Equipment:
Tank – Do!Aqua 90p 94×45x45 cm (36×18x18″) That’s about 48 gallons
Stand – half-DYI 36×18x33″
Light – GLO light T5HO 2×39W, both 6700K, one Lifeglo, one Coralife
Filtration – Eheim Ecco 2232 (35gal) and 2236 (80gal) with Do!Aqua and Aquamagic glass lily pipes
Heater – Hydor In-line 200W (on 2236)
CO2 – pressurized 5lb, 24/7 at about 0.5 bps. Diffuser under small powerhead (for now)

Scape:
Bottom layer – mix of natural Fluorite, Laterite, Turface and sand
Upper layer – mix of black Fluorite, Laterite and black Onyx sand.
Front – Sand from Lake Tahoe
Manzanita collected in East Sierras and Lake Tahoe area (soaked and hand scrapped)
Rocks bought from fellow aquarist

Plants:
Java fern ‘narrow leaf’, ‘windellow’ and ‘trident’
Anubias nana and nana ‘petitte’
Bolbitis heudelotti
Crypt. wendtii ‘mi oya’, ‘Florida sunset’, ‘green gecko’, (?)
C. lutea
C. parva
Eleocharis acicularis
Glossostigma elatinoides
Hydrocotyle
Hygrophila corymbosa ‘compact’
Lobelia cardinalis
Myriophyllum mattogrossense
Mayaca fluviatilis
Rotala macrandra
R. indica
R. colorata
Potamogeton gayii
Polygonum sp. kawagoeanum
Blyxa aubertii
Echinodorus ‘vesuvius’
Fissidens fontanus

Animals:
Cardinal tetras (Paracheirodon axelrodi) – 10
Rummynose tetras (Hemigrammus bleheri) – 30(?)
Columbian tetras (Hyphessobrycon colombianus) – 2
Panda cory (Corydoras panda) – 5
Mystery cory (Corydoras ????) – 2
Otto (Otocinclus affinis?) – 2
Pitbull Pleco (LDA-25) (Parotocinclus jumbo) – 1
Amano shrimp (Caridina japonica ) – 1
MTS (Elanoides tuberculata) – many
other snails (Helisoma sp. (?), Physa acuta, Lymnea (?), Planorbis sp.)

Skeleton of a Bush is the Aquascaper’s first serious attempt to create a beautiful aquarium garden. The plant selection was the first major challenge of this aquascape. After a trial with over fifty species, thirty-five species of plants were selected for the aquascape. The goal was to combine the different plant shapes, leave structures and growth rates into a balance aquascape that evoked harmony and fluid-eye movement.

The central focal point and the foundation of the layout consisted of the dead skeleton of a bush plant (located on the right). The piece of driftwood with the thin curled branches was perfect for this aquascape. Crinum calamistratum was planted so that its curled plant leaves would complement the similar shaped branches of the driftwood.

Pagoda stones where placed at the bordering edges of the white sand over the first few months of the aquascape. Also, on the left side, mangrove driftwood was incorporated to balance the side, and complete the aquascape. Lava rock was placed beneath the driftwood to prevent plants from growing under the driftwood.

For the substrate, Seachem Fluorite and Caribsea Eco Complete were placed at the corners of the aquarium where the majority of the stem plants would go. In the center, a wide white sand path was created to add brightness and contrast.

During the first four months, this high-tech, high light aquarium experienced algae issues. Extensive research on plant biology, fertilizers, carbon dioxide injection, algae, and lighting helped the Aquascaper understand the needs of the plants to the point where the Aquascaper developed a “feel” for the aquarium. This led to regular following of the Estimate Index and PMDD fertilization methods that ensured plant health and the eradication of algae. For fertilizing, a formula of KNO3, K2SO4, Fleet enema, Power4, Seachem Iron and Epsom salts is dosed.

Trimming takes part every week for the stem plants such as Heteranthera zosterifolia (Stargrass), Micranthemum umbrosum, Hemanthius micranthemoides, and Glossostigma elantinoides. Sometimes two or three weeks would pass without a trimming for some slower growing plants to ensure a balance and rhythmic growth of all the plants in the aquarium. Water parameters are: pH 6.6-6.8, NO3 20-30 ppm, PO4 1-2 ppm, DH 8, Kh 4. Every Monday a 50% water change and maintenance of the two external filters and the internal DIY filter occurs. The DIY filter is composed of a 1000L Eheim pump head, and is also responsible for carbon dioxide diffusion.

As the first true aquascape achieved by the Aquascaper, Skeleton of a Bush is a great achievement and far beyond the level of where the Aquascaper thought he would be. This aquascape received a 6th place ranking in the large category and a 10th place world ranking at the Acuavida Aquascaping Contest 2009. It also received a 66th ranking in the 2009 International Aquascaping Plant Layout Contest (IAPLC).

2005

2006

2007

2008

Here is the numbered list of plant to help in identification.
1. Hemianthus callitrichoides
2. Utricularia graminifolia
3. Hemianthus micranthemoides
4. Micranthemum umbarosum
5. Staurogyne sp. ‘Porto Velho’
6. Staurogyne stolonifera
7. Limnophila repens ‘Mini’
8. Blyxa japonica
9. Anubias barteri var. nana ‘Petite’
10. Rotala rotundifolia
11. Rotala wallichii
12. Rotala sp. ‘Colorata’
13. Rotala sp. ‘Nanjenshan’
14. Rotala sp. ‘Butterfly’
15. Nesaea sp. ‘Red Leaved’
16. Fissiden fontanus
17. Taxiphyllum barbieri
18. Vesicularia montagnei
19. Cryptocoryne x willisii
20. Cryptocoryne parva

Spring Colors Aquascaping by Bhushan

Size:130×50x60
Filter: Rena XP2 + Fluval 305
Heater: 2x Hagen 200w

Substrate:
ELOS Bottom mineral
ELOS Terra Zero
ELOS Terra Small

CO2: ELOS REA30 + 2bps

Light: ELOS Aquaplanet II – 4×39w T5 (2×6.500k + 2×10.000k) + 2x 70w HQI (10.000k)

Fertelizers: ELOS Fase1, Fase2, K40 e Extra1

Plants:
Anubias barteri ”coffeefolia”
Anubias barteri var. nana
Cryptocoryne beckettii ‘petchii’
Cryptocoryne x willisii
Echinodorus palaefolius var. latifolius
Echinodorus ‘Ozelot’
Echinodorus ‘Rubin’
Echinodorus tenellus
Microsorum pteropus ‘Narrow’

Fish:
Symphysodon aequifasciatus axelrodi
Pitbull Pleco (LDA25) – Parotocinclus Jumbo
Paracheirodon axelrodi
Hemigrammus rhodostomus
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi

Decoration/Hardscape: Schist rocks and Red moorwood

Working with the hardscape

Flora:
Eleocharis Acicularis
Eleocharis Parvulus
Glossostigma Elatinoides
Ludwigia Arcuata
Echinodorus Paleofolius
Rotala Rotundifolia
Blyxa Aubertii

Elos Material

elos terrazero

Elos bottom mineral

Elos terra S

It’s growing some green hair algae but i’m not alarmed since andrecardoso can pull it off and control it with some water chage (5 liters daily)

I(Saintly) have decide to start another journal from my display that i’ve done for my Local fish shop. it’s another iwagumi. i’m already about 12 weeks into the display but i’ll add images as and when.

the spec

90 x 40 x 55
JBL aquabasis plus and depleted ADA AS
seryiou stone
1 x fluval 405
1 x korolia no.1
pressurised co2
2 x 39w t5

the oliver knott way i believe is as you desrcibed. it’s planted in the rockwool in small clumps. i do it different ways, but this way was quicker for the amount i used. the whole display is to make awareness and i’m taking full control over it. the staff add ferts each day and i come at weekends to trim etc…. i’m guessing but this is a week or so in to
the tanks life….

initially i had 24 cardinal tetras in the aquarium, but they were shy fish so they had to come out. no matter what we did, they just wouldn’t swim without eventually hiding in the rotala….very annoying! this was several weeks in to the scape. the rotala made a quick recovery and filled out brilliantly!….

DIY stuff! My own design fishing leads line for hanging the lights and fan, each line can hold around 22kg, cause is make of metal line.

Here’s the final product,

And here’s the final layout, for lights and fan also,

Here’s the tank testing for any leaking, 60cm X 40cm x 40cm (8mm) opti-white tank.

Tools for scaping the sand, bought it from DIY shop(Singapore), cost around $1.35(SGD), it also can use for scraping algae on the glass. Make of tough plastic.

Wood structure being soak for awhile already, ready for arranging.

The white styrofoam is the separator for the white lapis sand and aqua soil. Timing to fill in the soil. Change a thinner styrofoam separator. Stones use is to stable the separator and the soil moving around. Some of the equipment also in place to see how it look like.

The lapis sand bought initially was too brown, went back to the LFS again to change to a more whiter one, didnt know they have different colour of lapis sand though all the same.  Aqua soil looks like chocolate chips to me, feel craving for chocolate each time i look at it.

Used a ruler to measure both sides of the soil(i know the photograph is showing one cm and the other is inches, but they are same reading/distance).

Time to remove the separator.

Perfect straight line! Loves it!  Will shift some of the soil to make it more natural after placing the rocks in.  More rocks coming soon…

I mean mist the soil and not flood.

Is time to flood 1/3 of the tank with water, for planting convenience. You can see the water is crystal clear during flooding.  I use the plastic cover for introducing water to the tank to prevent any rushing of water causing cloudy.

Next step is to prepare the plants for planting, remove any death plants or roots. I use Toyogo box cover for my plant arranging.

Plant surgery! As usual trimming off and cutting. Plastic cover is good for holding plants during planting than hand.

Filled 1/3 tank with water and start to do planting, really backache after doing this. Lots of elbow work.

Filling up the tank with water, fix the filter inlet with sponge to collect dirts and use net at outlet to collect debris. Got a fishing lead weight to weight down the wood to prevent from floating as i’ve taken out the wood for quite sometime .

Added hornworts to suck the nutrients. Water is still pretty clear at this time. Added Petite Nana between the wood also. Will tie the wood with moss later part cause the wood still in semi floating stage.

Current Plant lists:
Cryptocoryne spec. legroi
Hemianthus Micranthemoides
Ludwigia Arcuata
Ludwigia Brevipes
Pogostemon Stellatus
Riccia sp. ‘Dwarf’
Rotala Rotundifolia
Rotala sp. ‘Nanjenshan’
Echinodorus Tenellus
Eleocharis sp. (Japan Hairgrass)
Cryptocoryne parva
Anubias barteri var nana ‘Petite’
Microsorum pteropus “needle leaves” (Narrow Leaf Java Fern)
Blyxa Japonica
Myriophyllum Aquaticum (Parrot Feather)
Mini Chrismas Moss
Peacock/Spiky Moss
US Fissiden

That’s alot, right!

Peacock/Spiky Moss tie on the wood! Pebbles are added on the beach to enhance the natural look.

My COMMANDO fish, platy! to cycle the tank!

Added the mini riccia tie on the pebbles. Remove the big mini riccia rocks infront. Time to replace the inlet and sponge with surface skimmer.

Sakura Shrimp

Amano Shrimp

My first and only 15 minutes “Vivarium” during water changing.

Here’s the full tank shot! Currently most of the plant is so short.