filter media as well asevery other surface of youraquarium for that mater are themost critical life form youmaintain within your tank. Theyare the foundation of any healthyaquarium. Their microscopicstature often causes them to beoverlooked. These coloniescreate the perfect ecosystem tohouse fish and invertebrates.They do this by breaking downthe toxic wastes produces by thefish and invertebrates into nitratewhich is removed by plants,algae, and water changes.

It is very important thatanything you do in, around or toyour aquarium does no harm toyour nitrifying bacteria. Forexample, if there is a diseaseissue in your aquarium, you needto be careful of what medicationsyou use as many of them will killoff your nitrifying bacteriacolonies. Doing so will causesevere damage to the balance ofthe aquarium. Shaking thebalance of your aquarium at its

foundation will be difficult torebound from without casualties.Take care of your bacterial baseand build your dream nanoaquarium from there. Good luck!

Shrimp as Pets?!Who would have thought that

shrimp, those delicious denizensof the sea, could be goodfreshwater aquarium pets?Shrimp, such as Neocaridinaheteropoda, the Cherry Red

Shrimp, stay small and can behoused in groups or incommunity tanks with small-mouthed fish. They are also,most importantly, easy to keepand great at eating algae.Although invertebrates such asshrimp can be difficult tounderstand, once youve triedthem and got them to live theyare quite easy to maintain andbreed. By difficult to understand, Imean that many people treat allaqua t i c l i f e t he same.Invertebrates cannot be thoughtof as fish. They cannot withstandmedications or large swings in pHor temperature as many wella c c l i m a t e d f i s h e s c a n .Medications for Ich containing

Green neon (Paracheirodon simulans): Smaller cousin to the neon.Apistogramma: Dwarf cichlid genera; fantastic morphology andbehavior.Pelvicachromis: African riverine dwarf cichlids; easy to breed.Mikrogeophagus: AKA Rams; easy and beautiful. Gold, blue (M.ramerezi)or Bolivian (M. altispinosa)Corydoras: Pygmies make great nano scavengers; schooling.Guppies (Poecilia reticulata): remember to pick a strong strain.

Bettas: theres more to them than the B. splendens you see inbowls. Check out other species such as B. smaragdina, B.macrostoma(advanced), and B. foerschi,Tanganyikan cichlids (Neolamprologus multifasciatus,Lamprologus ocellatus, etc): The shell-dwelling fish need alkalinewater and decorative shells to hide in.

HARDTOFINDORDIFFICULTTOCAREFORSPECIES:Taenicara candidi: dwarf cichlid, fantastic coloration and finnage.Licorice gourami (Parosphronemus sp.): tiny labyrithfish; gaudy.Indostomus paradoxus: the paradoxfish- species only aquaria! Afreshwater elative of the pipefish.

Aspidoras sp.: small genera of Cory-like catfish. More elongatedbody.Pencil fish: Nannostomus mortenthaleri, the Coral Red Pencilfish,are the pinnacle of pencilfish keeping.Puffers (Carinotetraodon sp., et al): cute and personable. Speciesonly aquaria! Carnivores.Bumblebee Gobies (Brachygobius sp.): brackish and freshwaterspecies available. Stay small and some school.Dicrossus species: the checkerboard dwarf cichlid; subtle yetinteresting.Nanochromis: sometimes difficult to find; African riverine dwarfcichlid.

Note: Keep in mind that most small species are schooling fish and do bestwhen housed with several of their own kind. While one of this, one of thatstocking may be fun, it will not give you good long-term results.



A n I nterviewwith N ano

AquascaperA ntonio N ikolic

Although small in size, Natural Mysticcaptures nature at its best.



Q: Tell me about yourself andhow you got into plantedaquariums.A: My name is Antonio Nikolic. Iam 24 years old and I am fromCroatia. I started with this hobbyalmost 2 years ago, when I firstcame across internet photos ofplanted tanks created by themaster himself, Mr. TakashiAmano. As I searched for more

and more aquascapes designedby him, I became more inspired(obsessed) with planted tanks.His artistic work amazed me somuch that I started looking ataquarium plants and plantedtanks in my local area.

From the very beginning,small nano aquariums attractedmy attention. They were small,intimate aquascapes that were

affordable to create and posed agreat artistic challenge. My firsttank was 30 liter aquariumdesigned with some hardyaquatic plants and a small schoolof Rasboras espei.

Q: Describe how youdeveloped the hardscape foryour aquarium.A: The hardscape consist of

rocks and twigs placed in themidground. I took great care toplace the tree branches within thesubstrate so that they wouldappear as natural as possible. Iprefer the look of wild naturelayouts more then the manicuredgarden design. I wanted to makethe branches seem like they fellgenuinely. As time passed Iimagined the twigs becoming

overgrown with plants to form aperfect home for new aquatic life.I used rocks helps to anchor thetree branches in the substrate,and as the plants grew in therocks became nearly invisiblewithin the aquascape.

Q: You definitely achieved theeffected you wanted with thehardscape placement. Whatinspired the initial vision ofyour layout?A: I found inspiration for thislayout from the local thicket nearmy home. As I was searching fornew decorative materials for myaquarium I saw several aspectsof nature and wood pieces I liked.I couldnt think of anything betterto use to create my slice ofnature then real materials foundin an actual natural environment.Knowing that the pieces I usecame from the place ofinspiration makes my aquascapemore authentic. I think using reallife materials embodies the spiritof nature in every aspect thedesign and layout. For thisreason, I named the aquacapeNatural Mystic just like the BobMarley song.

Q: With such lush growth fromyour plants what is yourfertilization method?A: From the date of setup nearlysix months ago I didn't have aroutine in fertilizing. The firstmonth of setup, I didnt even addany fertilizers and just did regular50% waterchanges about everytwo days.

This past month I began

adding in fertilizers moreregularly because I noticed someplant deficiencies. I have starteddosing microelements and addingpotassium, and experiment withthe Perceptual PreservationSystem (PPS-Pro) method. I amnow dosing; 1.5 ppm KNO3, 0.2ppm PO4, 15 drops Seachemflourish and 7 drops of Easy-lifeEasycarbo, every day.



part of the aquascape, anddoesnt require much attention.

Since I dont have to touch themidground plants, the focus pointof the aquascape keeps itsoverall shape, even when I haveto trim the background plants.

The stem plants I placed inthe background need the mostfrequent trimmings. For thebackground, I like to use fineleafed stems placed near the rearof the glass. This stem placementin the back achieves a greater

depth perspective for the viewerby drawing the eye to the colorsand finer leaf shapes thatcontrast distinctly with themidground plants.

Q: Tell me some of yourgreatest challenges with theaquascape?A: My greatest challenge wasbeen keeping the lush colorationin red stem plants. I kepted on

getting stunted growth from thestems of Rotala wallichii. Aftertrimming them, the bottom partrearly throws out side shoots.After struggling to get it to growthe way I wanted, I decide toreplace it with Rotala rotundifolia.Im happy that I did that. Afteradding in a double dose ofFlourish regularly, the plantsgrew with great coloration.

I have more nutrient dosingexperiments to observe before I

get into a regular routine ofdosing. The only thing routine inmy schedule is the 50%waterchanges about twice aweek. Since every tank isdifferent I have to figure out whatfertilizer values works best togrow the plants in the color andcondition that I envision.

Q: Lets talk plants andaquascaping. How do you

keep up the plant growth andmaintaining the aquascapelayout?A: I have to trim every 10-12days to keep the plants fromlooking overgrown and ruiningthe hardscape effect that Iworked tirelessly in designing. Inthis layout I have used more than15 different species of plants, 7-8species as larger (main) groups,and others plants as accents.

The midground consist ofslow growing plants includingMonosolenium tenerum, Anubiasbarteri var. nana 'Petite',Taxiphyllum alternans, Fissidensfontanus, Microsorum pteropus'Windelov', Microsorum pteropus'Narrow'. These are attached torocks and twigs to anchor themdown. The slow growingmidground makes up the densest

Q: Now that you haveovercome your challenges and

completed this aquascapewhat other projects do youhave in stored for the future?A: Well, Im working on severallarger tanks right now, and Imwaiting for the right moment todisplay them. Im looking forwardto getting a new digital camera soI can truly capture the beauty ofthe tanks from my perspective.

I will always have one of mysmallest aquascapes El Naninjo

to keep me busy. Nanoaquascapes are a challenge andpleasure to create. I sometimesthink after Im done, Wow I didthat? It is my hope to inspire andadd to the creative think tank sothat other aquascapers (new andold) can push that envelop foraquatic aquarium designs.

This miniature aquascape El Naninjo

is one of Antionio Nikolics smallestaquascapes to date.



Plant SelectionHemianthus micranthemoidesHemianthus callitrichoidesRotala rotundifoliaLudwigia arcuataAnubias barteri var. nana'Petite'Monosolenium tenerumHydrocotyle sibthorpioidesHydrocotyle microphyllaTaxiphyllum alternansFissidens fontanus

Microsorum pteropus'Windelow'Microsorum pteropus'Narrow'Myriophyllum mattogrossenseMayaca fulvitalisLindernia rotundifoliaLilaeopsis Nuova-zelandieRiccia fluitansEleocharis parvulaDidiplis diandra

Fauna SelectionCelestichthys margaritatusNeocaridina heteropoda var. red

Tank Dimensions: 38 x 18 x 21 cmVolume: 15 literLighting: MH Giesemann Megachrome tropic 70WPhotoperiod: 8 hoursFiltration System: Resun canister filter 200 l/hWater Parameters: pH 6.3 - 6.6, KH 5, GH 7, temp. 24 'CC02 Supplementation: Pressurized CO2 with solenoid 7.5h/day

ON - 30 minutes before the light turn onOFF - 1 hour before the light turn off

Diffusion Method/Rate: Glass Diffuser 1 bubble/sec.Substrate: Bottom Layer Potting soil, volcanic gravel and laterite (2-3 cm)

Top Layer Quartz gravel 1-3mm sized granulation (2-5cm)

Natural Mystic



o matter the art form, anartist would do well to keep a

sketchbook . Scu lp tors ,photographersmany artists ofmany disciplines keep this trustytool by them at all times. Anaquascaper is the same in thisregard. It is an incrediblyvaluable tool for visualizingpieces, tracking progress, anddeveloping ones ability overall.Even if you have very littled r a w i n g e x p e r i e n c e , asketchbook is incredibly valuable.

Value of the SketchbookA sketchbook is not just a

plaything to scribble around in.Artists use them for a variety oftasks of the creative process. Asketchbook is a visualization toolthat helps every step of the way.

When you come up with ideas,you write them in. When youcant visualize something, youdraw it in. Even when you dovisualize it, you draw it in so it willbe there when you need it.Especially with 3D arts such assculpting and aquascaping,scribbles in the sketchbook arevaluable for f iguring outproport ions, spacing andpositioning that the actual piecewill have when it is put together.Sculptors like Michael Angelohave left many, many drawingsand many of stunning qualitythat were never intended for thepublic eye. These drawingsthough would be the foundationof the designs for the finalsculptures of such artists. Fromthe vague form, to the specific

By Steven Chong

N



proportions, to the tiniestdetailsdrawings can develop ina sketchbook, and the total ideaof the final piece will first berealized on paper.

This same process ofv i sua l i za t i on app l i es t oaquascaping. Taking the time tosketch, one will piece thecomposition together; but thesketches will continue to helpwith piecing together how colorsshould move, how texturesshould be placed, and how theentirety of the work will cometogether. Or not. Thesketchbook does not have to beused in anyway an artist does notwant to use itno one sees it, noone judges it. It is a place ofrefuge and freedom for the artistto do anything he wants. Becrazy, stupid, put any line or anycontent. The things one includescan be completely off topic orintensively focused. Theimportant thing is that the way wethink and work has a place todevelop that does not justdisappear into the recesses ofmemory to be forgotten or leftundeveloped or un-followed.

Speaking of following, thesketchbook is a great way totrack ones progress. Whateverwe do in it, the sketchbookreflects what we were doing/thinking/trying/following at thetime where we worked in it.

Whether they resemble thefinished pieces we make or not,the sketchbook shows the flow ofour development. This isvaluable to an artist for a numberof reasons.

First of all, confidence isimportant and it can be greatwhen an artist can look back andsee how he has improved. In hisdevelopment there will always be

tough times, halts and slowswhere little will improve. Lookingback at the old times reflected inthe sketchbooks can be a bighelp to remind us of how we havegrown. But then again maybenot.

Sometimes we loose ourway, and instead of looking backat old work to see how we haveimproved, we look back to seewhere we lost our way. Though itis important to always keepmoving forward, there are stillmany times when an artist sayshe wants to go back to hisroots. Sometimes we loosesight of the objectives that areimportant to us. Sometimes weforget where it was we wanted tobe, and what we wanted toachieve. The sketchbook isntonly drawingsits thoughts wethought, feelings we felt, anddreams we dreamt. It ties us toour past, and can remind us ofthe places we still want to go.

Using a SketchbookHow does one use onessketchbook towards his goals?This depends from person toperson, but for the sake ofexample I can describe mymethods for sketchbook usage:

Information CollectionOne of the sketchbooks best

uses is as a place to store ideas.To artists, our ideas are thelifeblood of our work, so beingsure to remember them when wehave them is very important. Itdoes not have to be elaborate

just a scribe of words or drawings

in the sketchbook you use a lot

can be a big help in rememberingideas later on. Once it is in thesketchbook, you will at leastreference back to it, and so ideasin the sketchbook develop aswell. Once they are in there, anidea that was a mere scribblingon one page may find itself a full-scale intricate plan a few pagesdown the road.

Ideas in the sketchbook donot have to be fully formed. Theimportant thing is that you havethem down. Even if its just thebasic framework of an idea,rough and sketchyit does notmatter. Even if it is only ageneral idea and you have onlywords in your head with noimages to go with it, write it down.The idea will develop as it sits inyour sketchbook. Even if it doesnot, at least it is there. You canalways buy more sketchbooks,

but you do not know when thenext time you will remember theidea. Even if you, the next timeyou remember an idea, it will bedifferent from before because youwill be a different artist thanbefore. Try to keep track of allthe ideas you get.

When you are walking downthe street and you see a verypretty tree, if the feeling of that



scene makes you pause,remember to do something aboutit in your sketchbook. Even a fewwords, even a bare sketch isgood. When you wake up from abeautiful dream, quickly flip openthe book (sitting next to yournightstand) and sketch/write the

general contents of it downbefore it fades. When thinkingabout an old idea and a new add-on to it occurs to you, go to thesketchbook and revise the idea.Recording ideas also forces youto put ideas into at least someform of expression, which willhelp develop your thinking,artistic intuition and insight aswell.

A sketchbook is a place torecord and develop who we areas artists, and so it is also a great

place to keep things thatinfluence us. Bits of clippings ofwritings that inspire you, cuttingsfrom magazines or print outs ofwork from other artiststheseare things that one would do wellto paste into the sketchbook. Ilike to take print outs of

landscape photos in particularand keep them in my sketchbook.One may think that these

types of materials are not ourown development of our ideas,but in actuality they are. No twopeople will ever see the samepicture despite looking at thesame photograph. Everyoneinterprets things different. Takingthe barrage of images and ideasfrom the world, and reinterpretingthem to what is important to usmakes each idea that we comeup with very unique.

A great artist knows themoment he takes an idea fromelsewhere, even if someone elseused it, that idea is his own now.He is certain to do it in his ownway. Being an artist is also beingable to recognize inspirationoutside him that will lead himforward. These influences from

outside sources are important toremember as our artistic talentbranches away from them, andour art becomes our own.

Dont doodle, Draw!A former art teacher of mine

once complained to me that

many of his students were toohesitant in their drawing. If theydraw a line wrong, and they newit was wrong, they would leave itanyway because they did notwant to ruin the drawing. Forgetruining drawings. Who cares if adrawing is ruined? It is far fromthe end of the world.

If theres a line there, draw itin. If the line is wrong draw it inagain. Draw over it! Do nothesitate because you care abouthow neat or pretty your drawingor paper is. Neat and prettycount for nothing, especiallywhen it comes to drawing in thesketchbook. Save that for thephotography of the finishedaquarium. When playing with alayout idea, draw it in again andagain in order to get rightproportions and parts. Draw onyour paper until you get it right.

STEP 1: Aquasketch STEP 2: Designing the Hardscape



Theres a technique calledblocking in that is similar to thisflurry of sketching. Whenblocking in, the artist puts themost important information on thepaper first, least important last.Most important being locations ofpoints, proportions, angles, and

least important being contours.When blocking in, dont worryabout line drawing, that is tryingto draw the outline of whatever itis you are drawing. Start with thelocation of pointsthe top of arock, the far left side of the sand,the lowest point of thestem plants.

Instead of contours,draw in the importantpoints first: where theyare, and how they arelocated compared toeach other in space.Draw straight linesbetween the importantpoints to measuredistance, angles and otherimportant information. Measurethings on paper. What is thebest-looking angle and widthbetween a branch and the rockthat supports it? How is the

curvature of the stem plantsrelative to that of the hardscape?How wide is the branchproportionately? Where shouldnegative space be, and whatshape should it have? Thesetypes of questions should be yourforemost concern when blocking

in, and draw many lines, drawover lines, to find the ones youlike most. This is like building adrawing, as opposed todoodling.

Only when the importantinformation is on the paper

should you worry aboutmaking the actual outlinesof things, or trying to makethe drawings look pretty.You could even save thatfor another page. It isdefinitely less importantthan getting proportionsand angles right. This isespec ia l l y t r ue f o raquascape planning when

no one will ever see the drawing,and the important thing is thefinished aquascape. Thesketchbook is the place for theinitial set-up of idea work, and thedrawings in the sketchbook

should reflect this. Of coursegetting an idea of what a finishedtank could look like in onesdrawings is important too, but it isbest to build into that.

Keep it with you, and neverthrow it away

All this is pointless if you donot carry your sketchbook withyou and aim to use it. Keep it byyour bed when you sleep, onyour desk if not on your person inother hours. It is important thatwhenever you want to use it, youhave it even for quick jottings.The sketchbook will be mostvaluable if it is treated like a livingthing that grows as its ownergrows. Keeping the sketchbookis important as well. As onegrows, one may want to lookthrough old work. Followingones own development will helpone to reach even greaterimprovements. Instead ofwandering about, the sketchbookhelps one stand on ones ownshoulders, to improve on what hehas already done.

Step 3: Naming your AquascapeThe Hau Coast



By Aziz Dhanani

n my quest to gain theknowledge necessary to set up

a beautiful planted tank, it wasevident in my search that manypeople gave up on planted tanks

because of massive algaeblooms and continuous algaeissues. The struggle to contain itand permanently eliminate algaewas simply too much, and thewould be aquascaper gives up onplanted aquariums. Are algaewars magically selective for oneperson, and not another? Ofcourse not. Yet the truth remains,there are some who seem idealalgae aquarium growers, and

there are those lushly plantedaquascapes without a signal signof algae. How does one keep analgae free aquarium?

It is generally agreed upon inthe aquarium world that the bestway to prevent and managealgae was through properchemical fertilization of a plantedtank including Carbon Dioxide(C02) injection. Whensupplemented properly, these

chemical injections promote abalance and stable tank thatwould not only facilitate healthyplant growth, but also create aninhospitable environment foralgae. However, with eachaquarium being different fromhome to home there seems to beno true proper fertilizationmethod that can achieve thesame optimum nutrient balance

needed to grow lush plantswithout the algae too. I felt thatthere had to be other methodsthat could be simultaneouslyemployed with the properbalance philosophy to helpfurther deter algae.

The focus of this article is torecount my experiences in testinga combination of anti-algaemeasures. These algae repulsionmethods include using barley

straw, Japanese Marismo Balls toabsorb excess nutrients, Eigeradensato ward against blue greenalgae, and disrupting algaegrowth with burst photo intensityand a variable photo period. I willemploy each of these methods tosee if algae grows in myaquarium. Lets discuss thetechniques.

1) Barley Straw Repulse AlgaeAccording to a study by theIntegrated Approach to CropResearch Centre for AquaticPlant Management the use ofbarley straw placed in a mesh ina pond or aquarium will releasechemicals, specifically hydrogenperoxide as it decays underintense light. Low levels ofperoxide are said to be hinderand prevent algae growth.

2) Moss Ball Heavy EatersJapanese Marimo moss ball

are high consumers ofphosphates. As the moss ballgrows, it out competes algae forphosphates and other nutrients.With limited phosphates availablein the water column, algae isobserved to have a difficult timegaining a foothold in the plantedaquarium.

M ethods to Prevent

I



3) Eigera densaChemicalsEigera densa is believed tosecrete an antibiotic substancethat prevents blue green algae(which is a type of bacteria thatcan dominate an aquarium).

4) Noon Burst LightingBy creating a cycle of a four

hour photo period of light, fewhours of no light, and thenanother four hour photo period,

algae has been observed byhobbyists to have an adversereaction to this lunch time siestaof light. The reasoning behindthis has not been testedthoroughly enough to yield aconcise result, however plantsare know to be a higher organismand therefore can adapted moreso than algae to varying lightingconditions.

Undergoing the ExperimentIn July 2007 I experimented

with these algae repulsionmethods in a 10 gallon tank. Ifirst wrapped a piece of barleystraw within a pantyhose meshand placed it close to the lightand filter out flow. Secondly, to

help consume excess nutrients, Idecided to plant heavily from thestart with marimo moss balls andEigera densa. Lastly, Iconfigured the lighting whichconsisting of 30 total watts for anoon burst type photo period.One tube was timed to come onfor 5 hours, with the other tubetime to come on after 5 hours sothat both tubes were on for a totalof 10 hours. No heater was used

and the tank temperature was 25-29 degrees Celsius. I started offwith Perpetual PerseverationSystem (PPS-Pro) fertilizationscheme. PH was 7.0.

After four months ofcontinuous fertilization using PPS-pro, signs of green spot and bluegreen algae appeared. Tocombat the algae, I increasedwater changes to twice a week. Ialso began injecting CO2 through

do-it-yourself C02 injection and aHagen Submersible Filter todiffuse the CO2. In less than, twoweeks, the tank exploded withplant growth forcing me to do amajor trim of the plants.

My Algae Repulsion ResultsThere were no indications of

black beard algae, black brushalgae, green dust algae, ordiatoms for a while. But despite

having the moss balls and otheralgae repulsion methods in place,blue green algae did appearedand green spot algae begantaking over some plants. Inorder to eliminate the blue greenalgae, I dosed erythromycin asper package directions andeventually it disappeared.

After a while I noticed someplants began doing poorly likeLudwigia repens rubin and

Bacopa monnieri (money wort)but most plants remained healthywith a slow growth. In an attemptto address plant growth issuesthat I felt stemmed from nutrientdeficiencies, I decided to switchfrom PPS-Pro and try Tom Barr'sLiquid Estimative Index

(www.barrreport.com).At first, I dosed Seachem

Flourish and calcium sulphate tosupplement the already highnitrate and phosphate levels, andlow iron levels in my tank.However this appeared to makeno difference in plant growth, so Ibegan dosing teaspoon of KentPro Plant and teaspoon ofSeachem Iron on Monday,Wednesday and Friday; and 6 ml

of Tom Barr's Liquid EI solutioncombined with 1.25 ml SeachemFlourish Comprehensive once aweek after 50% water change.This resulted in a major growthexplosion in two weeks.

Despite the algae repulsionmethods, algae still appeared.Ultimately this experimentconfirms that finding the optimalfertilization scheme is key tokeeping aquatic plants healthy.



Anubias nana PetiteNicknamed by hobbyists as

nana petite this neat little plant

is one of my favorite lowmaintenance mid-ground plants.It's not demanding and fills up thelittle empty spaces in betweennooks and crannies. Best of allthis tiny plant can be movedaround since it's best tied ontosmall rocks or small pieces ofdriftwood. This plant has greataquascaping potential just aboutevery aquarium, including nanos.

Algae TreatmentAnubias can be prone to

algae, but there is an easy way to

remove it from the plant. Trim theinfected leaves, and soak in 1part bleach to 20 parts water. Thethin filaments of the algaeinfesting the plant will start towhiten. At this point remove thenana and rinse in some freshwater with a few drops of anti-chlorine and rub each leaf off.Rinse again and your nana's willbe looking great again!

PlantingBreak into smaller branches

of 1.5-2.5 inches. Plant by tying

to rock or wood blocks with nylonor twist tie-plastic coated wires.

These can be removed oncethe plant has rooted onto the rockor wood securely. I normally justleave it especially since thethread will eventually dissolve orbecome hidden. Makes sure youspace the rhizomes of each plantwithin about an inch of each otherto create a fuller look as it grows.



MaintenanceLike most anubias, nana

petite does not require much

attention. Regular water changes,and the occasional dose offertilizers will keep this planthealthy. I recommend trimmingonce a month to allow newleaves to grow.

Nanas are susceptible toblack brush algae [BBA], andGreen spot algae [GSA]. This canbe an eyesore but as mentionedpreviously, it is easily remedied.


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ASW Issue1 March2008