# What do you think of this aquascape?



## George Farmer (3 Mar 2011)

Image courtesy of Practical Fishkeeping.  Copyright Matthew Roberts.

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/c ... p?sid=3683

I'd like to hear what your opinions are, please.


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## mlgt (3 Mar 2011)

Im thinking you are thinking this, but on a larger scale? 
In living waters there is a tank which has the same feel, but it isnt high tech or planted to the same aspect.

However you get an idea on the scale of it and putting the picture shown I can imagine it will be quite stunning. 

What kind of dimensions are you thinking?


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## George Farmer (3 Mar 2011)

Hey Rik,

I wasn't really thinking of it for myself - as much as I'd love to own something like this.  Maybe one day.

I understand this is around 7 feet long (200cm or so), so it's not small...

I really like the density of the plants, as well as the mixture of planting above and below the water.  I've got a thing about 'chaotic' jungles at the moment, and with the huge popularity of NA-style, it's quite refreshing.


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## mlgt (3 Mar 2011)

Seeing the pic doesnt show the scale very well hence I thought be nice to be on a big scale. The one in LW is around the same I think. But as I stated before isnt planted, but it does have a creeping plant which actually grows instead and spread its roots and all around the shop from the ceilings to some of the filters. 

I see alot of this jungle type plants in the mountain areas of China which I visit alot. Many times I have been tempted to go and grab a net and see what I can bring up. But alas. The mossies in China are quite persistant with me and I walk away with alot of bites.

I will take photos on my travels later this year.


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## Stu Worrall (3 Mar 2011)

i really like it, emerged on the top and a nice jungle inside.  I dont usually like dutch tanks but that one looks slightly different?


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## George Farmer (3 Mar 2011)

stuworrall said:
			
		

> I dont usually like dutch tanks but that one looks slightly different?


It's not _really_ Dutch, as there's little formality and defined structure to the layout.  I prefer this kind of thing to Dutch.  Far more natural-looking, yet virtually no hardscape, so not Nature Aquarium either.


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## Anonymous (3 Mar 2011)

Collectoritus scape maybe George? A well done one


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## russchilds (3 Mar 2011)

mlgt said:
			
		

> Seeing the pic doesnt show the scale very well hence I thought be nice to be on a big scale. The one in LW is around the same I think. But as I stated before isnt planted, but it does have a creeping plant which actually grows instead and spread its roots and all around the shop from the ceilings to some of the filters.


I love that tank and does have the same sort of feel even though there's only plants above it.

I think it looks amazing George. I love Jungle tanks and this is a beauty


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## LondonDragon (3 Mar 2011)

Tank looks awesome, I do like the emerged planting on a take this size.

For reference this is the tank Rik was talking about, its around 4m long: http://www.lfkc.co.uk/index.php?topic=300.0


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## foxfish (3 Mar 2011)

Looks like a picture from an early 80s Dennerle plant catalog to me!
Mercury vapor lights, plants growing around the tank - yep remember that style very well.


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## dw1305 (3 Mar 2011)

Hi all,


> Looks like a picture from an early 80s Dennerle plant catalog to me!


 Same thought exactly, having said that I like it and jungles generally. I don't know anything about aquascaping, but personally I would replace the rocks with some large immersed/emersed wood or cork bark?. You could then plant the wood with epiphytes and break the "green wall" up a bit.

cheer Darrel


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## foxfish (3 Mar 2011)

Here is my tank featured on the back cover of my 1986 brochure...


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## plantbrain (3 Mar 2011)

I'd remove them big old ugly lights and replace with something smaller and less distracting.
I think the point is a lush jungle garden that adds both the aquatic and terrestrial plants in one nice spot in the home.
Scaping to some predefine aesthetic seems less the point.

But.......they could fill in the terrestrial plants more. This might be fairly easy if there's ample light back there. Some maiden hair fern would be a good choice and some mint in the brighter sections etc. Staghorn fern etc on bark etc.

Most of those would add dramatic looks and fill in some spots.
This would go along with the goal of the tank it would seem.

You can go a couple of ways with these types of tanks, have the growth appear to creep up and out of the tank, or have the growth creep down into the water. I suppose you could go both directions as well. There is a very high evaporation rate for emergent plants linked to such tanks and 7ft of open top will also sweat the windows up really good. Mold etc are issues. Bugs and pest also.  Moss can be used as a sediment to transfer water and nutrients to epiphytic type plants and aquatics above the water line. Due to humidity issues, many use the entire tank as a emergent type tank in many places in the USA, see ADG's examples from the AGA contest.

I do a  little bit above the water for these reasons, and then place house plants in other locations and mostly outside unless the temp drops below 1-2C.


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## sanj (4 Mar 2011)

It does look like it was taken a couple of decades ago. Jungle tanks are still my favourate, ever changing, they are timeless. I have plants now growing out of the tree stumps above the water level in my tank, but its not to the extent of this one.


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