Aquascape of the Month January 2010: u0026quot;Passage to the Red Forestu0026quot; AquaScaping World Forum
Aquascaping is the craft of arranging aquatic plants, as well as rocks, gemstones, cavework, or driftwood, within an aesthetically pleasing manner within an aquarium—in effect, growing plants under water. Aquascape designs include a number of specific styles, including the garden-like Dutch style and the Japanese-inspired nature style. Typically, an aquascape houses seafood as well as vegetation, although it is possible to create an aquascape with plants only, or with rockwork or other hardscape and no vegetation. Although the primary aim of aquascaping is to create an artful marine landscape, the technical aspects of tank maintenance and the growth requirements of aquatic plants are also taken into consideration. Several factors must be balanced in the closed system of an aquarium tank to ensure the success of an aquascape. These factors include filtration, maintaining co2 dioxide at levels sufficient to support photosynthesis underwater, substrate and fertilization, lights, and algae...