by Robert Paul Hudson
There are many hobbyists that are using planted aquascaping to create scenes from mountain landscapes. It is a fascinating concept. Here are some of my favorites:
Aqua Botanic Feed
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Monthly Archives: May 2011
Aquascaping showcase: Jeff Pogrob
The aquascapes of Jeff Pogrob
The Fiddler Crab
by Robert Paul Hudson
This article originally appeared in Freshwater and Marine Aquarium magazine
They don’t play a tune, but the Fiddler crab puts on an entertaining show! You may have seen them in your pet store, bright red and sporting one claw several sizes too big for its body, or if you have visited out of the way coastal beaches you may have seen them doing the side step in the sand and beach grass.
A few years ago, I took a trip up the northern coast of California. Somewhere between San Francisco and Eureka I pulled off the highway and climbed down a steep bank to a somewhat remote beach. As I reached the withdrawing tide I began to notice hundreds of little red crabs scurrying around the rocks and little tide pools. As I walked back away from the rocks I continued to see them darting across the sand, in between the beach grass and on and around washed up driftwood. I was fascinated by these creatures and was anxious to learn more about them.
The Fiddler crab consists of approximately 97 species of semi terrestrial marine crabs within the genus Uca, and belonging to the family Ocypodidae. These two inch creatures find their home in mangroves, salt marshes, and sandy or muddy beaches of the eastern and western shores of North America, as well as West Africa and the Indo-Pacific.
These amphibious crabs are characterized by a rectangle carapace, (shell), and a narrow abdomen which is flexed under the body. Adorned with the name Fiddler because of the one oversized claw of the male that is often held in front of the body like a fiddle, the club like claw is swung back and forth in a ritual courtship of the female and to rattle the nerves of rival males. The females have two small claws of equal size.
Cycle of life
The life story of the creatures of the mud is short by our standards- two years in the wild and up to three years in captivity if properly cared for. The day in the life of a Fiddler includes digging a burrow, sifting thru sand for microscopic food, attracting a mate, avoiding being a meal to shore birds, bullfrogs, raccoons, or turtles, and molting the shell to grow another.
As they ease themselves out of their old shell, you can see a whole new set of eight legs and two claws retracted inside. If a leg or claw is lost, it will grow back inside the shell and be in wait for the next molt. If a male looses his large claw, it will re-grow on the opposite side and appear with the next molt. An ample supply of calcium must be in the water in order for the Uca to grow a strong new shell. Sometimes the crab will consume part or all of the discarded shell to ingest more calcium.
Fiddler Love
After the ritual flexing of the big claw and mating, the female Uca carries the fertilized eggs under her flexed abdomen. Fertilized female fiddler crabs carry hundreds to thousands of eggs. After an adult female molts, the soft shell condition allows her to become impregnated by a male. The soft-shelled female and the hard-shelled male sometimes remain together for protection until her carapace begins to harden. She remains in her burrow during a two-week gestation, after which she embarks out to release her eggs into the receding tide. When the eggs are ready, the mother goes into the water and allows the eggs to hatch into microscopic free-swimming larvae. The early stage larvae are known as Zoea. The larvae live in the open water as part of the plankton. The larvae remain planktonic for two more weeks. As they grow, they go through a number of molt stages. Older larvae are known as Megalopa. At the end of the final larval stage, the larvae molt into immature crabs. The amount of time spent as a swimming larvae varies among species, but ranges from a few weeks to a few months. In captivity the female may lay her eggs, but the successful rearing of the larvae is impossible. The larvae need the deep ocean water to grow before they return to shore at maturity.
Crab anatomy
Crabs have 5 pairs of legs consisting of one pair of chelipeds (pincers or claws), three pairs of walking legs, and one pair of swimming legs. The claws are used for feeding, excavating burrows, defense and signaling. The crab body is protected by a rigid exoskeleton, a tough chitinous “skin” that completely covers all parts of the body. As the crab grows, the exoskeleton is periodically shed in a process called molting (ecdysis). What is left is what looks like a translucent creature without a body. In a few hours, the molted crab absorbs enough water to swell its body by about ten to twenty percent and the exoskeleton hardens. The crab body then grows to fill the new exoskeleton. The body is protected by the carapace, (shell), covering the head/thorax, and the crab can pull the legs under the carapace presenting a tougher challenge for a would- be predator.
Under the front of the carapace are two eyes on stalks, two antennae, and a mouth that has several movable parts. The small chelipeds can move food into the mouth at a surprising rate. Two gill structures are located on the sides in the body cavity under the carapace. As long as these gills are kept wet, crabs can live out of the water; since, the gills can only process the oxygen as long as they are wet.
Fiddle Facts
· Adult Fiddlers are poor swimmers
· During the day Fiddlers are dark in color: at night they are pale
· Love to climb up anything
· Eyes are on top of stalks and their mouth is in the middle of their chest!
· There are no freshwater Fiddlers
Fiddler Pets
Ucas are not a cuddly pet, but they do provide entertaining observation with their waving claws, food scavenging, and climbing ability. The Fiddlers sold in pet stores generally come from brackish water lagoons. Exact specie identification has never been offered. Because of the low salinity of these lagoons, pet stores may call them freshwater crabs, but they cannot survive for more than a few weeks in straight freshwater. There is no such thing as a true freshwater Fiddler crab.
Fiddler Real Estate
A ten- gallon aquarium will house four medium size fiddlers and allow enough space to prevent major squabbles. There must be enough room to have both dry or semi dry sand, and shallow water, along with rocks or driftwood for them to climb and burrow under. My crab house is a twelve- gallon cube tank with a false back that hides a filtration system. Water is sucked in thru a hole at the bottom of the wall, and trickles back in from a hole at the top of the wall. Rock and wood provide hiding places as well as something to climb. Dwarf Mondo grass is growing in the rear to simulate beach grass.
Materials for a crab-house
Beach sand, (crushed clamshell or coral will help keep the calcium content high) soil, or small light weight gravel that they can dig in
Rocks or driftwood
Short plants that they might climb on but not tall enough to reach the top of the tank
Dry lichen or moss to create bedding and cover in the dry section
Water quality
Ideally a pH over 8.0 and carbonate hardness between 150 and 350 ppm should be a target. Temperature range should be within 75 to 85F, (24-29C). The ideal salinity level is debated, but I have found using one teaspoon of aquarium salt per gallon of water to be a good rule of thumb. Change the water on a weekly basis, particularly if you do not have a filtration system. Replenish the salt once or twice a month, or to be more exact use a hydrometer, which measures the salt level in “gravity”. It is best to maintain a specific gravity of around 1.005 to 1.010.
Fiddler Food
Ucas are scavengers, sifting bits of organic matter they find in sand and mud. The small claw picks up chunks of sediment or sand and rolls it around picking out anything edible such as algae, microbes, or fungus. The rolled up ball is then left behind. Some people place food in bowls for the crabs. I prefer to scatter it in the tank and encourage their scavenging instinct. The diet includes algae, tiny crab pellets, and freeze dried plankton and shrimp. Growth and regular molting are signs of a healthy, happy Fiddler.
Crab paludarium
From the rear or back corner pile up gravel and sand sloping it downward toward the front, or from one end of the aquarium to the other. Create a mound of rock or wood and place a small amount of dry lichen or dry moss, (not live growing moss) in an area that the crabs can burrow in. You can also use a glass or plastic divider to keep the sand and gravel from slipping down, but make sure the crabs can easily crawl out of the water. Fill the tank with enough water so that the water is two or three inches deep but not covering the raised substrate. Use a de-chlor if your water is chlorinated, and add aquarium salt as directed in this article.
Tank mates
The ultimate crab enclosure could include some live fish that also live in brackish water. Be warned though that although these animals normally eat microscopic food, I have witnessed Fiddlers grab a slow moving fish and consume it.
Success
As long as you provide ample room, a hill or mound that they can climb on, shallow water, something they can dig in, a minimal salinity level, and good diet, you should have many days of enjoyment with these oddly attractive creatures for two to three years.
Whos who in the world of aquarium plants
by Robert Paul Hudson
If you are new to aquarium plants, you may have stumbled upon an internet forum somewhere and read people referring to various people, web sites, and terminology that you do not have a clue as to what they are talking about! Here I will tell you about much of what people are referring to.
WEB sites
For discussion forum web sites dedicated solely to aquarium plants, one site has grown to reign supreme: Planted Tank.net. It started in 02 or 03 with a small group of people and now has the largest collection of posts, photographs, and articles, and the highest daily traffic of any forum dedicated to plants, and larger than many freshwater or reef forums. It appeals to a wide range of hobbyists of different ages and skill sets. While other such forums as Aquatic Plant Central and Plant Geeks have been steadily declining, Planted Tank just keeps getting bigger and bigger making everyone feel welcome.
Aquascaping world is an internet discussion forum and internet magazine dedicated to the art of planted aquariums and those interested in advanced aquascaping. It was started by John Nguyen who was the former Administrator at Aquatic Plant Central.com and always had a strong interest in aquascaping. While APC showcased aquascaping fairly well while John was there, he wanted to bring the spotlight on aquascaping to a whole new level way beyond what APC was doing. He connected with many talented aquascapers in Europe and Asia and created a tight knit international community of aquascapers. Most of the high ranking aquascapers in competitions worldwide are a part of the community John created or have shown their work in the community. Despite differences in language, customs, and politics people treat each other with respect and admiration because of common interest in the hobby. The site is visually and graphically stunning.
The Aquatic Gardeners Association
The “AGA” is an international organization of hobbyists interested in aquatic plants for aquariums. Although it appears to include pond keeping , it has always had very very very little emphasis on pond keeping. The group started in the early 1990s out of a gathering of people from the Usernet newsgroups, the Compuserve aquaria forum, and an email listserv called the Aquatic Plant Digest. Newsgroups for all practical purposes have disappeared, Compuserv is gone, and while technically the APD is still around, it has very little participation today. Back in the 90s though it was hopping! Founding members from the 90s include Dorothy Reimer, Diana Walstad, George Booth, Karen Randall, (who wrote a monthly column in Aquarium Fish Magazine during the 90s), Erik Olson, founder of “thekrib” web site, to name a few.
In the year 2000, the AGA sponsored its first Aquascaping Showcase contest which gave its yearly conventions more of a draw. The contest was structured to be similar in fashion to what was known at the time about the long running regional and national Dutch competitions. The attempt was to go beyond a simple photograph contest and consider various elements of the entrants overall aquarium set up, longevity, and ecco-balance. I remember there was some debate behind the scenes about the judging criteria, but eventually it was hammered out to what it is today. The best of show winner for the first year was a Dutch inspired aquascape by Frode Roe of Norway, but every year since the contest has been dominated by the Japanese “Amano” influence aquascaping style. Every year interest and participation in the contest has grown, although it has attracted much more international participation than American. Other than the yearly showcase contest and convention, the groups most notable success in my opinion has been its help either directly or by inspiration in creating local aquarium plant clubs in the USA and perhaps elsewhere during the 2000s. Before that time general aquarium clubs and societies had their own plant study groups, but interest in some regions grew enough to support independent plant clubs thanks in part to the AGA. To become a member of the AGA basically amounts to subscribing to their newsletter/magazine which is in full color and features articles writing by leading members and experts.
The Barr report is a digital newsletter and online discussion forum centered around plant guru Tom Barr, an aquatic plant biologist, who was a part of the early days of the internet aquatic plant community of the 1990s, but broke out making a name for himself during the 2000s with his own methodologies for growing aquarium plants…most notable the “Estimated Index” or “EI” fertilizer method. His forum requires a paid subscription for full access, but has much of the forum open to any visitor. He teamed up with Greg Watson who takes care of all the “web stuff” for the site. Greg was known to hobbyists for selling the raw chemicals used in the EI fertilizer regime and later writing an EI dosing guide booklet. The site has a fairly small, (compared to the MEGA sites like plantedtank.net) but loyal following and delves into the more technical aspects of the hobby. Tom was also the last columnist for the Planted Tank column in FAMA magazine before it folded. Tom has hosted his own “plantfest” excursions where he takes people out in the Florida swamps to see both native and introduced aquatic plants growing wild.
Terminology
Walstad method- El Natural- natural planted tank…
Author Diana Walstad wrote and published a book in the 1990s called Ecology of the Planted Aquarium. In this book she describes a method of growing plants in the aquarium that involves the use of soil, no added C02, low to moderate overhead light, and few water changes. She describes her method as “NPTs”- natural planted tanks. In 2003 I ran a discussion forum called the All Wet Thumb that was connected to aquabotanic.com, and I asked Diana to join my forum and host a sub forum on low tech planted aquariums. I named the forum “el natural” as a play on words for a stripped down plant tank. People started using the name to describe NPTs and when I shut the forum down, had the posts archived on Aquatic Plant Central.com and arranged for her to continue her forum on APC, the name “el natural” continued and is still there today and being used by people who read her book! Her book still has a significant following and she has recently been published in both Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine and Aquarium Fish International magazine.
Mineralized soil
This is a term coined by Sean Murphy of the Greater Washington Aquatic Plant Association back in 2008 where top soil is used that has been treated with minerals, clay, and dolomite and exposed to oxygen before adding to the aquarium. This process introduces soil bacteria that will break down organics and minerals to a more readily available form that plants can use easier and quicker, giving the soil a headstart in the aquarium with less chance of an algae outbreak since the organics are not releasing ammonia or nitrate at high levels as would ordinarily happen when using soil in the aquarium. There are directions for this on the GWAPA web site.
The biggest complaint I have heard from people using this is that it is a lot of work to set up, is still “messy” and requires some trial and error to find the right combination of everything.
I will add more to this list later. If you have something you would like to see added to this list, shoot me a message via the contact form.
Hyper-realism aquascaping-Slobodan Lazarevic
by Slobodan Lazarevic
My name is Slobodan Lazarevic, for most of local fish keepers and close friends of mine better known as Laza. I’m from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. I’m a member of several fish keeping web portals word-wide under the nickname Octopus or OctopusBG.
I’m 43 and I have been in aquaristic very long…from my first footsteps. My parents are vets and thanks to them I faced with my first tank in my early childhood. It happened love on the first sight which influence on my life. Every year the number of tanks increased. When I was a student I had over 20 tanks. At that moment I was successfully breeding a lot of freshwater fishes: Angelfish, Discus, neon tetras etc. In 1996 I started to deal with fish and corals production more seriously. In that moment I had over 100 tanks. Today I’m not sure how many tanks I have.
Today, the fish keeping, corals and aquatic plants are my business, my hobby and still my obsession. aquatics is my love and also my way of living. I am a breeder of freshwater fishes, aquatic plants, corals. No matter how busy I am, aquascaping is something I always find time for. Although aquatics is my job, it is still my passion.
Most of my tanks are in a room my wife has named Laza’s Green House. There is my 2700l reef system and 2000 l system for coral production as well as my new aquascaping setups. The Green Houses a place for my hobby and doesn’t have connection with my business. Tanks for fish production are at a different location.
I became interested in aquascaping a long time ago, probably even before I knew the term “Aquascaping”. As a student, in addition to fish breeding, I was introduced to aquascaping from some Dutch tanks I had seen, and some early works of Mr. Takashi Amano that made a very strong impression on me. In particular, his nature style left a big impression on me. Therefore, I decided to make and develop my own type of aquacsaping style inspired by Amano’s layouts. From the beginning until now my intention is still to replicate some images of a nature I have in my minds eye as realistic as possible in all of my aquascapes. Some of my colleagues have termed my style of aquascaping as “Hyper-realism”. Regardless of what name is given to it, the whole process requires much patience, skill, and attention to details.
Today, the most of my interest and addiction is focused on Reef keeping and corals but still, I did not give up Aquascaping and accordingly, I’m trying to create at least 1-2 new layouts every month. Aquascaping is the best stress reliever for me:. that kind of creative work is a very successful way to relax and to divert my attention from regular daily tasks. Many people know my name from the nano tanks I have done but I’ve made my setups in many different tank sizes from few milimeters to 1000 l.
Nano aquascaping is a thing that I’ve been doing for the last few years. Nanoscaping does not require a lot of man hours, or a large amount of materials used for hardscaping a tank. Personally, I have always admired various amazing miniature things made by craftsmen as well as manufacturers. I have always been fascinated by those people capable to make a model ship in the bottle. Things like that have always had my admiration. The same is with nano tanks as they require a lot of focus and concentration to create, but at the same time serve as excellent stress relievers. With every effort I try my best to make an aquascape as realistic to a landscape I have seen as possible. It is a great challenge for most of aquascapers to make any kind of aquascape in such a small tank never mind one with such detail.
It is very difficult to keep such small tanks in good shape over a long period of time. Slow growth of plants is the thing of extremely high importance in such small tank. It is very important to choose only those plants that are slow growing in order to enable aquarium setup to be in needed shape as long as possible. Therefore, all fast growing plants should be avoided in nano scapes. Under the low light, growth of all mosses will be slow enough but still they will look healthy. Regular daily water changes are also very important and for that purpose, I’m using water from my biggest planted tank, as the all water parameters are stable and well balanced. Low light, stable water parameters with appropriate quantities of macro elements and TE, regular water changes are most important things if we want to have good looking and healthy plants in nano tank which is at the same time free of algae.
These are some of my nano setups
Promised land
Where angels play
Crystal Lake
Mountain Lake
However, besides all of my nano tanks, there are always several bigger tanks arranged in the same manner as nano ones. The biggest one is approx 300 gal. may be you remember some of these tanks:
The complete GALLERY
Many people ask me where I find inspiration for my works.. Most of my aquascapes are inspired by Nature and, therefore I am just trying to make them to look as natural as possible. My aquascapes are nothing but the pictures of various beautiful places I’ve seen all around my country. My first aquascaping plan was to make something small but still capable of reflecting the beautiful parts of landscapes that has inspired me so much. I prefer wild landscapes of nature and accordingly have tried to emulate that in all my setups so far. This is the reason why I do not do trimming of the aquatic plants too often. All my efforts in aquascaping are focused on attempts to make aquarium layout that looks natural and only to reflect nature realistically in all its beauty. I spend much of my spare time walking the countryside looking for inspiration and searching for natural decorative materials that could be used as a hardscape in my tanks.
Prior to design of any of aquascape, I have a clear vision what I intend to make and what it should look like. I never make any kind of drawings of aquascape. As long as I have a picture in my mind I have a clear idea of what to do at each step with very little revision. Only a few times I’ve struggled to re-create the image borne in my memory, but with each experience it has become much easier.
The Hardscape is the most important aspects in all the setups I’ve made so far. It is what I have put the most effort, thought, and care into. Everything from searching out just the right color, shape, and texture to exactly how it is placed. It is an essential key to the entire design and the sense of realism. In many respects it is more important than the plants.
I have learned progressively from every aquascape I have done and the mistakes made along the way. With each scape it has gotten easier and mistakes are fewer. As it gets easier I find myself looking for more challenging aquascapes. Without the challenge of difficulty there is no excitement or learning! I am striving to keep the aquascapes new, fresh, and original.
Every tank has its ups and downs. Therefore, the success depends on our knowledge and experience on how to handle any possible problems that could appear. As I am Biologist I have the advantage of some knowledge that gives me a greater opportunity to understand possible problems and how to solve them appropriately in each of the tanks I have. Despite some 30 years I’ve spent in this hobby, I’m still trying to learn and educate myself as much as possible. All of the ferts and soil that I use in my tanks I have made myself.
For me, aquascaping is the ultimate form of relaxation and escape from the mundane and tedious aspects of the real world to one of pure imagination. To me water represents peace and tranquility and when I finish an aquascape I feel a wave of contentment wash over me.
Visit Slobodan’s web site, the pride of Serbia! http://www.akvaristikaonline.com
How to use Aqua Soil
Introduction by Robert Paul Hudson
First let me say I have personally never used any ADA products and none of the information presented here is based on my experience or my endorsement. This web site could not be an authority on aquatic plant gardening without giving information about “Amano” ADA products. I began searching the internet for information about the Aqua Soil products, and I was surprised at how difficult it was to find any even basic information about the products and the differences between the different Aqua Soil products. Even the actual ADA distributor web sites who sell the products have little or no information about the products. This includes the two American distributors and the Australian distributor.
After continual searching, I finally came upon a blog that talked about Aquasoil and Aquasoil knock offs in Asia. They also list several interesting links, one of which was Aqua Journal online notes, which was exactly what I was looking for. I decided rather than try to extrapolate information from it that I am not really qualified to talk about, I would simply re-blog the article here. I hope you enjoy it.
A 50 Gallon natural plant tank by Diana Walstad
by Diana Walstad
I reset up this 50 gal tank in May 1993. I layered the tank bottom (1.5 ft X 3 ft) with 3 gal of topsoil mixed with 3 tablespoons of powered dolomite lime (to bring soil pH up). Soil was top layer from a nearby pasture and is a typical Southeastern red clay soil, nothing special. I covered soil with about 1.5 inches of gravel.
Lighting is from a window (Western exposure) and two strip lights containing a miscellaneous assortment of three 30 watt fluorescent bulbs (Phillips Home Light, Sylvania DayLight, and a Penn-Plax “aquari-lux”).
I use well water, which is quite hard (GH = 17). I filtered the tank for many years with an Eheim canister filter, but about 3 years ago I substituted it with a $15 internal pump (Aquarium Systems “Mini-Jet 606″). I made my own “hose return” by attaching and stoppering plastic tubing (with drilled holes) to the pump’s outlet.
The hose return provides a moderately strong current across the tank. Amazon swordplants have always dominated this tank making it difficult to keep anything else in the tank except Anubias, Java fern and Cryptocoryne wendtii.
About a year ago I took a razor blade to the most dominating Amazon swordplant and sliced off the entire top part, in essence, killing it. I left the root system intact, because I didn’t want to create a mammoth mess in the tank (I don’t mind uprooting smaller plants). Not unexpectedly, there were consequences. Within a few months there was significant algal growth in the tank and an opaque film on tank’s surface.
I’m sure that the dying root matter released plenty of organic matter and chelated iron. I added an apple snail, floating water lettuce, potted plants, and just waited. Tank is recovering nicely (as expected). Fish were fine throughout.
Now I keep the 3 remaining Amazon swordplants either in pots or severely pruned. Cryptocoryne usteriana, which has beautiful leaves of 2-3 ft length, has reproduced.
Recently, I added a small clay pot containing a couple stems of Rotala macrandra. The plants, which have done poorly in the past when simply stuck into the substrate, have surprised me with their good growth in the pot (see photo).
The Rotala are potted in a small clay pot containing a brand of potting soil that seems to work very well for plants, at least in pots (I haven’t tried it as a tank substrate yet). The potting soil I used is: “Miracle Grow” Potting Mix listed as containing 50-60% Sphagnum moss, composted bark fines, perlite, wetting agent, and inorganic fertilizers; N:P:K =0.18%:0.06%:0.12%. Although it contains fertilizers, I detected (after 3 days submergence) no significant ammonia or nitrite release in a “bottle test”.
For potting plants, I generally, cover the bottom hole of a clay pot with a stone or a big gravel piece (from the driveway), then about a ½” layer of aquarium gravel, about 1-2 inchs of potting soil, and then a top ½” layer of gravel.
Unlike my 45 gal, mulm collects in this tank. So I gravel vacuum about every month or two resulting in a 10% water change. The Rainbowfish have thrived in this tank for many years and haven’t “missed a beat” since I replaced the canister filter with the Mini-jet pump.
AQUATIC PLANTS IN MOVEABLE POTS
By Paul W. Graham
For over a year now I have been growing most of my plants in conventional unglazed red clay flowerpots. In just two tanks I have Amazon Swords which are almost two years old, and they are rooted directly in the gravel. Their root systems are extensive and I have elected to leave them alone as long as they continue to do well. I keep Cryptocorynes and Anubias as well as Ceratopteris and Hygrophila in pots. The Microsorium, of course, is attached to the driftwood. I had read of potting water plants before, but never stopped to ponder such a proposition seriously until the idea occurred to me that doing so could solve some problems. What problems? And why do it? And how?
THE UNDERGRAVEL FILTER COMPLICATION
Whether to use UG or RUG goes to a basic overall philosophy of management design that is neither right not wrong, but only different from systems which do not employ them. I use reverse flow undergravel systems in all my tanks. My objective with the RUG is to maintain high aeration of the gravel bed so that its capacity as a biofiltration medium is maximized. The standard UG will do this also. Both types move water in a broadly distributed vertical pattern. Reviewing old hobbyist literature, one often finds statements to the effect that the UG filters are especially good for plant growth. Probably it was thought that the UG mechanical filtration which would draw organics into the gravel bed could be beneficial for enrichment of the rhizo-zone. In theory, there may be something to this, but those who use UGs and RUGs in this day and age are generally aware of the need to keep the gravel bed clear of detritus accumulation. The objective of maintaining the gravel bed at maximum oxidation potential is compromised by any other theory of using it for any other purpose! One experienced aquarist I know uses standard flow air-driven UG systems with “engineered” substrates and grows plants directly in the gravel bed. He has long-standing experience with such an arrangement and keeps plants with great success. I would view this as a management system of yet a different sort altogether and do not think of it as a compromise. But, by and large, I suggest that the basic idea of the undergravel filter as a high efficiency culture medium for aerophilic bacteria conflicts fundamentally with the general requirement for a reducing environment in the rhizo-zone which is optimal for plants.
The clay pot has a drainage weep, as should any planting container one might use for this purpose. Confining the root system to the pot isolates the rhizo-zone from the “oxidation enzyme reactor” which the gravel biofilter represents. Aerated water can circulate slowly through the pot, but its flow rate is greatly retarded relative to the flow rate through the gravel bed outside. I have never had a pot in which a plant was prospering go septic. The plant delivers oxygen through its roots to its microbial symbionts, and there is a very slow but positive flow of aerated water through the pot. I believe that the oxidation is controlled mostly by the plant so that a reducing environment is supported without anaerobism onset. This would be the objective in any successful planting substrate. With high-oxidation UGs and RUGs, it can be done by potting the plant!
CONVENIENCE AND ECONOMY
Whatever one is doing with the bottom of the tank, the portability of the plant once potted has its obvious benefit. It can be shifted about within the system, or even removed, without disturbing the roots. At such times that a thorough vacuuming of the gravel bed is in order, the entire plant along with its rhizo-zone can just be moved out of the way and repositioned anywhere in the tank, or even in another tank. If one wants to alter the location of a plant for any reason, the only restrictions which apply are the size of the pot and the plant’s own space requirement. These advantages make aquatic plants in aquarium tanks no different in principle from potted houseplants moving about in the house or on the deck. Individually potting plants permits some breadth of scope for experimenting with substrates without committing entire tank bottoms to long-term trials. Potted plants can be set in bare-bottom tanks for easy maintenance without any gravel at all! This is how I grow out small specimens and cuttings in isolation tanks. I plant in straight SeaChem Flourite gravel with a few grains of Tetra Initial Sticks. In pots, a 15 pound bag of Flourite goes a long way, and when repotting, the substrate is reclaimed and reused with new Initial Sticks added. Or, read here any engineered substrate which might be undergoing experimentation or is in regular use. One need not spread the entire tank floor with optimized expensive substrate.
Consider also the ease of planting. One can set a new plant or cutting at a table using a small scoop, or otherwise carefully control the planting technique at normal gravity in a “dry” environment, then lower the pot into the tank with the plant intact and securely set. Certainly, there comes a time when repotting a growing specimen is desirable, as a thriving plant may outgrow its first pot. A true aquatic usually requires its own bouyancy to support itself. Sometimes repotting can be a four hand job if the plant is removed from the tank, but it is possible to do with help and due care.
One reason I prefer the customary clay pot is its weight. In the water, and especially with a large plant attached, the clay pot with its load of gravel tends to have a “heft” which I like. Any container with a gravel load will, of course, sink. But I just prefer the clay pot for its higher specific gravity. I would emphasize that this is a standard unglazed and undecorated clay pot which is non-bioreactive in any way. The sizes of such pots are relatively uniform along standards determined by the diameter at the rim. Three, four and five inch pots are employed, the smallest being, by far, the commonest in use. They are exceptionally inexpensive.
APPEARANCE CONSIDERATIONS
Ideally, one does not want to see the round rims of clay pots poking up out of the bottom of the tank. The three inch pot is not especially tall. If set directly on top of the UG plate, the surrounding gravel need not be at too high a depth to cover, or nearly cover, the rims. An aggregate of small stones piled up around the rims, or larger rocks and driftwood placed to mask the pots are conceivable strategies. A larger pot will almost always be taller than the surrounding gravel, and will present problems with hiding itself. Still, one wants a certain minimum depth of substrate as required by the plant, and the pot is a good way to get it whatever one chooses for a gravel depth overall. A high-velocity RUG is a good way to increase the bed depth without compromising the environment, and the oxidation enzyme reactor that results from this kind of gravel load makes the potting technique more attractive overall. The convenience benefit of potting plants obtains, however, for any type of system, with a deep gravel bed or no gravel bed at all.
HINTS AND TIPS
I use peat-paper pots as “liners” for the clay pots. This seems to make repotting and transplanting easier. Clay pots are porous, and tiny rhizomes tend to make roots stick to the pot. The peat used in these pots is not highly reactive, but there may be some benefit from whatever organic contribution may exist.
No attempt is made to re-fertilize by pressing material into the gravel. The potting technique facilitates resetting plants altogether. Also, once a plant gets fairly large, it is conceivable that it can become root-bound in a pot. It will, of course, be necessary to transfer it to a larger pot. These cases require removal from the tank, but give the opportunity to inspect the plants carefully and trim them under convenient circumstances. This can also occasion needed maintenance service while a pot is out of the way.
I use CO2 fertilization and moderate intensity fluorescent lighting. I use phosphate-removal resin to keep phosphate below .3 mg/l. I try not to allow the nitrate above 20 mg/l. I encourage high redox by means of DOC removal with activated carbon. These measures help to keep competing algal growth low.
I use Wiegandt Mira-Vit trace and Ferro-Vit fertilizer, as well as SeaChem Flourish. Soluble iron is tested in the water column frequently. 0.1 ppm is target minimum value. The plants seem always to do best with this much soluble iron (and other fortifications in the water column provided by supplements). Perhaps the plants use some of the stuff directly through leaves, but my feeling is that their main mode of uptake is by forced (however gradual) circulation through the rhizo-zone. The root system is mainly where the activity is, apart from the pre-eminently important photosynthesis process and CO2 uptake. In a pot with a weep positioned over a RUG, or a planting bed with a cable heater, there is a slow circulation of enriched water through the rhizo-zone. Eventually all molecules and ions present in the water column must pervade the substrate, where they are entrapped and used on command.
How to Choose Plants for an Aquascape Design by Jason Baliban
The leave size of the Java Fern Trident provides support for the larger/bolder leaves of the Bolbitus
Click on the photos to see a larger view
by Jason Baliban
Creating a pleasing layout is one of the most challenging aspects of the planted aquarium hobby. Understanding depth and balance is important to any composition and can be studied for a lifetime. As if these two aspects weren’t difficult enough, planted aquarists must also consider that aquarium layouts are living, breathing compositions with aquatic plants acting as the brush strokes. Aquarium plants are affected by many factors, each one altering each plant in a different way. So how does one choose plants for a layout?
Considering Size
One of the most important things to consider when choosing the correct plants for a layout is the relationship between the size of the tank and the size of the plants. This is something that takes a lot of experience to master. The way a plant looks at its initial planting is not always helpful when determining how the plant will look once it is fully-grown. If experience is lacking with a particular plant, ask fellow hobbyists or search the Internet to find as much information as possible. Knowing the full size of a grown plant is important when determining if a plant can be used in the envisioned layout, and where it can be placed.
Creating depth is one of the most important and challenging aspects of a successful planted aquarium layout. The use of plants of proper size and texture can be very effective for creating the illusion of depth. Conversely, selecting inappropriately-sized plants can be detrimental to balance and depth. It should be noted that smaller plants can be used in almost all aquariums effectively, while larger plants cannot and are constrained greatly by the size of the aquarium being used for the layout.
The Java Fern Trident and rock scape in this picture are supported by the finer leaves of the Myriophyllum Pinnatum and Taiwan Moss. Also notice how the illusion of depth is exaggerated by the finer leaves.
Considering Texture
Texture is important for creating contrast, focal points and areas of interest. Generally, plants with smaller leaves give the impression of softness, and plants with larger leaves create a bolder look. When considering texture, it is common to let the smaller-leaved plants support the areas of interest, whether it is a rock formation or a grouping of large-leaved plants. Large-leaved plants can also be used to support larger focal points; however, in that case, the focal point must be very bold to achieve the proper balance.
The Ludwigia Brevipes is used as an accent while the finer Eleocharis in the background exaggerates the depth
Considering Color
One of the most obvious, and possibly one of the most dangerous, ways to create contrast in an aquarium layout is the use of color. One could use the same methodology when choosing colors as when composing texture. Light-colored plants are seen as soft and dark-colored plants as bold or hard. Again, a general rule is that lighter- or softer-colored plants are used to support those with bolder color.
Red plants are often the most beautiful, but can be the most dangerous in a layout. It is easy to be mesmerized by the lush color of red-leaved plants and over utilize them in a composition. When it comes to catching the eyes’ attention, red-leaved plants are a powerful choice. Take care when choosing and positioning red plants. It is helpful to use them as accents in a layout. Thinner-leaved red plants are easier to incorporate into a layout. Generally it is helpful to avoid using red plants on the far sides and directly in the center of a composition. Conversely, red plants can be used in abundance if properly balanced by a strong hardscape.
These quick tips and general approaches help give a better understanding of how to approach the challenging task of choosing plants for aquarium layouts. Keeping size, texture and color in mind when designing a planted aquarium composition will help lead to a successful and eye-catching design.
For more tips and planted aquarium examples, please visit me at www.projectaquarium.com
Aquarium Plant Glossary
rhizome
Aquarium Plant Glossary
By Robert Paul Hudson
Adventitious plant
plantlets that develop asexually from a parent plant: a rooted plantlet forming on a part of the mother plant
Alkaline earths
earth metals, calcium, magnesium, barrium, strontium, and their mineral salts
Alternate
single leaves placed alternately on either side of the stalk
Amphibious
able to exist either on land or in the water
Anaerobic
occurring in an environment that lacks oxygen
Angiosperm
a group of plants whose seeds are borne within a matured ovary
Aquatic
growing in water
Asexual reproduction
any form of reproduction that does not require the union of male and female reproductive material
Axil
the junction of the leaf or petiole and the stem
Axillary
arising from the above junction
Biogenic decalcification
When there is a carbon dioxide deficiencey in the water, plants can derive CO2 from the hardening constituents of the carbonate hardness. First they split the hydrogen carbonates into CO2 and carbonates. This causes the pH to rise about one step and the largely insoluable carbonates precipitate and form rough deposits on the leaves and substrate. Some plants such as Vallisneria can even destroy the carbonates and obtain CO2 from them. This raises the pH again by another step. Biogenic decalcification thus causes the water to be 10 to 100 times more alkaline than it was previous. In the dark, the process reverses and the pH drops considerably. Thus these continous large pH swings can pose a significant risk to the well being of fish and animals. The solution is to add enough CO2 to the water and have a significant carbonate level to act as a buffer.
Bipinnate
leaf formed of several leaflets set on either side of the petiole
Bract
specialized scale-like leaf found at the base of a flower
Bullate
blistered, bubbled or puckered in appearance
Bulb
tightly packed fleshy leaves used as a storage organ. Onions and tulips both have bulbs
C
Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)
Quantifies the ability of media to provide a nutrient reserve for plant uptake. It is the sum of exchangeable cations, or positively charged ions, media can adsorb per unit weight or volume. It is usually measured in milligram equivalents per 100 g or 100 cm3 (meq/100 g or meq/100 cm3, respectively). A high CEC value characterizes media with a high nutrient-holding capacity that can retain nutrients for plant uptake between applications of fertilizer. Media characterized by a high CEC retains nutrients from leaching. In addition, a high CEC provides a buffer from abrupt fluctuations in media salinity and pH. Important cations in the cation exchange complex in order of adsorption strength include calcium (Ca2+) > magnesium (Mg2+) > potassium (K+) > ammonium (NH4+), and sodium (Na+). Micronutrients which also are adsorbed to media particles include iron (Fe2+ and Fe3+), manganese (Mn2+), zinc (Zn2+), and copper (Cu2+). The cations bind loosely to negatively charged sites on media particles until they are released into the liquid phase of the media. Once they are released into the media solution, cations are absorbed by plant roots or exchanged for other cations held on the media particles. Anion exchange capacity Some media retains small quantities of anions, negatively charged ions, in addition to cations. However, anion exchange capacities are usually negligible, allowing anions such as nitrate (NO3-), chloride (Cl-), sulphate (SO4-), and phosphate (H2PO4-) to leach from the media.
Chelators
synthetic organic acids that bind with various trace elements to keep them available in a form that is usable by the plants
Chlorophyll
the pigment that makes plants green. One of the pigments necessary for photosynthesis
Chlorosis
loss of chlorophyll, often a sign of insufficient amounts of iron
Compound leaf
a leaf that is divided into several distinct leaflets
Cordate
heart shaped
Cosmopolitan
found worldwide
Crenate
edged with rounded teeth
Crispate
with wave margins
Cultivar
a man-made (cultivated) variety
Cuticle
the thin skin of the plant. This is thicker and waxy to maintain moisture in emersed growth
Cutting
a fragment of plant material that is capable of growing to become another complete, individual plant
D
Decussate
opposite pairs of shoots set at right angles to the pairs above and below
Denticulate
serrated, edged with small teeth
Distichous
leaves arranged in two rows on either side of the stem
Division
a method of propagation in which the rhizome or vegetative cone is cut into pieces, each of which is capable of becoming a complete new plant
E
Emersed
grown so that the roots and bottom portion of the plant are underwater, rest of the plant grows above the water
Epiphytic
plant that grows on another plant but is not parasitic
Endemic
a species found only in one specific location
Eutrophic
rich in dissolved nutrients, often caused by pollution
F
Filiform
thread like
Frond
the “leaf” of a fern
G
H
Hastate
with two out-turned lobes at the base
Herbivore
plant eater
Hybrid
the offspring of two parents of different species or varieties
Inflorence
flower cluster
Internode
the area between two nodes on a plant stem
J
K
Laminae
broad part of the leaf usually attached to the stalk by the petiole. Also called the blade
Lanceolate
spear shaped
Laterite
an iron-bearing red soil found in tropical areas. Formed by centuries of heat and rain
Leaflet
one part of a compound leaf
Linear
long, narrow, grass-like or strap-like leaf
M
Macronutrients
Nutrients used by plants in relatively large amounts. They are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K).
Micronutrients
Nutrients used by plants in small amounts. They are iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), cobalt (Co), and boron (B).
Monoculture
a large group of a single species of plant
Multipinnate
leaf divided into several sub-groups of leaflets
N
Neotropical
from the tropical areas of the new world (South or Central America)
Node
the point on a plant stem from which the leaves and/or roots appear
O
Offset
young plant growing along a stolon from the parent plant
Oligotrophic
deficient in nutrients needed for plant growth
Ovate
egg shaped
P
Paludal
from a marshy or swampy environment
Pectinate
comb like
Pedicel
the stem of an individual flower
Petiole
the “stalk” attaching the leaf to the stem
Photosynthesis
the conversion of light energy into chemical energy:carbohydrates, (sugar and starch), are produced from carbon dioxide and water through the action of light on the chlorophyll of green plants. Oxgen is released in the process
Pinnate
divided
Plumiform
feather shaped
Polymorphous
having multiple shapes
Q
Raceme
a group of flowers similar to a spike, but with each individual flower on its own stem
Reniform
kidney shaped
Rhizome
creeping stalk from which stalks and roots grow
Rosette
a plant that rises from a distinct crown
S
Sessile
a leaf that is directly attached to the plant stem with no petiole
Shaft
flower-bearing stalk
Spathe
modified leaf surrounding the flower
Spike
a group of flowers arranged closely at the end of a shaft, and attached directly to the shaft
Sporangium
the reproductive organ of primitive plants like ferns and mosses
Spore
the reproductive unit of primitive plants
Stolon
creeping offshoot or “runner” from which young plants arise
Submersed
growing completly underwater
T
Terrestrial
growing on land
Tuber
a swelling of root or underground stalk that functions as a storage organ as in a potato
Tissue culture
the production of new plants from small amounts of plant tissue under carefully controlled laboratory conditions
U
V
Vegetative cone
growing tip of the plant. On a stem plant, it is the tip of the stem. On a rosette plant, it arises from the very center of the rosette
Vegetative reproduction
reproduction via means other than sexual. Unless a mutation occurs, each generation of new plants is identical to the parent plant genetically
W
Whorl
a number of leaves evenly spaced around the stem
