Tom Ryan outlines the steps he follows when planning, building and submitting his aquascapes for the International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest (IAPLC) in which he placed an amazing 22nd in 2024.
This is the 4th of a series of 6 articles covering the following stages of contest aquascaping:
PREPARATION
IDEOLOGY & CONCEPT EVOLUTION
HARDSCAPE DESIGN
PLANTING, MAINTENANCE & ADJUSTMENTS
PHOTOGRAPHY
FINAL PHOTO
Planting contest aquascapes
This is what I referred to earlier in the series as the paint pallete used to bring your work to life! Plant health, plant integration and plant selection are all factors which play a key role in the overall ranking of your work.
Many aquascapers appear to often rush this step, not putting as much time into choosing plants as they do for the hardscape. Leaving not enough time for planting usually results in a lack of maturity or integration for the final photo.
In the past, I would ‘throw’ plants at an aquascape after I filled it with water more in hope than having an actual plan. I have learnt through trial and error that it is extremely easy to ‘overdo’ it by adding a lot of different species. This generally creates a confused planting arrangement with no sense of unity.
The colours, textures and size of each plant should work in harmony to create a natural look. The advice of Takashi Amano always sticks in my head when planting. “If you plant a particular species on the right side of the tank, you should also plant it on the left”. The key is that the plant selection should link with the overall theme of a layout and help to tell the story.
If we visit Aquasabi.com for example, there are over 500 aquatic plant species available in the market. So, why limit ourselves to using the same type of plants that are readily available over and over again!
For me, I like to start brainstorming ideas for planting at the ideology and concept evolution stage. For example, in my previous IAPLC works I focussed on a specific region of the world. I limited the plants to those found in that specific part of the world.
For my latest contest aquascape I took a different approach. I decided to begin with a specific combination of plants, connected through the works of Takashi Amano.
Yes, you can create a unique layout through the hardscape design alone, but plants can also create something unique. A great example of this is ‘Red Alert’ by Nobphacha Yimyou. This aquascape used Nymphaea in a unique way to grasp the judges attention and achieve rank #4 in IAPLC 2023.
The red colouration of Nymphaea is a striking addition to planted aquariums. Photo by Shutterstock
Planting 'Closing'
In ‘Closing’, I wished to pay tribute to Takashi Amano’s early Iwagumi creations. By using ‘traditional’ plants like as Glossostigma, Riccia and Eleocharis. I used this strict plant palette, with the overall goal to create a ‘wabi-sabi’ feeling using only three species.
Despite the limited plant selection, I believe its simplicity helped to create an elegance and a sense of nostalgia. This was not possible through the hardscape design alone. Without this plant selection, there is no connection to Takashi Amano’s early works.
I found it useful to sketch a planting plan to ensure a layout stays true to the overall theme as it matures. For me, this is one of the most important steps. I try to make this as detailed as possible to use as a reference during maintenance.
Related article: Here are 5 easy and beautiful stem plants to get you started in aquascaping.
Maintaining a contest aquascape
The maintenance stage is less about creativity but more about ‘going through the motions’. The aim is to keep on top of the overall vision for the aquascape. This is the stage where a good routine is essential to ensure you dedicate enough time to the day-to-day husbandry.
Consistency is key through small and frequent water changes to keep water quality stable. For me, reflecting on my planting plan helps to focus my attention on the vision I want to create. This ensures that I keep on top of plant maintenance in a way which matches the vision in my planting plan.
I also like to reduce the maintenance required during the first month of an aquascape by doing a ‘dark-start’. You can find more details regarding my maintenance schedule in my rough guide below!
Water Parameters for my aquascape
I monitor the TDS (total dissolved solids) of my aquascape to keep it within the 80-110ppm range. I use RO water, remineralised using Sera Mineral Salt and Sera GH/KH plus to do this. You may get success using tap water if you are lucky enough to have good quality water locally.
The aquarium heater maintains a constant 23°C (73.4°F). I like to add aeration at night to increase oxygen levels by using the lily pipes.
You can test your aquarium water by using a simple liquid test kit.
Weekly Maintenance Guide
Week 1-3: ‘Dark-start’ cycling of the tank (filter running with aeration through lily pipes. No plants, light or Co2)
End of Week 3: Planting
Week 4 onwards: 30% water change every 3rd day siphoning any detritus build-up. Refer to planting plan every fortnight for trimming/ maintenance (more regular at final photo stage). Filter maintenance varies (done when reduced flow is noticeable).
Making adjustments to your aquascaping
Generally speaking, the adjustments stage is relatively simple. As long as you have a clear theme, good hardscape and detailed planting plan it is obvious when you need to make tweaks.
I usually make adjustments to improve the reflections when the fish tank has water in. The side reflections of the tank are hard to judge without the presence of water.
For ‘Closing’, I changed the angle of the stone on the left side to make the reflection more prominent. The overall layout feels more panoramic than the true tank size with this adjustment.
I also find it useful at this stage to ask the aquascaping community for feedback. They will be able to critique your aquascape against your initial concept. This will help to elevate your work to the highest level.