Aquascaping

The art of creating naturalistic, aquatic environments using live plants, rocks, fish, and time.

The Large Cube (Freshwater Iwagumi)

This 12"x12"x12", 7 gallon, iwagumi style tank is my main display tank. It has gone through a few iterations of scape and stocking over the years. It has been a consistent home to 20+ Crystal Black Shrimp, 2 otocinclus catfish and an assortment of live plants.

Flora: Micranthemum 'Monte carlo' (carpet)

Eleocharis parvula 'Dwarf Hair Grass'

Riccardia chamedryfolia 'Mini Pellia Moss'

Fauna: Cardinia cf. cantonensis 'Crystal Black Shrimp'

Otocinclus mumulus catfish

Danionella translucida 'Transparent Danio'

Trigonostigma espei 'Lambchop Rasbora'

Caridina multidentata 'Amano Shrimp'

Equipment: Fluval 106 canister filter w/ glass lily pipes

Hydor Hydrokable 200W under-gravel heater

ONF Flat Nano LED Light

DIY paintball tank CO2 injection system

The Small Cube (Freshwater Iwagumi)

This 1 gallon, iwagumi style tank is a previous setup. I'm really pushing the boundaries on how small a planted tank can be. All of the hardware was carefully picked to match the size of the tank. Any more light and the tank would grow algae. Any more flow and the plants might become uprooted. Aquascaping is all about finding a balance.

Flora: Hemianthus callitrichoides 'Dwarf Baby Tears'

Fauna: Neocaridina davidi 'Blue Dream Shrimp'

Equipment: Fluval 13W CCFL

Micro HOB filter

Hydor Mini-Therm 5W heater

The Small Cube (Brackish)

An innovative re-spin on the 1 gallon turned this tank into a brackish setup. I created the fan coral and lava rock structure to replicate the biotope of a Hawaiian anchialine pool; a very unique ecosystem. I've never seen brackish done on this small scale.

Flora: Chaetomorpha macroalgae in the HOB filter

Fauna: Opae Ula Shrimp (give these guys a Google)

Malaysian Trumpet Snails

Equipment: Fluval 13W CCFL

Micro HOB filter

Hydor Mini-Therm 5W heater

The Mangrove Lagoon (Brackish)

A UNS 20 gallon shallow setup intended for a tidal mudskipper habitat. Mudskippers are pretty hard to get a hold of in the US, so they never ended up going in to this tank and it was taken down for a move. The substrate is a mineral mud base with live coral sand. Hidden in the back left corner is an experimental in-tank sump style filter.

Bottom right picture is an inspiration shot.

Flora: Rhizophora mangle 'Red Mangrove'

Fauna: Malaysian Trumpet Snails

Equipment: Kessil A160WE LED with controller,

In-tank sump,

Hydor Theo 25W heater

The Pond (Freshwater Wabi Kusa)

This pond style wabi-kusa-esque bowl is home to any off-cut, straggler plant, or pesky snail from the main tank. Inspired by a piece of driftwood purchased in an ADA store in Japan, it has taken on a life of its own.

Flora: Hydrocotyle tripartita 'Japan'

Micranthemum 'Monte carlo'

Eleocharis parvula 'Dwarf Hair Grass'

Bucephalandra 'Red Mini'

Lemnoideae minor 'Common Duckweed'

Salvinia minima 'Water Spangles'

Taxiphyllum Barieri 'Java Moss'

Fauna: Lymnaea stagnalis 'Pond Snails'

Equipment: Just a simple Ikea Gooseneck LED lamp