[Aquascaping] Let's Create A Better World For Them
What is Aquascaping?
Aquascaping is the craft of arranging aquatic plants, as well as rocks, stones, cavework, or driftwood, in an aesthetically pleasing manner within an aquarium. At the same time, it provides a close to natural environment for the fishes to live and enjoy in.
What are the Benefits of Using Real Plants Within the Art of Aquascaping?
Real plants naturally produce and releases oxygen and enzymes into the ecosystem. The natural enzymes produced by the plants are able to calm the fishes down in addition to prolonging the life of the fishes as it strengthens their health. That will be one of the defining factors between having real and fake plants in your aquatic environment, as eventhough the fishes within the two different ecosystem belongs to the same species, there will be a difference in its appearance and health. Fishes that live in natural aquascaped environments will look brighter and more vibrant in color. A correct aquascape environment will even help sick fishes to heal and recover faster.
Apart from the benefits stated above, other benefits include:
- Natural detoxification of the water as plants, together with the bacteria inhabiting the bottom gravel, forms a powerful purification cycle. They are able to detoxify the water as they use up the ammonium and nitrate created from the fish waste.
- The plants are able to reduce and limit the nutritional basis that supports the growth and blooming of algae.
- Plants convert carbon dioxide and enrich the water with oxygen.
Starting on your First Aquascaping Project
When you have finally found your aquarium decorations, you need to put together your creativity and artistic talents to build your perfect aquascaped ecosystem. It is also extremely important to remember that the aquarium decoration should not only be beautiful but has to also offer the fishes living in there an environment in which they would thrive in. The aquascaping should allow the fish the possibility to form territories, to hide and find shelter, to find suitable breeding grounds and also to perform any other behaviors that are characteristic to the particular fish species.
Before we begin, it is important to remember that the biggest factor in aquascaping is IMAGINATION.
Nothing is concrete. If you design something, create it and then find that you dislike it, take it down! Destroy and rebuild it as many times as you want until you are impressed. But one thing to make sure...that the lives in your ecosystem are not compromised! Remember to ALWAYS CARE FOR THE FISHES!
