#339: 300L Aquatic Garden Silent Pool

Steven Chong Tokyo, JP, United States

Awards and Comments

Second Place
The layout successfully creates a sense of a river bed it is full of wild biotope feeling perfect!
— Dave Chow
The idea to represent snowy scenery is very interesting but the layout doesn't have power. The hardscape is not so attractive and the most important thing the health of the plants is not so good.
The shadows in the corners and below the main log are too strong and minimize the visualization camp and the crossed driftwood causes a sense of interference in the layout and hinder the observer to appreciate the job.
Maybe more perspective or less interference in the middle of the layout would bring more personality and interest for observer to explore and travel through the job.
As I said a great idea but that it could have been executed in a more attractive way.
But without any doubt a great aquascape that impresses congratulations.
— André Longarco
An excellent work! The way the composition and use of color create a feeling of an alpine water system is amazing. I wish the plants were more established to bring it all together.

Excellent job!
— Marvin Lo
Stunning. The selection and usage of plants and hardscape displayed here is masterfully done to create this natural scene.
— Jen Williams

Aquascape Details

Dimensions 120 × 50 × 50 cm
Title Silent Pool
Volume 300L
Lighting MaxLite Pro x2
Filtration Eheim Pro E3
Plants Mayaca fluviatilis, Glossostigma elatinoides, Glossostigma elatinoides var. "Platinum", Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis parvula, Riccardia chamedryfolia, Spiky Moss, Flame Moss, Java Moss, Hemianthus Callitrichoides, Micranthemum "Monte Carlo", Hemianthus Micranthemoides, Microcarpaea minima, Blyxa japonica, Helanthium tenellum, Helanthium tenellum "Broad Leaf", Hygrophila araguaia, Süsswassertang
Animals Orange-Fin Danio, Leopard Danio
Materials California Tom Barr Stone, California Tom Barr Manzanita Wood, Other Wood (assorted, unknown)
Additional Information This scape is not a biotope layout, but I was inspired by the ethos of biotope scapes in my approach. To do this work, I did intense research on alpine pools-- starting here in Japan, but moved on to studying Europe in order to flesh out depth of reference material. My inspiration comes from the images/video of these rare mountain environments, where snow melt and spring water forms clear blue pools hidden in forest, populated by Trout and the few other species able to reach them. Most aquascapes take on a tropical feel, because we are using tropical species. In this work though I tried to use material color, as well as fish/plant selection to bring the "temperature" of the layout's appearance down low--giving a unique expression of cold, clear, blue water.

I also included my concept illustration and and hardscape photos for reference.

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