Crafting Underwater Worlds: A Guide to the Art of Aquascaping
Aquascaping, or underwater gardening, is an art form that involves the strategic arrangement of substrate, wood, rock, and aquatic plants or coral. Aquascaping creates realistic scenery in your aquarium that should feel natural to its inhabitants. This process is usually timely and requires a creative mind and eye for detail.
Step 1 - Placing Your Substrate
If you're curious about different substrates, check out our blog on sand and gravel! Your substrate directly affects the health of all the species who call your aquarium home. When placing your substrate, consider making one side higher than the other to create a slope, or place more in the back to create an illusion of depth. How you place your substrate may seem unimportant, but placing it a specific way can add depth to your final scene.
Step 2 - Placing Your Wood or Rock
Choosing your rock or wood is arguably the most important step in aquascaping. For reef keepers, rock is the most common way to go due to its natural appearance and beneficial bacteria. Freshwater aquariums have more options, the most common being driftwood while others choose river rock or decorations. If you’re going for a natural look, avoid symmetry and consider the rule of thirds. Placing smaller objects in the foreground while steadily building up to the background can create depth. Remember to choose objects that can hold coral or plants if that is something you plan to add in the future.
Step 3 - Placing Your Aquatic Plants or Coral
Placing coral differs drastically from placing aquatic plants. Many coral cannot be placed next to others and need specific lighting. It is vital to a coral's life to be knowledgeable on where they should be placed. Once you are sure the coral will be happy in its new spot, glue the coral down to the scape with reef safe glue. When it comes to placement, aquatic plants are much simpler. Aquatic plants are typically fine being placed next to any other species, but many need direct light. Check out our blog on aquatic plants to find what plants are right for you. Place taller plants in the background and foreground plants up front to create depth. Let your creativity run free!
Enjoy Your Scape!
Now it's time to enjoy your new aquascape! If you’re looking for inspiration, consider joining aquarium Facebook groups. Many are dedicated to aquascaping and have endless designs. If you find yourself needing a helping hand, Tridents Cove specializes in aquascaping and will collaborate with you to create your perfect scape!
