HOW TO 2024.08.02
CREATOR WORKS : Waterside Fantasy

The intention for this work was to express an illusional world underwater with seraphic water flow, but to form the scenary, I left aquatic plants grow. That is why it is formless, but I like how it is like a natural rank grass full of rustic atmosphere.

DATA
Cretation date: February 2, 2023
Photo taken on: October 19, 2023
Creator: Yusuke Homma(ADA SUIKEI CREATOR)
Aquarium: Cube Garden W1,800×D600×H600(mm)
Lighting: Solar RGB x 3 (8.5 hours per day)
Filtration: Super Jet Filter ES-2400 (Bio Rio G)
Material: Horn Wood, Sansui Stone
Substrate: Aqua Soil – Amazonia Ver.2, Power Sand Advance L, Bacter 100, Clear Super, Tourmaline BC
CO2: Pollen Glass Beetle 50Ø, 5 bubbles per second via CO2 Beetle Counter (using Tower)
Aeration: 15.5 hours after the light is turned off using Lily Pipe P-6
Additives: Brighty K, Green Brighty Mineral, Green Brighty Iron, Green Brighty Nitrogen
Water change: 1/3 once a week
Water quality: Temperature 25°C, pH: 6.2, TH: 50 mg/L
Plants
Lagarosiphon madagascariensis
Aponogeton ulvaceus
Eriocaulon sp. ‘Social Feather Duster’
Sagittaria subulata
Hygrophila angustifolia
Myriophyllum sp. ‘Guyana’
Blyxa novoguineensis
Helanthium tenellum
Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Brown’
Potamogeton gayi
Eleocharis montevidensis
Eleocharis acicularis
Riccia fluitans
Vesicularia dubyana
Riccardia chamedryfolia
Taxiphyllum barbieri
Fish
Alestpetersius caudalis
Crossocheilus oblongus
Otocinclus sp.
Caridina multidentata
Cretation date: February 2, 2023
Photo taken on: October 19, 2023
Creator: Yusuke Homma(ADA SUIKEI CREATOR)
Aquarium: Cube Garden W1,800×D600×H600(mm)
Lighting: Solar RGB x 3 (8.5 hours per day)
Filtration: Super Jet Filter ES-2400 (Bio Rio G)
Material: Horn Wood, Sansui Stone
Substrate: Aqua Soil – Amazonia Ver.2, Power Sand Advance L, Bacter 100, Clear Super, Tourmaline BC
CO2: Pollen Glass Beetle 50Ø, 5 bubbles per second via CO2 Beetle Counter (using Tower)
Aeration: 15.5 hours after the light is turned off using Lily Pipe P-6
Additives: Brighty K, Green Brighty Mineral, Green Brighty Iron, Green Brighty Nitrogen
Water change: 1/3 once a week
Water quality: Temperature 25°C, pH: 6.2, TH: 50 mg/L
Plants
Lagarosiphon madagascariensis
Aponogeton ulvaceus
Eriocaulon sp. ‘Social Feather Duster’
Sagittaria subulata
Hygrophila angustifolia
Myriophyllum sp. ‘Guyana’
Blyxa novoguineensis
Helanthium tenellum
Cryptocoryne wendtii ‘Brown’
Potamogeton gayi
Eleocharis montevidensis
Eleocharis acicularis
Riccia fluitans
Vesicularia dubyana
Riccardia chamedryfolia
Taxiphyllum barbieri
Fish
Alestpetersius caudalis
Crossocheilus oblongus
Otocinclus sp.
Caridina multidentata

Photo taken on February 2, 2023

Photo taken on October 19, 2023

SUIKEI CREATOR INTERVIEW
Yusuke Homma
Yusuke Homma
--- We can feel the momentum of aquatic plants, but it seems to be a little chaotic. Did you intend to do so?
An aquascape is formed with the maintenance by man and the growth of aquatic plants. In this work, I had let aquatic plants do their job more. To be honest, it wasn’t intentional at first, but as I maintain it for a long time, I thought it was better to take advantages of their momentum. That’s why it gives a chaotic impression, but it’s with-in my intention.
--- I see. Is Sagittaria subulata the key for that?
Yes. As the overall impression of this aquascape, I had a freshening water flow and an illusional waterfront in my mind. What makes this work special is that I had used tape-shaped plants as a runner a lot. In my recent works, I featured plants like Eriocaulon sp. ‘Social Feather Duster’ that grows its stock but does not extend its runner, because it is a lot of work to manage such kind of plants when it comes to keeping aquascapes, and I was somewhat negative using them. But as I manage this work, I felt the life force or momentum as the Sagittaria subulate grows its runner. It cannot be expressed artificially. As the thriving going beyond my imagination, I felt the beautiful naturalness like a tussock.
--- Literally the aquascape made by aquatic plants, isn’t it?
In the past, we did the maintenance work for aquascape made by Takashi Amano, but he didn’t really provide direction for that. I don’t know what to say, but it relies on a feeling. I was taught not to maintain too much, but to take advantage of the growth of plants. As I created and managed this work, I remembered that. I can say I again realized the fun and beautifulness of aquascape made by aquatic plants.
--- Speaking of maintenance, is there any difficulty letting the plants grow?
If they are planted with a border like a garden, I should just cut parts that are running over the border. That way it is clear and easy. With respect to relying on the growth of plants, it is unclear, and there is no absolute answer. It is fully dependent to a feeling of defining the naturalness. In such case, I think the experience of how much I have seen in the nature is important. We have a team of aquascape maintenance. I’m doing my best to share such feelings to them.
--- You’ve used thinner driftwoods. Why?
I wanted to make a freshening aquascape, so I thought I didn’t need a bold strong driftwood. Instead, I used thinner ones and assembled them without standing out. It’s like they had fallen because of the water flow. Driftwoods are just a framework. I thought it would be better for them to be quiet to render the naturalness.
An aquascape is formed with the maintenance by man and the growth of aquatic plants. In this work, I had let aquatic plants do their job more. To be honest, it wasn’t intentional at first, but as I maintain it for a long time, I thought it was better to take advantages of their momentum. That’s why it gives a chaotic impression, but it’s with-in my intention.
--- I see. Is Sagittaria subulata the key for that?
Yes. As the overall impression of this aquascape, I had a freshening water flow and an illusional waterfront in my mind. What makes this work special is that I had used tape-shaped plants as a runner a lot. In my recent works, I featured plants like Eriocaulon sp. ‘Social Feather Duster’ that grows its stock but does not extend its runner, because it is a lot of work to manage such kind of plants when it comes to keeping aquascapes, and I was somewhat negative using them. But as I manage this work, I felt the life force or momentum as the Sagittaria subulate grows its runner. It cannot be expressed artificially. As the thriving going beyond my imagination, I felt the beautiful naturalness like a tussock.
--- Literally the aquascape made by aquatic plants, isn’t it?
In the past, we did the maintenance work for aquascape made by Takashi Amano, but he didn’t really provide direction for that. I don’t know what to say, but it relies on a feeling. I was taught not to maintain too much, but to take advantage of the growth of plants. As I created and managed this work, I remembered that. I can say I again realized the fun and beautifulness of aquascape made by aquatic plants.
--- Speaking of maintenance, is there any difficulty letting the plants grow?
If they are planted with a border like a garden, I should just cut parts that are running over the border. That way it is clear and easy. With respect to relying on the growth of plants, it is unclear, and there is no absolute answer. It is fully dependent to a feeling of defining the naturalness. In such case, I think the experience of how much I have seen in the nature is important. We have a team of aquascape maintenance. I’m doing my best to share such feelings to them.
--- You’ve used thinner driftwoods. Why?
I wanted to make a freshening aquascape, so I thought I didn’t need a bold strong driftwood. Instead, I used thinner ones and assembled them without standing out. It’s like they had fallen because of the water flow. Driftwoods are just a framework. I thought it would be better for them to be quiet to render the naturalness.

Photo taken on October 19, 2023
--- Other than driftwoods, you’ve used Sansui stones that are nearly invisible at the point of completion. What was the purpose of that?
I used about six assembled driftwoods, and under them, there are several Sansui Stone. They are indeed invisible now, but when I started creating, they were the guideline for planting. By combining driftwoods and stones, your image for planting becomes clear. They’re important. Even if we can’t see the structure framework, it also acts as a shade in the aquascape. Is it heavy if I say its existence is important?
I used about six assembled driftwoods, and under them, there are several Sansui Stone. They are indeed invisible now, but when I started creating, they were the guideline for planting. By combining driftwoods and stones, your image for planting becomes clear. They’re important. Even if we can’t see the structure framework, it also acts as a shade in the aquascape. Is it heavy if I say its existence is important?

--- Right. Please tell me the point for planting.
I intentionally excluded reddish plants from my selection, to make it look freshening. Also, I chose the plants to unite the contrast of green. To express the water flow, I chose Aponogeton ulvaceus and Eriocaulon sp. ‘Social Feather Duster.’ There’s a water outlet of Lily Pipe in the back right, so that tape-shaped plants in the back trend to the left. On the left side, there are Myriophyllum sp. ‘Guyana’ and Lagarosiphon madagascariensis to render drift plants growing in cluster. There is a flow from right to left in the background, and the plants in the front flows from left to right, which I think makes a great balance. It is due to the actual flow from the Lily Pipe, but it also resembles a swirling stream. I feel fish are playing with the flow too.
I intentionally excluded reddish plants from my selection, to make it look freshening. Also, I chose the plants to unite the contrast of green. To express the water flow, I chose Aponogeton ulvaceus and Eriocaulon sp. ‘Social Feather Duster.’ There’s a water outlet of Lily Pipe in the back right, so that tape-shaped plants in the back trend to the left. On the left side, there are Myriophyllum sp. ‘Guyana’ and Lagarosiphon madagascariensis to render drift plants growing in cluster. There is a flow from right to left in the background, and the plants in the front flows from left to right, which I think makes a great balance. It is due to the actual flow from the Lily Pipe, but it also resembles a swirling stream. I feel fish are playing with the flow too.



--- You’re right. I can feel the flow and the coolness of water from the overall aquascape. Lastly, is there anything you’ve learned from this creation?
Letting plants grow as they are gave more life force and rustic atmosphere to the aquascape, I’d like to create more with this feeling and expression. I have originally liked fields and grass more than scenic view. That way, I can be myself when creating aquascapes.
Letting plants grow as they are gave more life force and rustic atmosphere to the aquascape, I’d like to create more with this feeling and expression. I have originally liked fields and grass more than scenic view. That way, I can be myself when creating aquascapes.