The Art of Aquascaping - Basic Tutorial

Oliver Simons
Jul 12, 2016
4 min read

An aquarium does not have to be an obtrusive object in your living space, or uncomplimentary to your decor. Rather view it as a unique and valuable addition to the living space. Aquascaping (a derivative of the word landscaping) is the process of creating aesthetically appealing underwater environments, for both you and the inhabitants. Get creative and re-create landscapes such as mountains, mangrove swaps in the amazon and whatever your imagination desires, the possibilities are endless.

Creating an Aquascape

Step 1 - The Equipment

The list of equipment can be as small or as large as you require, although we do recommend the following:

Aquarium, such as our Biotopia UK Aquariums.
Light unit, preferably LED or T5/Metal Halide at minimum. Our Luna series LED Light units are perfect for the job.
Filter, external if possible for the high flow rate, plus its not an eyesore in the aquarium!
Heater (depending on fish/plant species).
Aquatic plant substrate, which contains plant minerals unlike regular gravel to keep your plants healthy.
Rocks, wood, pebbles or whatever you wish to use!
Plants, the choice is entirely up to you but remember to research each plants requirements/preferences.
Co2 System, especially if you opt for demanding plants. It sounds daunting but there are many easy to use systems or liquid carbon available. Whilst certain slow growing species and low lighting setups ('low tech') do not require Co2, the majority of aquascapes require a certain amount of added Co2.
Fertilisers, pretty self explanatory, they are required for healthy plant growth.

Once all your equipment is gathered proceed to step 2!

Step 2 - The 'Hardscape'

The hardscape refers to the positioning of substrate rocks and other materials used to create the foundation of the aquascape. The rule of thirds/golden ratio serves as a guideline to the positioning of materials to create an aesthetically pleasing layout. Whilst rearranging take note of where your eye is drawn to, and also try to envision how and where you would plant the aquatic plants around the hardscape.

When pouring in the substrate it is a good idea to create a slope, banking it up higher at the back, this helps give a sense of depth to the aquarium. Furthermore by doing this it also allows you to secure materials such as rocks in place to prevent them from toppling over.

The materials are positioned to complement and attract the eye to the empty space to the left third and the highest rock on the right.

Step 3 - Planting!

Planting can be one of the most difficult parts of creating an aquascape, especially placing individual plant stems and carpeting plants. Therefore a set of tweezers or aquascaping tools maybe beneficial. Also the knowledge of how the plant species you have chosen grow also plays a large role in the planting stage. One must predict how and where the plants will grow over the weeks/months to come. Therefore knowing the details of your plant specifies will be helpful. Luckily most plants (Tropica branded plants for example) come with labels for their care, or a quick google of the plant will yield an abundance of information and images.

Creating a sweep from the smaller foreground plants to the taller/larger background plants helps to add depth to the aquascape (just like banking the substrate higher at the back). You should take into account that plants will spread and grow runners, this can help blend the different species together (if desired). Any unwanted growth should be pruned and cut back.

By using smaller leafed plants in smaller and nano aquariums, it results in giving the scape a larger sense of scale. Also moses play a large role in making the hardscape appear more natural, the moss grows along the rock and wood giving an element of maturity to the tank. You can attach moss by poking it into gaps and crevices in the rock or attach by wrapping cotton thread around the moss and the object. Moss can also be wrapped around wood in this way, it is most effective on thin smooth root like pieces.

The image above shows the composition focuses on the valley/path like empty space in the left third of the aquascape. It also shows that when the plants grow, and by regular pruning, a slope can be created which in this case accentuates the empty space further.

Step 4 - Growth, Maintenance and Inhabitants

Now sit back and watch your creation grow!

During the first week it is advised to reduce the light intensity and duration to prevent an early algae outbreak. Furthermore by also keeping Co2 levels fairly high and nutrient levels fairly low it will create a difficult environment for algae to take over. A 20% water change every couple of days for the first week is also advisable. These are all guidelines and depend on your specific setup and by paying close attention to water parameters (an aquarium test kit is an indispensable piece of kit) and algae growth.

Once the tank has cycled for 2 weeks and your water parameters are correct you can now begin to add a few fish and shrimp. Add a couple at a time to allow the filtration to adjust to the biological load, amano/algae shrimp are also good for checking algae growth. Also take into account smaller fish (much like the smaller leaved plants) will further add to the creation of a sense of scale in the aquarium. The plants are maintained by pruning, not too regularly, in combination with correct Co2 levels and nutrients which will help you shape your aquascape further and mould it into your artistic vision.

With careful care and attention you now have a beautiful aquascape to impress your guests and to give you hours of viewing pleasure!