Joined
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156 Posts
Hey guys!
I`ve been thinking of starting such tread for some time and finally I decided to do it I am not any of the great aquascapers seen here but still I hope that a short history of an average aquarist might interest someone. So let's start!
I think I started the hobby in 2000. Planted aquarium wasn't really popular in Poland so I had a typical fish tank. It was a 60x30x35cm aquarium with very poor equipment, few plants and lots of fish.
As time passed I was learning more and more, Polish aquarium magazine "Magazyn Akwarium" was one of my first sources of knowledge and I must admit that I learned a lot from it. At the end of 2003 I was addicted to Apistos and I even had some breeding success.
In 2004 the era of the Internet came.Man, that was lots of knowledge hidden in the Web. I reggistered on one of the first Polish discussion forums - akwarystyka.com.pl After few months in the magazine I mentioned above series of articles about planted aquarium were published. Then it was almost like a magic to me, and I felt it is impossible for me to create something that beatiful. I also found Mr Amano's aquascapes on the Web and was totally amazed. But I learned more and more and finally decided to start my first planted aquarium.
2005
Here it is, "My First Planted Aquarium":
![]()
I really liked this tank, and I was proud of it (don't laugh - it is important to me!)
After this one I made some other "aquascapes", for example this one:
![]()
Meanwhile I was under big influence of Norbert Sabat, Marcin Betlejewski and other Polish aquascapers' works, of course I was unable to achieve such results.
I was disappointed with the tanks I made and felt burnt-out a bit.
2006
In 2006 I had to move and it was an opportunity to make a new beggining. I felt I need some rest so I took my father's old 126lts tank. I decided to makke something that would not request much attention, I would call these tank a Low Tech one, as it had only 0,3 - 0,4 W/L of lighting, no CO2 and little ferts.
First aquascape in the tank, "Amazon Forest":
![]()
The second one, "Edge of the Forest", my favourite actually:
![]()
And the last one, "Clearing in the forest". I didn't really finish this one as I was already thinking about a real aquascape in a smaller tank:
![]()
2007
I felt I was ready to start with a HT aquarium once again. I also achieved lots of theoretical knowledge about aquascaping, it was time to put it into practice!
My first aquascape in the new, 54lts aquarium, "The Spring is coming...":
![]()
This one taught me a lot. I consider it as my first real aquascape, not really good of course but still an aquascape! It was my debut into IAPLC, this tank ranked 396. By this time I also discovered a great LFS nearby, which was roslinyakwariowe.pl stationary shop. Big thanks to guys working there, especially Grzegorz Mosurek! I found lots of knowledge and necessary equipment, plants etc. there, and which is even more important meet many planted aquarists! I also started my website, which you can find here: Chester Aquarium
The second aquascape, "Summertime":
![]()
And the third one, "Rainforest Inside":
![]()
Later I have decided to change the aquarium tank. I bought an 60x30x36cm aquarium, which I have up till now.
The first aquascape in the new tank, "Autumn Chaos":
![]()
This is one of my favourites. I am satisfied with both aquascape and photography. With this tank I started to take pictures with DSLR - it was a HUGE difference to me
2008
By the year 2008 ADA products became popular and easily available in Poland, so I decided to try Amazonia Soil. Now, that was impressive!The substrate is absolutely amazing!
So here are the scapes of the year 2008:
"My first ADA Tank":
![]()
"Green is boring...?":
![]()
I sent this one to IAPLC '08, it ranked 534.
"A Summer's Tale":
![]()
And the last one, "Rest under the Red Tree":
![]()
That's all up till now.
What are my plans for future? Here are a few of them:
- Start a tank with HQI lighting.
- Begin taking aquarium pictures with flashlight.
- Rank in Winning Works in IAPLC.
- Keep layouts for a longer time, so that everything is well-rounded.
- Keep learning and making aquascapes as good as it is possible to me.
I would also like to thank all the great aquascapers for their inspiration, I will try to be as good as you are guys!
I`ve been thinking of starting such tread for some time and finally I decided to do it I am not any of the great aquascapers seen here but still I hope that a short history of an average aquarist might interest someone. So let's start!
I think I started the hobby in 2000. Planted aquarium wasn't really popular in Poland so I had a typical fish tank. It was a 60x30x35cm aquarium with very poor equipment, few plants and lots of fish.
As time passed I was learning more and more, Polish aquarium magazine "Magazyn Akwarium" was one of my first sources of knowledge and I must admit that I learned a lot from it. At the end of 2003 I was addicted to Apistos and I even had some breeding success.
In 2004 the era of the Internet came.Man, that was lots of knowledge hidden in the Web. I reggistered on one of the first Polish discussion forums - akwarystyka.com.pl After few months in the magazine I mentioned above series of articles about planted aquarium were published. Then it was almost like a magic to me, and I felt it is impossible for me to create something that beatiful. I also found Mr Amano's aquascapes on the Web and was totally amazed. But I learned more and more and finally decided to start my first planted aquarium.
2005
Here it is, "My First Planted Aquarium":
I really liked this tank, and I was proud of it (don't laugh - it is important to me!)
After this one I made some other "aquascapes", for example this one:
Meanwhile I was under big influence of Norbert Sabat, Marcin Betlejewski and other Polish aquascapers' works, of course I was unable to achieve such results.
I was disappointed with the tanks I made and felt burnt-out a bit.
2006
In 2006 I had to move and it was an opportunity to make a new beggining. I felt I need some rest so I took my father's old 126lts tank. I decided to makke something that would not request much attention, I would call these tank a Low Tech one, as it had only 0,3 - 0,4 W/L of lighting, no CO2 and little ferts.
First aquascape in the tank, "Amazon Forest":
The second one, "Edge of the Forest", my favourite actually:
And the last one, "Clearing in the forest". I didn't really finish this one as I was already thinking about a real aquascape in a smaller tank:
2007
I felt I was ready to start with a HT aquarium once again. I also achieved lots of theoretical knowledge about aquascaping, it was time to put it into practice!
My first aquascape in the new, 54lts aquarium, "The Spring is coming...":
This one taught me a lot. I consider it as my first real aquascape, not really good of course but still an aquascape! It was my debut into IAPLC, this tank ranked 396. By this time I also discovered a great LFS nearby, which was roslinyakwariowe.pl stationary shop. Big thanks to guys working there, especially Grzegorz Mosurek! I found lots of knowledge and necessary equipment, plants etc. there, and which is even more important meet many planted aquarists! I also started my website, which you can find here: Chester Aquarium
The second aquascape, "Summertime":
And the third one, "Rainforest Inside":
Later I have decided to change the aquarium tank. I bought an 60x30x36cm aquarium, which I have up till now.
The first aquascape in the new tank, "Autumn Chaos":
This is one of my favourites. I am satisfied with both aquascape and photography. With this tank I started to take pictures with DSLR - it was a HUGE difference to me
2008
By the year 2008 ADA products became popular and easily available in Poland, so I decided to try Amazonia Soil. Now, that was impressive!The substrate is absolutely amazing!
So here are the scapes of the year 2008:
"My first ADA Tank":
"Green is boring...?":
I sent this one to IAPLC '08, it ranked 534.
"A Summer's Tale":
And the last one, "Rest under the Red Tree":
That's all up till now.
What are my plans for future? Here are a few of them:
- Start a tank with HQI lighting.
- Begin taking aquarium pictures with flashlight.
- Rank in Winning Works in IAPLC.
- Keep layouts for a longer time, so that everything is well-rounded.
- Keep learning and making aquascapes as good as it is possible to me.
I would also like to thank all the great aquascapers for their inspiration, I will try to be as good as you are guys!
