What Kinds of Aquascaping Are There?

Aquascaping is a set of complete ecosystem landscapes designed by its designers based on the ecological concept, living habits, characteristics of aquatic organisms, aquatic plants, and the aesthetics of the great aesthetics. The art of aquascaping is called “water miniature garden”.

Aquascaping originates in Europe. Its original purpose is to provide a natural environment for tropical fishes and decorate fish tank.

From a professional point of view, aquascaping containing different aquascaping styles has several main styles. And there are also many tools for aquascaping, you can find more information on Senzeal.

Japanese Aquascaping:


The delicate landscaping concept and the strict combination of aquatic plants leave to make this aquascaping style like the traditional Chinese landscape paintings, showing the beautiful glamour from each angle.

The characteristics of Japanese aquascaping:

Japanese culture belongs to oriental culture. The biggest difference between Japanese aquascaping is that it has been given ideological content and is poetic and full of emotion. The oriental can fell its intoxication, but westerners might not.

German Aquascaping:


With high-tech aquarium equipment, we can fully display the natural growth of aquatic plants. The open design of aquascaping makes it easier for us to appreciate the growth of various aquatic plants from above water, water surface and bottom of water angles. Changes, landscape ideas appear rough and messy, but when you look carefully, you will find that the landscaping layout shows a unique natural beauty. Though the landscape is rough and messy, if you look at it carefully, you will find that its unique natural beauty.

The characteristics of German aquascaping:

The Germans who are serious in their work and philosophical show the same characteristics in aquascaping. They can trace to the original place of aquatic plants, inspect and study their local water quality, soil, climate and landscape, and then create a similar landscape in aquariums. Under a similar environment as nature, tropical fishes seem to find the feeling of coming back home. Some aquatic plants growing in such a nature similar environment can even bloom above water. Hence the German aquarium has an open design. There is no cover above the tank. Hanging lamps are used instead of tubing lamp.

Dutch Aquascaping:


Variety of aquatic plants are skillfully planted under the basic principle of “golden ratio division method”. Strict planting definitions, colors and the combination of varieties make this dutch aquascaping have a stronger sense of three-dimension. Moreover, the golden division ratio method has become one of the scoring criteria for international aquascaping evaluation.

The Netherlands is a country of flowers. Every day, a large number of flowers are sent to all parts of the world. Flower beds are everywhere, streets and lanes. Thus, the Dutch aquascaping is greatly influenced by the flower bed landscape. Its bottom sand is laid like a flower bed, and some of the bottom sand is laid in two or more layers. Also, the planting of aquatic plants is very dense like a flower bed.

Dutch aquascaping has three characteristics: First, the aquarium is mostly closed, the top of the aquarium has a vented or a ventless cover. Second, the density of aquatic plants is relatively high. Its layout is arranged according to block and level. More attention is paid to the color matching and the coordination of aquatic plants’ shape. All of these makes it a water flower bed; Third, usually tropical fishes are kept in Dutch aquascaping aquariums, sometimes one kind of fish is kept. This Dutch aquascaping aquarium is usually named after fishes’ name.

Taiwanese Aquascaping:


The treasure island of Taiwan is also advantaged in the development of aquascaping skills. Its art of aquascaping absorb the strengths of other style aquascaping methods. In the process of landscaping, varieties of aquatic plants with high cultivation difficulty are selected. Profound technical skills of aquatic plants cultivation are shown while displaying the perfect landscape.

Regional aquascaping:
 
According to the geographical environment of the aquatic plants, the original aquatic plants are used to simulate the natural aquatic landscape of the local water landscape.

South American aquascaping:


The characteristics of South American style aquascaping:

Use large crown grass as accent plants, sinking wood, delicate and slender aquatic plants with stems and South American fishes outline an ancient and mysterious water landscape of the Amazon basin in South America.

The South American aquascaping is based on the tropical rainforests of the Amazon River. The upper reaches of the Amazon River are located in the alpine valleys, and the rivers are roaring and the water is surging. Middle reaches’ terrain is flat and water flows smoothly. Many tributaries flow into it, causing a surge of water. The river is wide, the forests on both sides are lush and green, covering the sky. The clouds are lingering, bushes are under trees, vines intertwine. Driftwood is covered with moss, and the layers of wet plants are stacked. The rain here does not fall directly from the sky to the ground, but drip from the leaves, layer by layer. It is like a natural giant drip filter, and finally, all the rain infiltrates into humus accumulated by fallen leaves. Then the rain slowly sinks into the river, making the water reddish brown and the pH be slightly acidic.

If we want to make South American aquascaping, we can use a wide variety of aquatic plants, which are from South America. We can use crown grass as accent plants, most importantly, more pieces of sinking wood covered with Moss are needed. Fishes can be various light fishes of Lithium grease division, angelfishes or Symphsodon discus.

Southeast Asian Aquascaping:


Aquatic plants such as peppergrass, hawkweed, ink silk grass, and Microsorium Pteropus are matched with small size carp and lipid carp. This can help us create different Asian styles of aquascaping. The Southeast Asian aquascaping is based on the landscape of Marsh scenery at the Chao Phraya River. The upper reaches of the Chao Phraya River are mountainous areas, mostly shoals of rapids. The downstream terrain is flat, water is abundant, and the climate is hot. It is an endless marshland with various kinds of wet plants. In the water, there’re mostly fishes of Carp division, gourami, betta, and Cobitidae fishes. The famous shooting fish is also produced around estuary here. Southeast Asian aquascaping is mainly made of various kinds of Southeast Asian aquatic plants. We can plant staghorn moss, small sedge, cattle felt or cedar grass as foreground grass by cutting into small pieces, creating a similar landscape of marshland. Fishes like small size carp and blue triangle are a good choice for this aquascaping. However, we also need to beware that much cyprinid fish like eating aquatic plants.

Amphibious Aquascaping:


The amphibious aquascaping is done by stacking rocks in the back part of the aquarium until rocks are above the water. In addition to planting aquatic plants in the water, plants are planted on the rocks. Another planting method is dividing the aquarium into front and back parts. Back part is a filter tank where rocks can be placed above. The flowers and grasses planted on the rocks are plants living under wet environment, such as white net grass, bright silk grass, flower leafhopper, white crane, fruit, bamboo, bamboo spotted begonia, rich bamboo and so on. It is also possible to plant water grasses of valerian, pepper, and brown grass. Ceramic people and buildings can also be placed on the rocks. Anglers, chess players or playful children, houses, grasshoppers and so on are good choices. You can also use a humidifier to create a misty landscape.

The characteristics of amphibious aquascaping:

The amphibious aquascaping is a combination of aquascaping and landscape bonsai. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the concept of aquascaping and landscape bonsai in doing such landscaping.