[FazTeAoMar]

Steven, very nice! It is definitely something different. I had seen that mini work of art in Amanos Aquajournals and in photos of his gallery but never understood the concept behind it and the power of such work.

regarding the stem plants, don´t you need some humidity to prevent them for drying? I am really tempted to setup something like this...

Please keep posting updates.

Regards,
André

 

[schaadrak]

Awesome.

I was planning to set up a paludarium with the land to water transition looking almost exactly like this. It's great to have some thing I can refer back to.

This would be a great setup to keep a dragonfly nymph if you could be there when it molted into an adult.

Andre- I think keeping the plants bunched together that way and the fact that there so close to the water keeps the humidity levels in the immediate area high enough. Adding an air stone like Steven was talking about would pull even more moisture into the air as well.

 

[Craig Tarvin]

It looks really cool, try to keep pics updated!

 

[dhavoc]

Andre-in Hawaii, the last thing we need to worry about is humidity levels. the average is 50-70% most of the year. we dont get the extremes (high or low humidity levels) that the mainland does, so thats mostly a good thing. the bad is that there really is only "one season" in Hawaii, it just rains more in the winter time and the temps drop a little to the low 80's in the day and the high 60's at night. i love snow and skiing but to after seeing Denver this past couple of days i think i'll just visit to get my snow fix.

Steven, nice setup, never saw one of these before and its got me interested.

 

[filipnoy85]

Beautiful! Where'd you find your tray?

 

[snowhillbilly]

I know we have been asked not to use one line sentences, but far out man, great job.

 

[Steven_Chong]

dhavoc pretty much got it. The humidity isn't too much of a concern-- it's the same in my house as where the plants grow. Though, the plants are doing their little "drop the leaves and put in new ones 'cause I'm growing somewhere else" bit. Real annoying, but they are showing some new growth. I might just replace them at the end if they don't grow back fast enough. Don't have a qualm about replacing plants in my "ikebana"

Filipboy-- I got it at a department store in Tokyo. Still, you might be able to find something similar. This was meant to be an "office tray."

Thanks for the compliments/feedback all!

Little Update:

My computer is in the shop, so I got no photoshop . . .

I added in 4 male guppies and 20+ neocaridina denticulata (wild cherry shrimp). I'll keep you all updated.

 

[Hurriken]

Steven,

This is a really good thread. Its helping me as a beginner.

I have read that when selecting and placing rocks in an aquascape, rocks of similar size, shape, and color should be used. I noticed you have some larger rocks here and also small stones. I think it looks great and very natural. I was wondering if you could comment on the use of rocks in an aquascape. Are there some 'rules of thumb' or is it all in the eye of the aquascaper?

 

[schaadrak]

With the simplicity of this setup and the great looking end product, I'm surprised that there's not more people attempting this style.

I'm cruious as to how you think a bonsai would do in that set-up? It would obiously need a larger land area and some way to remove the tree for root pruning without distroying the landscape. Soils and plant species are a couple of other big factors.Well, time to research.

Man, it seems like all I ever do is research for one then find another that peaks my interest. I can't decide what kind of tank to start. I think I've got AADD (Aquatic Attention Deficit Disorder).

 

[KYCox]

steven,

how do you keep the water clean?
do you change water daily?
would you mind telling us more about studying in japan?

 

[Steven_Chong]

Hurriken-- I'm glad I can be some help, though I wouldn't look at this as an example of the best way for growing aquatic plants. As for the rocks, There are better defined rules for iwagumi. This is not iwagumi, and for the most part I tried to just use them to set the basic shape and support the plants. Therefore, there is not "main stone." However, it is good to stick to the most basic ideas-- odd number of stones (2 and 4 are usually bad though 6 or 8 might be ok), keep some empty space, and use smaller stones to support larger ones.

schaadrak-- I sympathize with your AADD. I've never done bonsai so I wouldn't know about that but, I have seen bonsai trees kept in terrarium before (in photos).

This "style" is new and old. In a way, it's just ikebana but with plants that live and a dish that's clear.

KyCox-- I did water changes every other day. Nu'uanu (my home valley) water is very good.

Studying in Japan was exciting. Tokyo is a gray place but it's bustling with life and a sub-concious level of culture. For me though, the really special times were those I spent with my Dad site-seeing. One thing an aquascaper needs to do is reach out and absorb the beauty and cues from nature. Japan was truly inspiring.

From casual things like staring out of the shinkansen window to catch a quick view of a misty forest of bamboo and sakura.

Over-powering things, like the mind-numbingly beautiful garden grounds of Ginkakkuji, whose designer is still considered a genius by the people of Kyoto centuries after its creation.

Small things, like the cool sweet water of Koimizu, and seeing riccia and mosses bubble at the base of the pool there.

Calm things, like taking in the sight of cool green maple trees at Miyajima island from a Ryokan window while drinking cold sake.

And of course, grit-driven and determined moments like walking around rise paddy are (in the middle of nowhere!!) where no one spoke a lick of english (my Japanese was severely tested), in the pouring rain, looking for this "Nature Aquarium World Gallery" that's supposed to be around here somewhere. We did eventually find it-- we ran into a nephew of Amano's (believe it or not) who took us to the gallery.

 

[Steven_Chong]

Final Photos

I did wrap this up, and here are the finished photos:

Cherry Shrimp (Wild Form)

Whole tank shot:

I found photographing this aquarium very difficult. It's so small, and trying to capture the terrestrial and aquatic parts together is difficult. In the end, I ended up with 2 different types of full-tank shots. One that shows more of the emersed plants, and this one that shows under-water better.

 

[epicfish]

Wow, the last picture looks amazing. If only I had those skills. =)

My time will come. =)

 

[turbomkt]

Very nice, Steven. It's too bad you have to leave this project and go back to school

 

[slickwillislim]

Very well done. I really like this project, very interesting. Its to bad most plants would probably shrivel up in my house. I would have to put a dome over it or something and then whats the point. I am growing some emersed plants and I can't imagine makeing them look as nice and natural as yours.

 

[Steven_Chong]

You guys are complimenting me too much for putting some pond weeds in an office tray. :mrgreen: Thanks all

Epic-- You can do something like this, it's not that hard.

Turbo-- It's already been torn down, and I'm already back at school.

Slick-- What you should try doing is gett a wadd of plants, put them in a shallow aquarium, and just see which ones grow out of the water-- and go with those. Of course, for me with only 1 month of winter vacation, I don't have that patience. XD

 

[DelawareJim]

Beautiful setup! I just discoved this linked to another thread.

The simplicity is fabulous. I really like the close-up's with the moss. It looks so natural and fresh. It evokes a natural stream side very well.

It's a shame you had to take it down, it would have really been intereting to watch it continue to evolve.

Cheers.
Jim

 

[brennewoman]

This looks like it would be ideal for a terrarium, vivarium setup. I'd love to have a large, tall case with something like this, some fish in the deep end, maybe poison dart frogs on land...etc... Oh for a house big enough for all the different tanks I want!

 

[skincareaddicted]

Hey Steven,

I was just looking over this thread, very beautiful. I showed a friend and she wants to try wabi-kusa. How were your guppies able to breathe with no aerator? I notice you saying you change the water every other day, does that replenish the oxygen supply for them? or do the plants release enough oxygen? I am new to all this so sorry for the newbie questions.

~Kristen

 

[Steven_Chong]

The guppies are now living with my cousin in her fish tank.

As for your questions, as Amano would say-- healthy plants make for healthy fish.
Also, the larger the water surface, the more oxygenated water is. Compared to say a fish bowl, this tray had a lot more oxygen for the amount of water.