Aquascaping
This is a simple single webpage designed to showcase some photos of one of my tanks at home. Aquascaping is a hobby which has given me peace and contentment to balance the stress and frustrations of work. The photos are taken with an old digital camera (0.37MP) but I hope the photos will be able to express my feelings of this fascinating hobby. After learning so much from the web community, I believe the time is right for me to contribute something in return.
 
Magical carpet of shimmering pearling riccia
 
 
Tank Information
Dimension: 2 feet x 1.5 feet x 1.5 feet
Lighting: 4 DIY 'downlight' PL at 18 watts each [8 hours daily]
Filter: External cannister Jebao 615
Substrate: Cheap substrate
Fertilizer: Mg, NO3, K, PO4, Fe
CO2: Pressurized tank, DIY internal reactor
 
Gallery of Inhabitants - A study of nature's harmony and balance

Cardinal tetras are usually confused with neon tetras. Both have the glowing blue/green lines on top and the red stripes at the bottom. The difference between cardinal tetras and neon tetras can be seen by analyzing the red stripe. Neon tetra's red stripe only starts from mid belly while the cardinal tetra's red stripe goes all the way until the end.
Can you spot the difference between the neon tetra and the cardinal tetra in the picture on the left?
Cardinal tetras shading under two leaves of red nymphaea lotus.
There are many different types of tetras besides cardinal (Paracheirodon axelrodi) and neon (Paracheirodon innesi). Neon tetras are usually bred in chemicals to ensure their survival. As thus they are not really very hardy fish. A tougher tetra is the neon black tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi). You can see a photo of these below.
Pictures of black neon tetras amidst riccia (left) and sword plants (right). You can see a line of bubbles in the background of the right photo.
 
This (left) is an interesting tough old albino cory (Corydoras aeneus). It has lost an eye but has been with me for quite a while. Cories are important as they are bottom dwellers and they play an important role in keeping the balance of a tank by eating leftovers which have sunk to the bottom of the tank.
Cory resting peacefully among bubbling riccia.
Everyone deserves a break, even an otto.
The otto (Otocinclus affinis) above is a hardworking little fish. It literally works non stop all day long. The job of an otto is basically to eat away algae. Algae is what every hobbyist fears most. It can make a beautiful aquasculpture turn into a nighmare overnight. Keeping an algae crew such as this little otto and yamato shrimps (below) is essential to help control algae in a tank.
Rummy nose tetras gliding.
Rummy nose tetras (hemmigrammus blehri) are tight schooling fish. Guess why they are called rummy noses? Guess why their noses are rummy?
The Yamato (Caradina japonica) shrimps are introduced by Takashi Amano. Like the ottos, their work is to eat away algae. The shrimps also share a similar personality trait as the ottos - they are very, very hardworking. The Yamato shrimp in the picture is photographed scavenging for food in the rich green riccia.
Yamato shrimp taking a bubble bath.
Yamato-on-red-lotus - no, not a scene from Karate Kid, but literally.
Gallery of Plants - Sharing nature's delicate balance
Like any other hobbyist, I was fascinated with the magic of riccia. Riccia (Riccia fluitans), under intense lights and good CO2 produces oxygen when photosynthesis occurs. Oxygen produced by riccia forms the bubbles at the tips. Hobbyists call this effect 'pearling' as they resemble pearls in a magical green carpet of riccia.
Pretty pink nesaea crassicaulis for a dash of bright colour. Red plants are usually rather difficult to plant in the aquarium as they demand high intense lights and also plenty of nutrients.
A single pearl forming delicately under the middle of a slender leaf of a nesaea crassicaulis.
A teenage platy playing hide-and-seek in some bright green vesicularia sp. moss. Aquatic moss requires low temperature of around 25-28°C although it is not very fussy with lights and CO2. Unfortunately, moss also grows very slowly. Other types of moss in my small collection include the Singapore Moss, Erect Moss and Xmas Moss.
Limnophila aromatica, I believe. Great as background plants but requires some maintainance in the form of regular trimming. This is also one of the plants which grows different shapes of leaves when emersed and submersed.
A few pearls forming on the center of an unhealthy old leaf of an unidentified plant.
Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles everywhere...
Whole 2 feet tank front view
17 August, 2004
Updates
Opted for a simpler scape.....
06 July, 2006
I sincerely hope this webpage has been interesting and that more people would adopt this fascinating and rewarding hobby. It has certainly changed my perspective of nature and how I look at the world around me today.