Fan shaped composition created by arranging pieces of driftwood and stones and decorating with green of Echinodorus

When going to nature observation, I realize that “Where there is a massive tree, there is a massive rock”.  I encountered a tree rooting on stable massive rock or bedrock instead of soil quite a few times. I created this layout by getting inspirations from such scenery. A fan shaped structure was created by firmly securing Manten Stones with quite large pieces of driftwood, and leaves of Echinodorus are developed above water. Consequently, the overall look resembles a “Green Fan”. If all materials are firmly arranged, a natural composition is executed well with an idea such that “Gravity acts like glue”.

DATA
Shooting date: July 9th, 2020(ADA)
Creator: Naru Uchida
Aquarium: Cube Garden W180×D60×H60(cm)
Lighting: Solar RGB x 3, turned on for 8.5 hours per day
Filter: Super Jet Filter ES-2400(Bio Rio L, NA Carbon)
Material: Horn Wood, Manten Stone
Substrate: Aqua Soil – Amazonia Ver.2, Power Sand Advance L, Bacter100,
Clear Super, Tourmaline BC
CO₂ : Pollen Glass Beetle 50Ø, 10 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 Nitrogen
Water change: 1/2 once a week
Water quality: Temperature: 25ºC; pH: 6.8; TH: 20 mg/l

Plant
Jungle Plant Echinodorus ‘Joyo Red Star’
Jungle Plant Echinodorus ‘Red Rubin’
Jungle Plant Echinodorus argentinensis
Jungle Plant Echinodorus major
Jungle Plant Echinodorus ‘Arjuna’
Jungle Plant Echinodorus ‘Tanzende Feuerfeder’
Jungle Plant Echinodorus ‘Ozelot Green Long Leaf’
Echinodorus ‘Marble Queen’
Echinodorus latifolius
Echinodorus angstiforia
BIO Mizukusa no Mori Bucephalandra sp. ‘Sintang’
BIO Mizukusa no Mori Anubias barteri var. nana ‘Petite’
Bolbitis heudelotii
Myriophyllum sp.
Ludwigia inclinata
Cryptocoryne balansae
Wabi-Kusa Mat Taxiphyllum sp. ‘Flame Moss’
Wabi-Kusa Mat Taxiphyllum barbieri
Vesicularia sp.

Fish
Pterophyllum scalare
Aphyocharax anisitsi
Dicrossus filamentosus
Nannostomus eques
Apistogramma sp. Rotkeil
Apistogramma gibbiceps
Apistogramma sp. ‘miua’
Crossocheilus oblongus
Otocinclus sp.
Caridina multidentata

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New aquascape venture by using clever ideas for creating a composition and growing aquatic plants

Echinodorus tends to develop large emersed leaves in emerged condition. In this layout, such Echinodorus is used as a main aquatic plant. And as for composition materials, by combining large pieces of driftwood (Horn Wood) which I made them coming out of water and large Manten Stones as a base, full-scale nature is effortlessly created. I planted many types of Echinodorus and had them compete with each other while growing as a part of the maintenance method. As a result, Echinodorus argentinensis and Echinodorus Ozelot Green Long Leaf were in the lead. But if the growth condition was different, the result could have been different. Plants suitable for certain environments grow better. A concept such that “it does not always result in an exact way as expected” is also common to Nature Aquarium. Therefore, I experimented which species grow better this time.

Theme for layout production
A theme I have in mind for creating layouts these days is “Memorable aquascapes even just by looking at once”. I thought “Natural Formative Force” created from the composition with driftwood that looks like a fan would become impressive.

Expressing the extent of space with triangle fan shaped composition
For this aquascape, I used straight pieces of driftwood which are hard to handle in general and searched for a composition that I could make the best use of the shape. By arranging several pieces of driftwood in a fan shape (radially) and make them look like a tree, the strength and extent of space is expressed in the aquascape.

 

①Effect of Myriophyllum sp.
I planted stemmed plants (Myriophyllum sp.) with a hint of red in the bush of tape like aquatic plants. This became a great accent in terms of colors, and it adds depth to the aquascape.

②Placement and role of ferns
The ferns placed between the pieces of driftwood and stones play a role for connecting different materials. In order to emphasize the straight shaped driftwood, I didn’t attach any ferns at the tips of the driftwood, but attached them at the bottom.

③Choice of fish as being conscious of driftwood and aquatic plants
In this aquascape with a strong impression of straight pieces of driftwood, I essentially have Pterophyllum scalare with black stripes. The way they hide in the bush of tape like aquatic plants is reminiscent of ecology in nature.

Effect of Amazonia Supplement
For Echinodorus, I mainly used BIO Mizukusa no Mori LC cups, and was able to grow the leaves to 1m in length in about six months from the planting. I think Amazonia Supplement that comes with Amazonia Ver.2 worked well.