ASW Issue3May2008

8/20/2019 ASW Issue3May2008

1/40M AY 2008 AquaScaping World 1

www.aquascapingworld.com VOLUME 1, ISSUMAY 2

AquaScapingWorldAquaScapingWorldMaking Magic In Glass Boxes

Aquascaping with Nicolas GuillermanHow to Trim Stem Plants

Experimenting with Low Tech MethodsCreating Depth and Perspective

Do-It-Yourself ADA Stand Tips


2/402 AquaScaping World M AY 2008

Inside our May Issue

In every issue we like to include aquascaping guides and tutorials tohelp you improve your aquascaping skills. Great aquascapes will oftenfeel like they can go on forever. This month we take a look at how tocreate depth and perspective in planted aquariums to get that effectthrough plant selection, good layouts, and photography techniques. Thisdiscussion pairs well with another article that explores trimmingtechniques that can refine your plants and scapes.

With summer around the corner, our do-it-yourselfers will enjoy reading

tips on creating their own ADA aquarium stand. Making your plantedaquarium look good is one thing, but to completing the look of the entireaquarium setup sometimes it takes some handy work. Learn to build astand that matches your aquarium and house décor.

Last but certainly not least, our Aquascape in Focus features AndreCardoso’s “Pasodoble”. His aquascape is a great example of how awell trimmed aquascape can capture nature’s beauty in a glass box. Asyou’ll find out in the article, creating such an aquascape isn’t always aneasy task.

Have fun with your aquascaping adventures this month!

John Nguyen Editor in Chief

AquaScaping World Magazine

Letter from the Editor



TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

CREATING DEPTH AND PERSPECTIVE IN AN AQUASCAPE A look at photography techniques, planting tips, and fauna choices to makeyour aquascape look larger then it is.By Tom Messenger

TRIMMING STEM PLANTSFind out how to get that bushy effect that you may have seen in DutchScapes. Get plants to grow the way you want them toBy Roy Deki

TIPS CREATING A DO-IT-YOURSELF ADA STAND A aquarium stand is one of the most important pieces of your aquascape andhome décor. You don’t have to spend hundreds for a stand though. Make areplica ADA stand for yourself.By Kristoffer Willerslev Jorgensen

AQUASCAPING WITH NICOLAS GUILLERMONicolas Guillermo his aquascapes and his perspective on the key todesigning great planted aquariums.By Nicolas Guillermo

DIANA WALSTAD’S EL NATURAL VERSE TOM BAR’S LOW TECH

A hobbyist experiments with these two low tech style of planted aquariumkeeping. See which one works for him.By Aziz Dhanani

AQUASCAPE IN FOCUS: PASODOBLEThis month features an interview with budding aquascaper Andre Cardosoand his “Pasodoble” aquascape.

DISSOLVED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS EXPLAINEDDiscover how dissolved organic compounds effect a planted aquarium.Understanding this important element can help you fight off algae and getyour aquarium off on the right foot.By Cecil Griffith

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Creating DepCreating DepCreating Dep

Perspective in anPerspective in anPerspective in an



I am going explain the principle ofperspective, a very importantconsideration to take into accountwhen aquascaping an aquarium.F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f

demonstrating these principles Ihave used photos of my ownaquaria. There are a number ofways to give your aquascapeperspective. I will explain how tocreate depth and perspectiveeffectively.

Make your aquascape appear

larger then it is.

andandand

quascapequascapequascape By Tom Messenger



The hardscape of my aquascape, At Forest’s Gate illustrates the extent to which the substrate was sloped to achieve a greater illusion of depth/.

Substrate PositioningBefore you even begin to

aquascape the aquarium, youcan create a sense of depth andperspective using only thesubstrate. By sloping thesubstrate towards the back of theaquarium, you immediately givethe impression that the tank isdeeper than it really is.

Sand paths through the“centre” of the tank are popular,

and can greatly increase theperspective of the aquascape.The path should start out wide atthe front of the aquarium, and getprogressively narrower the furtherback it goes. This gives theimpress ion of the pathdisappearing into the distance.

An excellent example can befound in Peter Kirwan’s iwagumifeature in the April 2008 issue.

Choose the Right PlantsSmall leaved plants are

very effective at making anaquascape seem larger than itreally is. In the past, I have hadseveral people say myaquascapes always appear largerthen they are. They assume mytank was 60cm or even larger. Inactually the dimensions of thetank are mere 40cm (25l).

The trick is to use variety

of small leaf plants that take upvery little retail space in youraquascape. Place them in smallgroups. As these aquatic plantsgrow they will form a very denseand lush bush, without makingthe scape appear heavy or overlydone. Plants such as XmasMoss, Riccia, and Mayacca areexcellent species to use becauseof their fine leave structures.

Fish to Fit Your ScapeThe use of small fish such

as Microrasboras (Boraras spp.)can really finish off a smallaquarium. A school of 10 in a 25l i t re aquarium can lookimpressive, and are well suited tothe smaller aquaria.

In larger tanks, say 60litres plus, schools of Tetras orRasboras can have a similareffect. Larger fish such as Discus

are best only kept for largeaquaria, as they can force theaquarium appear smaller and canseem overpowering to a degree,distracting attention from the all-important aquascape.



PhotographyThe way you photographyour aquarium can greatlyinfluence its appearance orperspective. The pictures of mynewly set up tank both show thesame aquascape, at the samepoint in time. The only differenceis, the latter has been shot at amuch wider focal length. Thisincreases the aquascape’sapparent perspective in the

photograph.N o t i c e h o w t h eaquascape in the wider photo(right) appears to shrink into thedistance, whereas the otherphoto (left) seems flat, and two-dimensional.

(Top) Fine leaf plants make this aquascape look large in its small space(Middle) Photo Shot at a 70mm focal length, lack of depth captured(Bottom) Photo Shot at a much wider angle to emphasize the perspective



Get your plants to grow

the way you want them

Trimming Stem

Plants



Hav e y ou ev e rwondered how someaquascapes havebeautiful bushy type

stem plants that help refine thescape? In this article I hope tohelp you achieve this look.

Different stem plants growat different rates and maintainingthese can seem like too muchwork. Faster growing stem plantswill over power and shadow theslower growing stem plants.Proper trimming techniques are avital part of maintaining a scapefor a longer period of time.

The Bushy AffectOne thing to remember is

to start with as many stems aspossible, this will ultimately helpcreate the bushy affect moreeasily and quicker. After theinitial planting, all plants will gothrough an acclimation period ormore simply put, the plant is inshock. Once recovering from thisthe stem will start to produce

roots and you will see newgrowth at the top of each stem. As the stem continues to

grow you will notice that the bestpart of the plant will always bethe tips. Let the plants grow tothe water surface trimming onlythe stems that seem to out raceall the others to the surface.Once the majority of stems are

just below the water surface youcan do the first mass trimming.

By Roy Deki



Before trimming this “mound” style aquascape.

Notice the angle that the scissors are held. The Micranthemum umbrosum is being trimmed to conform to the other two stem plants in the background.



This first trim should bedone at about 3”-4”, (dependingon the entire depth of your tank)from the substrate. Most stemsplants, when trimmed will send

out two new stems at the nearestnode just below the cut. Now,you will almost have twice asmany stems as you had wheninitially planted. It is important toknow that you have just removedmost of the plant mass in yourtank, thus re-adjust your co2 andfertilizing doses accordingly.

When the trimmed stemshave re-grown new tips, let themcontinue to grow another 4”-5”.

Once this has been achievedyour next trimming will consist oftwo parts. The first is to makeyour second trim about 2” abovethe initial trimming, where youonce had one stem, before theinitial trimming you should nowhave two. Trim the two stemsand the plant will continue todouble the amount of stems.Second is to trim the plant in yourdesired shape. This is important

for refining and to help createdepth and flow in youraquascape.

Once this has been doneyour next trimmings should

always be done by following thedesired shape that you are tryingto achieve. Do not be afraid totrim unwanted stems that seemto grow faster than the rest, evenif it means you have to get yourarm wet just to trim one or twostems. Remember the best partof your plant will always be thetips, with this in mind, shape yourplant to include tips that are verylow in order to hide the bare

stems of your plant.

The Natural Look As mentioned above,

manicured bushes seem to helpcreate flow in your aquascapebut, I prefer the more naturalappearance. To achieve this lookit requires just as much trimmingbut seems to be more tedious.Once the first trimming andsecond trimming process of

The shaping of plants is complete and now it’s time to wait for the new tips to form. Although the stems have been trimmed the over all balance of thisscape has not been compromised.

shaping the plant is complete,from there you will onlyselectively trim from here on out.Trimming only the faster growingstems slightly below the masses

will help maintain the overallshape but, will not create such amanicured look. This techniquerequires you to monitor your plantgrowth less frequent than themore manicured look. Althoughthe entire mass of stems willcontinue to grow, at some point intime you will have to repeat thesecond trimming method.

Here is a list of a few stem plants

that are easily trimmed to achievethe shaped bushy affect.• Hemianthus

micranthemoides• Rotala sp. ‘green’• Rotala rotundifolia• Ludwigia arcuata• Ludwigia brevipes

Note these are mostly smallerleaf type plants.



Tips Creating

Professional



By Kr istoffer Willerslev Jørgensen

Just like when building ahouse or any solidconstruction you need agood foundation. A

aquarium setup is no different. Itrequires a strong stand to support

the tank and to keep all theequipment hidden. When wechose a stand we usually firstconsider size, cost and then lastlywe consider the appearance ofour stand. We do not have wideselection of stands to choosefrom though. It could be due tothe high price tag, availability orsimply the significant other notwanting us spending the money.So what are we to do?

We must attempt a do-it-yourself project to make ourstand resemble what we want ourwhole setup to look like. Standswhich do not match our tanks andlight fixtures do not offer a verycomplete aesthetic feel. As wedesign the stand, we must try tomatch it to our tank setup andhouse décor.

My aquarium setupincluded a 60x30x36cm rimless

OptiWhite tank and aluminum T5pendent. All kept minimalistic andsomewhat anonymous so they donot draw attention away from myaquascape. So if you plan onhaving the same minimalist stylelike the one we know from the

ADA range of equipment, I hopethis article can help you reachyour goal.

Remember, a stand is the

Stand



and ask around if someone canhelp you with materials or justgood advice. Any DIY projectshould not end out to be moreexpensive or giving a result thatyou are not satisfied with.

I had my father-in-lawsupply and cut the wood Ineeded. This made the parts ofthe stand (wood and laminate)almost free. All I needed was toassemble it, make some holes

for wires and hoses, cover itwith laminate, trim it anddone… Sounds easy? It was!

I highly recommendanyone to try to build their ownstand if they have the right toolsand can get the materials verycheap. In the end, you mayhave created something betterthan anything seen at a store.

1. Stand Assembl y Assemble the pieces of wood with dowels, glue and screws. The inside is covered with plastic foilwhich saves a lot of work and gives me a good surface for the inside.

When you assemble the stand, bear in mind how the stand will be stressed by the weight it willhold. You need to select the right type of wood. A stand in this size can be made in 16mm(Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF fiberboard). This wood is very easy to cut and has a lot ofstrength.

2. Work as the Glue to Dries

When connecting the pieces together, use a water based glue with a short drying time atapproximately 1 hour. Not only will this allow you to apply and spread the glue evenly before itbegins to dry, it also dries fast enough where you can route the edges soon after.

I recommend save timing by working on different sides of the stand at once. You can route thelaminate at one place, while another piece is drying.

3. Use a Router A router using a bit with a bearing is a necessity for trimming the laminate nicely. It’s very fast andeasy to use. Cover the area with masking tape to avoid marks and use a firm steady hand. It isessential that you take your time to avoid any mistakes.

4. Detailed AreasUse a jigsaw and the router with a straight bit to make the detail holes for the hoses. The insideedge can also be covered with laminate to complete the look of your aquarium stand

foundation of the whole setup.The big surface has a tendencyto draw attention and cannegat ive ly impact youraquascape. Avoid bright colorsand strong contrast to the wallsand floor. Your aquascapeshould be the primary focus;not the stand, the tank or anyother piece of equipment.

I prefer the minimalisticlook and a light grey color thatmatches the wood and whitewalls of my apartment.

Using LaminateI was lucky to find some

drawings which were based onthe ADA design. I used theseas a starting point for my stand.Instead of painting the stand, Ithen decided to cover it withlaminate to avoid the

tremendous amount of work itwould take to get the largesurfaces of the stand paintedevenly. I had never worked withlaminate and the drawings didnot take this into account.

Laminate is hard andhas a strong surface with a nicefinish. It is found in numerouscolors and finishes, and can bechosen to match your taste.

I got in touch with a very

nice guy that worked at alaminate workshop. He told meshortly how to work with it andalso supplied me with laminatein return for some glassware forCO2.

I cannot stress out howimportant forums are when youneed help with your DIY standproject. Ask before you buy ordo anything. Get it all planned

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By Nicolas Guillermin

quascaping with

Nicolas Guil



There is a bright future aheadfor aquascaping. In the last fewyears, there has been a hugeevolution in planted aquariums.Each year brings in new highquality aquascapes, and we

can see more personal stylesemerging among aquascapers.People are more attracted tothis hobby than ever, and thepassion continues to engulf ourminds.

I am French but I havebeen living in Japan for the past10 years. I am relatively new toaquascaping world. I starteddoing planted tanks about twoyears ago after I discover

Takashi Amano’s aquascapes.I do my best to keep up to ahigh level and learn more aboutthe different elements ofplanted aquariums. I will try todo some more originalcreations in the future, but fornow I have learned a greatdeal from my aquascapingexperience.

Aquascap ing Inspi rat ion

I think everyone shouldreach deep into their minds anduse their imagination to createtheir aquascapes. Feel free todo whatever you l ike.

Aquascapes do not have tofollow standards or rules. Asdifferent as your own visionmay be, we must rememberaquascaping is an art whereone can express freely theirown vision of nature.

Aquascaping from a new

perspective



You can find a wealth ofinspiration on the internet, aswell as get advice on yourscapes. No one should beashamed to show theiraquascapes even if its the firstone you have ever created.

You can learn from the people’scomments and advice.

Aquascaping Styles Although I admire

biotopes aquariums and 'DutchStyle' aquascapes, I am mostlyi n t e r e s t e d i n " n a t u r eaquariums" as it is thisparticularly style that turned meto p lanted tanks, and

aquariums in general. Eversince I moved to Japan, I havebeen fascinated with traditionalJapanese gardens, and sincethe Nature Aquarium Style( p a r t i c u l a r l y I w a g u m iaquascapes) has many roots inJ a p a n e s e g a r d e n i n g

composition I was naturallydrawn to this style.The Nature Aquarium

Style contains a certain amountof freedom that allows anaquascaper to build on thebasic principles. As a spectatorand as a creator theseaquascapes leaves a lot ofroom for imagination. Thoughthere are few rules should notbe broken, it seems nearlyanything can be created withsimple things such as plants,wood, and stones (I particularlylove aquascaping with stones).

Even though I try toforget them, some aquascapesI see on the internet impact myimagination a great deal when Itry to create a new scape.They unconsciously influenceme a lot. I have been trying tocreate some "classic natureaquarium" scapes and "classicIwagumi" scapes. I now wantto do something more personal,and try to find my own stylewhich should show in my futureaquascapes.

I look to get inspirationmore from nature nowadays. Iam very lucky to live in abeautiful area in Japan,(Kansai district). I often go inthe mountains to take pictures,collect rocks, and take in theambiance of nature. I try to takeeverything I absorb from mynature excursion and placethem into my aquascapes.

Fertil ization and MaintenanceI do a quick check everyday ofmy tanks. Fertilizing usuallydepends a particular tank andthe plant growth. I usually do a30% weekly water change and

Nature like this landscape in Japan offersboundless inspiration



add fertilizers to compensatethe flush of nutrients.

Plant trimming usuallyalso depends on the scape andplant density, style, andplantation. I usually do a bigtrim every 2 to 3 weeks for themost heavily planted tanks,more rarely for the Iwagumiscapes such as my 240 liter 'In

Lucem Sanctam' which hasnever been trimmed.

I try to keep myaquascapes as simple aspossible. The trick is to use asmall number of plant varietiesin a certain scape. I also useless and less red or orangestem plants as they can bepicky growers. I like to play withthe "nuances" of green plantswhich can create beautiful

contrasts in a very simple way.

Plant CombinationsI like several varieties of plants,and instead of choosing afavorite plant I like to think ofplants that work well incombination like Lilaeopsis +crypts, and glosso+riccia.Combination of plants offermore textures and color

contrasts that can make anaquascape more interesting.

Complementary FishFish add to an aquascape in aunique way. I think of them asa way to complement the scapeby using their colors, shapes,and spec i f ic swimmingbehaviors. Here again, I tend to

use simple fish species that willblend into the landscape ratherthan stand out as center pieces.I want to give the impressionthese fish belong naturally inthe aquascape.

Overcoming AlgaeI am quite lucky and do

not have many algae problems.I think it is important to get awell balanced and stable tank

to keep algae away. Easiersaid then done, I know. But Irecommend starting slowly withthe lights (in intensity andphotoperiod).

Watch the plantscarefully for any signs ofnutrient deficiencies. Algaeloves to take advantage ofweak and dying plants, so it’simportant to maintain healthy

plants. Once you get to acertain stability, try not to doany drastic changes likealtering your CO2, lights andfertilizing routine.

A rigorous maintenanceschedu le and a goodknowledge of your fertilizersand the needs of your plants isthe best way to avoid algae.

Sketching Before You Start Sketching is a great tool to useto build your imagination andcreativity. I sketch a lot ofnature scenes or imaginaryscenes and usually this is howmy scapes start .

Sketching gives me ageneral view of the result I amexpecting when I begin toscape. It saves a painted

picture of my imagination suchas how I expect my hardscapeto look with the rocks andwood. It will not show the exactplacement of the materials in ascape, but shows how they willassociate with either other.

The same goes withsketching plants. I am able tosee how the plants will look ingeneral with each other, and

Keep balance in mind when deciding on thecombination of plants, rocks and fish.



background plants and a fewlandscapes from a place thatinspire me a lot recently.

Aquascaping BeautyMy first tank (sonata) was

maybe the most original andpersonal as I was influenced bymany different things. The “asianstyle” that I have just discoved,and not fully explored yet is allaround me here in Japan. It is avery exciting experience. The“dutch style” is still popularamong the forums I used to visitin France, and has it’s ownuniqueness.

how they can potentially fit intothe hardscape. It gives me aclear idea on where should bethe most contrasted areas(light/shadow).The point of sketching is not tohave an exact view of the finalresult of your scape but tohave a good lead that allowsyou to avoid some mistakesand guides you while you startthe tank .

Here are some sketchesof an idea I was thinking aboutfor my 240 Liters tank. Theyshow a imaginary scene with afew different attempts with

All aquascapes areinteresting no matter what styleyou chose. Each of myaquascapes have elements I likeabout them, and reflects adi f ferent moment of myprogression as an aquascaper.



Classic Nature Aquarium

Dimensions: 60x30x36 cmVolume: 60 litersLight: 2x18 watts ADA NA-LampsPhotoperiod: 11 hours

Substrate: ADA Aquasoil Amazonia II, Powersand, Bacter 100, clear super, Tourmaline BC, Penac WFiltration: Eheim 2213Fertilizer: Step 2, Bright K, ECA, Phyton-Git, Green GainCO2: Pressurized, Micropearler 3 bubbles per second



In Lucem Sanctam

Dimensions: 120x45x45 cmVolume: 240 litersLight: 8x18 watts ADA NA-LampsPhotoperiod: 11 hoursSubstrate: ADA Aquasoil Amazonia, Powersand, Bacter 100, clear super, Tourmaline BCFiltration: Eheim 2028, Eheim 1048Fertilizer: Step 2, Bright K, ECA, Phyton-Git, Green GainCO2: Pressurized, Micropearler 3 bubbles per second



Sonata

Dimensions: 120x45x45 cmVolume: 240 litersLight: 8x18 watts ADA NA-LampsPhotoperiod: 11 hoursSubstrate: ADA Aquasoil Amazonia, Powersand, Bacter 100, clear super, Tourmaline BCFiltration: Eheim 2028, Eheim 1048Fertilizer: Step 2, Bright K, ECA, Phyton-Git, Green Gain

CO2: Pressurized, Micropearler 3 bubbles per second



Classic Iwagumi

Dimensions: 60x30x36 cmVolume: 60 litersLight: 2x18 watts ADA NA-LampsPhotoperiod: 11 hours

Substrate: ADA Aquasoil Amazonia II, Powersand, Bacter 100, clear super, Tourmaline BC, Penac WFiltration: Eheim 2213Fertilizer: Step 2, Bright K, ECA, Phyton-Git, Green GainCO2: Pressurized, Micropearler 3 bubbles per second



Kamikakushi

Dimensions: 30x30x40 cmVolume: 36 litersLight: 13 watts 8000kPhotoperiod: 11 hoursSubstrate: ADA Aquasoil AmazoniaFiltration: Eheim 2232

Fertilizer: noneCO2: none



Diana Walstad’s E

verses

Tom Barr’s Low Te

By Aziz Dhanani



This article reflects myefforts to set up a 5gallon hex low light,l o w t e c h , l o w

maintenance, and non c02injected tank. I will experimentand share my experiences withthese three different methods:

• High light with DIY CO2 andSeachem Fluorite

• Diana Walstad’s El Natural Aquarium setups usingpotting soil

• Tom Barr’s low tech, nonCO2 setups

High light with DIY CO2 andSeachem Fluori te SetupI first attempted to make thishex tank a high light (30 watts)tank with DIY c02 injection andSeachem Fluorite (regular)substrate. This was met withfailure, I believe largely due tooverheating issues.

The water turned anever ending brown color, theplants pretty much decayed,and all the fauna in theaquarium ( African Dwarf Frog,Cherry Shrimp, and Otocinclusperished. No amount of waterchanges resolved the issue.

I tore the tank down and

started a new setup as a 5gallon Natural Planted Tank(NPT) as per Diana Walstad'sEl Natural Method whichrecommends using top soilcapped with pea gravel. WhenI created this NPT, I also set upa 5 gallon rectangular tank asper Tom Barr's low light, nonC02 method. Both tanks wereset up on November 7 2007

atural

hobbyist shares his experiences

ng both methods



Aquarium,” has had ravereviews.

The Setup with the Tom BarrLow Tech MethodWith a method chosen, I haveredone my 5 gallon MarinelandHexagon tank and setup it up

on March 4, 2008 followingTom Bar r ’ s l ow t ec hrecommendations.

FilterThe filter was a simplyBiowheel filtration system withPolyfloss over a pantyhosecontaining a tablespoon ofSeachem Purigen (to bereplaced monthly) as themedia.

Substrate I cheated here a little bit byadding a thin layer of Schultz

Aquatic soil and overlaying thatwith a thin layer of leonardite,peat moss, and crushedSeachem fertilizer tab pieces. Icapped this with about 1 ½ “ ofSeachem Onyx sand andcapped the Seachem OnyxSand with a thin 1/4” of poolfilter sand. I planned to keepsome Peppered Cory catfishand I felt that they would enjoythe layer of pool filter sandbecause it would be softer ontheir sensitive barbells.

I us ed Seac hemFertilizer Tablet pieces tofurther enrich the substrate.The reason for using a thinlayer of Schultz Aquatic soilwas to see if it would help withfaster bacterial colonization ofthe substrate in much the sameway that a layer of power sandunder ADA Aqua Soil issupposed to do.

Lighting and Photo periodThe tank was initially setupusing a screw in 6400 K 14 wattcompact fluorescent bulb with 8hour straight photoperiod. With

and the differences that Iobserved between these twotanks as the months passedwere remarkable.

El Natural Planted TankFirst, let’s talk about the

NPT hex tank. The plants did

not die or grow much within thefirst 2-3 months. Howeverafter this time period, I saw arapid deterioration of plantgrowth, and fish and shrimpdeaths like I had never seen. Itried to prevent the fish andplant deaths by increasing thefrequency of water changes,removing decaying plantmatter, adding new plants,using carbon in the filter, andreducing feeding but nothingseemed to work. Ammonia andnitrite levels tested zero.

Tom Barr’s Low Tech MethodThings progressed quite

differently in my Tom Barr 5gallon low tech tank. The 2

Amano Shrimp tripled in size,while the Otocinclus and Dwarf

Aquatic Frog appeared to behealthy and active. The plantsshow new growth each day.Left with a 5 gallon hex tank inwhich nothing would survive,including plants I had littlechoice but to dismantle thetank. This left me with 2options. (1) to sell the tank, or(2) to redo the tank. As I hadspace in my home,

I chose to redo the tankusing Tom Barr's Method as Ihad the most success with themethod. For the record, I wouldlike to state that I have theutmost respect for DianaWalstad and I am just sharingmy experience with her method.I am not in anyway suggestingthat people should avoid themethod. Many people whohave set up natural plantedtank methods have had a lot ofsuccess and Diana's book,“Ecology Of The Planted

the appearance of diatom algaeone month after the tank wasset up, I decided to change thelight bulb to a screw in 6500K15 watt compact fluorescenttube.

I also switched to a splitphotoperiod with the lights

coming on at 10:30 A.M to 3:30P.M., off from 3:30 P.M. To5:30 P.M, and on again from5:30 P.M. To 9:30 P.M (total 9hours of lighting). I switched tothe split photoperiod as I hadthe most success with this.

Fertilizer DosingI used limited amounts offertilizers, and dosed aboutonce per week. A pinch ofn i t r a t e s , p h o s p h a t e s ,p o t a s s i u m , S e a c h e mEquilibrium plus a ½ teaspoonof Yamato Green trace elementsupplement with weekly 50%water changes. I also dosedthe tank with 50 CC's ofSeachem Flourish Excel toprovide the plants a carbonsource.

PlantsThe Plant Species I used were:

Asian Ambulia (Limnophilasessiliflora), Onion Plant(crinumthaianum, 2 dwarf lilybulbs( Nymphaea zenkeri) fullysprouted, Red CryptocorneWendtii, Java Fern, Dwarf sag(Sagittaria subulata), and

Anubias nana. I chose theseplants as they were the onesthat I had previously had themost success with.

Inhabitants A zebra danio was added to thetank when it was setup to cyclethe tank. After approximately 3weeks when ammonia andnitrite levels tested zero and thetank appeared cycled, anOtocinclus was added to helpresolve a diatom algaeproblem. A week after that, twocherry shrimp were added. I



progresses overtime is anyone'sguess.

Below is a picture of whatthe tank looks like. This was thebest picture that I could take andI apologize to readers ahead oftime for my poor camera andpicture taking skills. As far as theaquascape of aesthetics of thetank, the scape’s appearancetook a backseat to the primarygoal of setting up a tank thatwould support and promotehealthy fish/shrimp and plants, soI make no apologies for that.

wanted to add Amano Shrimp asI found them to be hardier thancherry shrimp, but I was unableto find a local supplier of AmanoShrimp, so I opted to add thecherry shrimp instead.

My ResultsDiatom algae materialized 3weeks after the tank was setup.Fortunately, the Otocinclus thatwas added to the tank at thattime made short work of thealgae. To date, the onion plant isgrowing really well. It is shootingoff roots above the surface as Idid not plant it deep enoughwhen I set up the tank. Thedwarf lilies were shooting out newleaves almost weekly and I wasforced to trim the leaves toprevent them from blocking outlight. This is why the leaves arenot visible in the picture. The

bulbs are hidden in thebackground and out of sight.Hopefully as new smallerleaves shoot out that don't needto be trimmed, they will becomemore visible.

The Asian amublia hadalso grown considerably but

some stems were still showingresidual diatom algae onrosette tips, and the diatomalgae was giving the rosettetips a yellowish to brownishtinge. The dwarf sagcompletely melted, which wass o m e w h a t s u r p r i s i n gconsidering that it is flourishingin the rectangular 5 gallon TomBarr type low tech tank.

Also surprising was thegrowth of the Anubias nana.While it was not dieing the tipsor the plant leaves werebrowning. How this tank



quascape In



An Interview

with Andre Cardoso This month we interviewed up and coming aquascaper Andre Cardoso.. Despite being a youngaquascaper, Cardoso has an amazing ability to capture the beauty of nature in his glass boxes.His aquascape "Pasodoble" illustrates his attention to detail and fine trimming techniques.



Five months ago, Istarted doing what we here, inPortugal, call “experiencias como layout” which stands forlayout experiments. I got somelocal rocks and rearrangedthem until I got something I wasfond of. It took about 4 months

to look just how it looks now. Ihave to say I did not encountera major algae problem like Iwas expecting because my tankwas a “high tech” layout. I thinkwater change and C02additions were my big helpersthis time.

Q: What’s uniquely differentabout this layout fromprevious one’s you’ve done?What does the t i t l e ,Pasodoble, mean for thisscape?

A: With this aquarium I startedto use HQI illumination. Thatwas why this aquarium was sospecial to me. I had never usedit before, but have to say I amextremely pleased with theresults.

The title of the aquariumwas inspired by Spanish musiccalled “Pasodoble”. It isfamous in bullfights and sincehere, in Portugal, we bullfightsare a tradition. I thought itwould be nice to name my

Q: Tell us about yourself.How did you get into plantedaquariums?

A: My name is André Cardoso,I’m 17 years old and I live inLisbon, Portugal. I always lovedNature and the world that

surrounds us, I love sports andphotography. My favoritehobbies are football, surfingand of course, aquariums.Since I was young, I remembermy father having an aquarium, Iguess he was the one whotaught me this passion.

I started about an yearago, with only one aquarium,with 20 liters it was simple butsweet. Then I got another oneand another and things got alittle bit more serious.

Q: Tell us more about yourfeature aquascape. Where didthe inspiration come from?

A: The inspiration for myaquascape came from lookingat an aquascape from the ADA2007 Aquascaping Contest. Iloved the colors, the shape andthe fact that it was like a pieceof nature captured and placedin the aquarium. Everythingseem to fitted perfectly. Idecided I had to try one of myown.

newest creation “Pasodoble”.

Q: With so many stemplants, it must take a lot ofregular maintenance to keepit looking in top shape. Howdo you do it?

A: I have to confess thisaquarium requires a lot of timeand patience. That is theprimary reason why I am aboutto disassemble it and start anew layout. I have to fertilizeevery single day, not only withK and P but also with micronutrients (specially iron). C02is injected 24/7, a 6 Kg bottlewith a glass type diffuser. Waterchanges are always performedin Sunday but I also have toreplace some water thatevaporates during the weekdue to the warm temperaturesin Portugal.

Trimmings are frequenttoo; Rotalas grow very quicklyas well as riccia, so, I have totrim almost every week. It takesa great deal of time to maintainan aquascape. Something mostpeople forget or don’t knowabout initially.

Q: You said earlier that youdidn’t have many algaeissues despite the highlighting used in the layout.

An ADA 2007 Aquascape seen to the right inspired AndreCardoso‘s Pasodoble aquascape.



Q: One of the hardest things tochose for a layout are theplants and fish species. Whydid you chose the selectionthat you did?

A: The plants will depend onyour taste. I prefer plants with

small leaves, but I like plants like Anubias and microsorium as well.It is a matter of what suits thescape and what does not. It isimportant to planning the layoutbefore you start. Look at differentaquascapes and decide whichplant combinations look good andgo from there.

In a second phase (notless important) you will choosethe fish; the fish will complete

your aquarium. I prefer small fishthat travel in group. For thisaquarium I chose Rasbora andsome ottos to help with thecleaning. The fish’s color is alsoimportant because it willcomplete the layout by adding aflash of color.

How did you manage that?

A: Fortunately I did notexperienced any major algaeproblem. Some BBA appearedbut were quickly gone (about 2weeks). I think it all has to do withwater changing and fertilization.

As soon as you understand youraquarium, what it needs, andwhen it needs it, you are almosthalf way to a successfully algae-free aquarium.

The other “ingredient” ispatience. Sometimes it is thebest method to solving an algaeproblem. You have to let theaquarium find its balance, and itwill find it much more quicker ifyou do not do any drasticchanges. We must remember

an aquarium is never 100% freeof algae. In fact, some algaecan tell that you have a healthyfish tank.

Hardscape arrangement for Pasodoble on a substratebed of Akadama Special.

Initial planting stages of stem plants in the background,and Riccia around the rocks. HC foreground is planted inthin patches to allow even growth as it spreads across thesubstrate.



Q: Many newcomers to thehobby have a hard timeaquascaping. How easy is itto aquascape?

A: Aquascaping isn’t as hardas it seems. I remember, whenI first started, I looked into

“ e x p e r t ” a q u a s c a p e r s ’aquariums and thought tomyself “I will someday havesomething like that”. I have stillmuch to learn but what I knownow is all thanks to the help Igot from people with moreexperience than me.

Aqua sc ap in g i sn ’ tsomething you are born with.This artistic skill is somethingyou achieve only withexperience and time. I wouldsay that the biggest challengefor any aquarium lover wouldbe time and money spentgetting and maintaining aplanted aquarium.

Q: Where do you see theaquascaping hobby going inthe next 10 years?

Q : D e s c r i b e y o u raquascaping technique.

A: The hardscape arrangementwill depend on what materialyou have available. Wood androcks will have a differentapproach then an all-plant

layout. Trimmings will alsodepend on what kind of layoutyou are trying to reach. Whatkind of image or picture do youwant your aquarium to “have”. Ioften play with trimmings so Ican reach a scape I like.

Q: A f te r c rea t ing anaquascape, when do youdecide to take it down?

A: An aquascape reaches itsclimax when all plants and fishare as one. Much like in alandscape where everything iswhere it is meant to.Sometimes too, I can get tiredand think that the layout hasnothing more to give, and donot want to spend as much timeas I had previously done. Thatis when you know it is time totake it down.

A: Aquascaping will certainlycontinue to rise, new methodsand ideas of what an aquariumshould look like will continue tocome. I think, at least I hope so,new and better ways tomaintain an aquarium willappear. The planted aquarium

era has just begun.

Within a month, the plants have filled in theaquascape and formed gracefully aroundthe rocks.



Pasodoble

Dimensions: 800x400x400 mmVolume: 128 litersLight: 1xHQI 150 watts 6500 KelvinsPhotoperiod: 10 hoursSubstrate: JBL Aquabasis,

Micro-granulated Micro Elements, Akadama Special 30 Liters

Filtration: Fluval 203 with 11 watt UV filterFertilizer: Step 2, Bright K, ECA, Phyton-Git, Green GainCO2: Pressurized, glass diffuser at 1 bubbles per second

Flora Hemianthus callitrichoides"Cuba"Rotala sp "green"Rotala rotundifolia

Hemianthus micran-themoides

Anubia nana "petite"Rotalla walichiRiccia Fluitans

Fauna 10-RhodostomusCaridina japonicaRed Cherry Shrimp



Dissolved

Organic Compounds

Explained

By Cecil Griffith



that accompany having a tankfull of fish that are fed often.Fish feed, fish wastes and otherparticulate organic material arecolonized by bacteria whichbreak the material down intodissolved substances. Thebasic step is for particulatecarbon to become dissolvedcarbon. More fish and more fishfeed means a h igherconcentration of organicsubstances.

How to control excessd i s s o l v e d o r g a n i ccompounds?

There are many ways tocontrol the amount of organiccarbon in your system.Remember, there are twogeneral types of organicmaterial: particulate anddissolved. There are ways toremove both from youraquarium.

First, limit the amount ofparticulate carbon in youraquarium. This does not meanreducing the number of fish in

the tank or reducing the feedingamount (but these would surelyhelp). It means cleaning themechanical filter component ofyour filtration systems often.

The filter pad is wherea majority of the particulatematerial will get trapped. If yoursystem is heavily stocked youmight have to clean this everycouple of days but the rewardwill be worth it. Organic material

trapped on the filter pad is of nobenefit to the aquariumenvironment - remove it often.Some people use charcoal intheir filters to help removesome of this material.

Next, if your aquariumhas a substrate; clean itregularly with a siphon actiongravel washer. The gravel at

If you’re like most plantedaquarium owners, youwant a healthy algae freeaquarium. You dose

fertilizers regularly and makesure you don’t over do thelighting, but you still manage tohave some problems when itcomes to fish and plant health.Understanding dissolvedorganic compounds and howthey effect your plantedaquarium will help you sustain aenriching environment for youraquatic plants and fish.

What is a dissolved organiccompound?

An organic compound isany compound that containsone or more atoms of carbon.Natural waters, freshwateraquariums and saltwateraquariums contain a greatvariety of soluble organiccompounds. These includesuch compounds as sugars,fatty acids, humic acids,tannins, vitamins, amino acids,

proteins and urea. Suspendedorganic matter in water includesremains of organisms in variousstages of decay and livingphytoplankton, zooplankton,fungi and bacteria. Sometimeseach of the concentrations ofindividual organic compounds isnot measured. Instead it ismore common to measure totalparticulate organic matter,biochemical oxygen demand, or

chemical oxygen demand.These variables are indicativeof the total quantity of organicmatter in water.

So where do they comefrom?

The major source ofdissolved organics in aquaria isthe natural biological processes

the bottom of an aquarium is agood place for particulateorganic material to collect - sogetting rid of this material willhelp.

Getting rid of theorganic material on a regularbasis will go a long waytowards keeping an aquariumhealthy and keeping diseaseaway. So how often is a regularbasis?

That has to be decidedon an aquarium by aquariumbasis. If you have a lot of fishand feed a lot you'll have toclean the mechanical filter andsubstrate more often than aperson with a few fish who feedsparingly. The major way to getrid of dissolved organic carbonis water changes. This is asimple method but most peopleare a little lazy about this.

The peop le w i t hsaltwater tanks are veryconcerned about dissolvedorganics. They use proteinskimmers, meters and controldevices for ORP, ozone, and

other things specifically madeto control the compounds.

People with freshwaterplanted aquariums have theadded benefit that plants areable to help with this by usingsome of these organics. Bydoing 50% water changes,cleaning filters regularly, correctfertilization, not overfeeding,and doing all the necessarymaintenance involved helps to

promote a healthy aquarium.


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Documents

ASW Issue3May2008