By piling Ryuoh Stones up and utilizing the spaces in between as the planting space, the combination of green and blue is vividly portrayed. The school of fish is swimming pleasantly, making us feel refreshed in a very hot summer. The making of this work was not the easiest, as the creator had to change planting plans half way through.

Exploring New Forms of Expression and Learning from Failures

 

－－－ You have used a lot of Ryuoh Stones, which is unusual to you. What made you do so?

At ADA, there are five ADA SUIKEI Creators responsible for designing layouts at the Nature Aquarium Gallery at headquarters. We create layouts with the overall balance of the Gallery in mind. Since our creations will be showcased as ADA aquascapes, we avoid overly favoring specific plants, fish, or materials. This time, I used Ryuoh Stones for this reason. As professionals, we don’t just rely on our favorite materials, but personally, I don’t dislike this process. If you only use materials you prefer or find easy, the process quickly becomes monotonous and repetitive, making it difficult to come up with fresh ideas. So, when I’m tasked with using something like Ryuoh Stones, which isn’t my first choice, it pushes me to explore new ideas. I believe this approach opens up more possibilities for discovering different ways of expression.

 

－－－ I see. Then how did you decide to layout the Ryuoh Stones?

First of all, many works by ADA SUIKEI Creators feature stones set at an angle, so I decided to arrange the stones horizontally. Ryuoh Stones have unique white lines and grooves, and I thought orienting them this way would create a new layout with a distinct atmosphere. This involved stacking the stones horizontally. Although they have large grooves, some stones have relatively smooth surfaces. I was concerned initially, but it turned out to be easier to stack them than I had expected.

－－－  Stacking stones seems to be your go-to layout. What is your intention behind it?

That’s right, I stack stones quite often. I do wonder why sometimes. Maybe it’s because I enjoy creating planting areas with different heights. When you pile up stones regularly, the front-to-intermediate view can look quite flat. But with a layout like this, where the stones on the right create higher planting spaces, using different plants there adds a three-dimensional effect and a unique thicket-like feel. I really like that atmosphere. When arranging the stones, it’s not just about stacking them. I also think about creating planting spaces as I go. By adding varied heights with stones and aquatic plants, the aquascape gains a sense of depth that really shows even in photographs.

－－－ I think typically the stone layout comes first, and then you decide where to plant. But in this layout, did you determine the planting spaces as you were stacking the stones?

Yes. For this layout, I didn’t do any preliminary arranging of the stones. Instead, I decided on the planting spaces as I go, arranging the stones spontaneously. However, when using this approach, it’s important to have a clear idea of which plants you want to use beforehand. In general, there are two main approaches to layout creation: focusing on composition or prioritizing the plants. I tend to lean more towards the plant-first approach, personally.

－－－ Speaking of the plant-first approach, I have heard you failed first.

It’s not really a failure, but I completed this layout faster than I expected. It was hard to maintain afterwards, so I decided to change up the plants eventually. Initially, I thought that planting colorful stem plants among the inorganic Ryuoh Stones would create a unique aquascape, different from the past works by ADA SUIKEI Creators. I completed it once, but maintaining the short-trimmed stem plants was honestly quite difficult. Of course, I could have taken photos once the plants had grown in and called it finished, but it didn’t feel right to me. So, I decided not to take any photos and instead changed the planting pattern and switched the substrate in the foreground from decorative sand to Amazonia Ver.2. I opted to use Utricularia graminifolia and Hemianthus callitrichoides. The combination of the green plants with the cool-toned Ryuoh Stones resulted in an aquascape that felt refreshing and perfect for the hot season, even though it turned out that way by chance.

 

－－－ Is your initial intention for the layout still there, even though you have changed the planting pattern?

Although the colorfulness was lost, I’m pleased that I was able to achieve the layout with undulations created by the dense growth of aquatic plants among the layers of Ryuoh Stones. In that sense, I feel like I accomplished what I set out to do. I originally planned to use various plants like Nymphaea ‘Siamensis,’ Microcarpaea minima and Limnophila helferi to create detailed undulations throughout the layout. I hope to have another opportunity to try that approach in the future.

 

－－－ Although there were some points for reflection in this layout creation, did you feel anything else throughout the process?

Typically, Ryuoh Stones are used vertically, but I found that the grooves and indentations of the stones fit together quite well, making them suitable for stacking as well. But using too many Ryuoh Stones like I did can impact the water quality, so it requires careful water quality management. Also, the aquarium I worked on this time was 1,500mm wide, which was quite manageable in terms of proportion and balance. With a depth of 600mm, it felt more like working with a 1,800mm tank rather than a 1,200mm one. Considering the space for setting up the tank and the possibilities for layout expression, I realized that it’s an excellent size.

 

[ADAview] Green and Blue グリーン・アンド・ブルー -W1500mm NatureAquarium Layout-【EN/JP Sub.】 (youtube.com)