The Fundamentals and Requirements of Aquascaping
Aquascaping is the practice of creating landscapes in aquariums. Unlike a traditional fish tank, the emphasis in aquascaping is on the arrangement of stones and wood (called "hardscape") and plants (called "softscape"). The idea is to recreate a small scene from the real world, such as a single tree in a forest clearing, but in a tiny format and underwater, using stones, wood, moss, and aquatic plants.
The fact that you can begin with small and basic aquascape setup that does not require a lot of time to construct and maintain but are very decorative and attractive to look at makes aquascaping so popular nowadays. It is a microcosm of nature with its ecosystem. If you keep some animals in it, such as prawns or snails, you'll be surprised at how much happens. Simple plant aquascape tank setup, for example, in the Japanese Iwagumi style, inspired by the famous zen stone gardens, can also be enjoyable to build and observe.
A few Things To Be Aware Of Aqua scaping
If you prefer simplicity, you should know a few things before constructing your aquascape.
#1 It Takes Time And Dedication
Cleaning and maintaining your aquascape tank setup and its components will require some time (about one hour per week). If you do not invest that time, algae will quickly take over your aquascape, causing your plants and animals to suffer and possibly die. So make a weekly commitment of one hour. You will need to clean the aquarium, clean the components, and trim the plants as needed. In addition, because the aquarium is a closed environment with no fresh water supply, you must perform a water change monthly.
#2 The fish tank
While setting up an aquascape, the Nano aquariums (less than 30 liters) are becoming increasingly popular because they take up little space and are simple to maintain. What you should be conscious of is that the smaller the aquarium, the more likely it is that environmental changes, such as temperature and water quality, will affect your aquascape. Larger aquariums are more stable because ecological changes have a minor impact.
#3 Water Filter
It will remove small particles from the water. In addition, bacteria that play an important role in water quality will live in the filter material. There are various filters: Internal filters that are built right into the aquarium. They are probably the simplest solution, but they take up much space and don't look very nice in an aquascape setting. External filters have inlets and outlets in the aquarium and are typically located near or under the table.
#4 Lighting
The plants in an basic aquascape setup must receive adequate light. Too much light can harm your plants and encourage the growth of algae, which does not look good in the aquarium. LED lights are the most popular choice today because they are versatile, long-lasting, and energy efficient. Connect the lights to a timer clock to simulate a day/night cycle.
#5 Carbon Dioxide
The Carbon dioxide system is not necessary, mainly if your aquarium only contains a few simple plants. However, it will assist you in achieving much better colors and healthier plants. There are nano aquarium CO2 systems with the tiny bottle that needs to be changed about once a month. If you're making a freshwater aquascape, you can usually use regular tap water as long as it's free of chemicals like chlorine. When setting up an aquascape, advanced aquascapers frequently use osmosis systems to create their aquarium water. To keep animals in your aquarium, you should wait at least one or two months until it runs smoothly.
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