Aquascape of the Month September 2009: "Bonsai Garden"

September 2009 Aquascape of the Month

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Bonsai Garden

by Vincent Tan

INTRODUCTION

My name is Vincent Tan. I am 22 years old, and a student of the National University of Singapore. I must admit I am no aquascaping expert, however I am deeply intoxicated by this addictive planted aquarium hobby. It is a learning process every day for me as I venture deeper into this amazing realm.

My experience with planted aquariums has definitely been a long and winding journey, filled with its very own ups and downs.

I started off with Marine aquariums as I was fascinated with the vibrancy of the colours brought out by live corals and exotic fishes. Marine aquariums are an amazing learning process, with the influx of knowledge on landscaping, compatibility, chemistry, light spectrum and equipment. It provided a tremendous insight into the aquarium world.

Soon after, I began to realize that Freshwater planted aquariums have their very own distinct beauty. They are able to bring out a scenic view much like the ones depicted in a portrait. It provides a sense of tranquil and peace. Therefore tapping on my expertise in Marine keeping, I was able to pick up the ropes of planted tanks and Crystal Red Shrimps keeping. The greenery and scenic effect was simply too alluring to resist, and therefore I began my journey with the planted aquarium, coupled with shrimp keeping.

It is lovely to have 2 types of aquariums in my living room: Marine Reefs and Freshwater Planted.

My Marine tanks provided a unique insight into the life of the ocean, sort of like looking at the symbiotic lives of corals and livestock through a micro lens.

On the other hand, Planted tanks provide a macro view of picturesque landscapes, either with the stunning view of mountains, forests, or in my case, a Bonsai Garden.



AQUASCAPING TECHNIQUES

Recreating a Japanese Garden

The Bonsai Garden was inspired by the beauty epitomized by the petite yet graceful bonsai plant.

I envisioned a tranquil and scenic portrait of a beautiful aquatic landscape of a Japanese garden in my living room; right across the lively bold colours of my Marine aquariums. I pictured an elegant bonsai plant, with branches stretching right across the tank, with little pieces of fine leaves budding out the tips and edges, exactly like a well-trimmed bonsai tree.

Underneath the sturdy trunk of the bonsai will be a lush and neat undergrowth of small bushes, with a fine green carpet stretching across the whole foreground. In the middle of the picture will be two stone paths, splitting out from a mysterious overhanging cave where I fancy the Crystal shrimps will convene.

Arranging the Bonsai Garden

One large piece of bogwood was chosen and sawed to perfection for my layout. It embodies the life and versatility of a true bonsai plant. The winding trunks and long out-stretched branches was exactly what I was looking for in my hardscape, and it would be the centerpiece in my aquascape.

It was aligned towards the left of my tank, so as to allow the over-hanging branches to look over the rest of my landscape, and provided a three-dimensional feel to my ‘garden portrait’.

Small pieces of slate rocks were stacked to create the terraced sloping effect of a stone path, and the dark colour also created a stark contrasting effect when the ivory-white Crystal shrimps cruise across the pathway while grazing on the lush greenery.

Striving Towards Perfection

To be honest, I am guilty of not knowing any ‘Visual Rules’ and not adhering to any when I first planned the layout for my planted tank. I had always ‘went along with the feel’ when scaping my tanks, as I believe that ultimately we all want a tank that harmonize with our homes, and one that we can call our own.

However, I drafted out tons of sketches for the layout of my planted tank, and I put it down to pencil and paper whenever I had a new idea or vision. This is a very crucial stage in my aquascaping process as it forms a mental picture of what the outcome will be like, and once decided, I will strictly adhere to the layout and source for the perfect candidates for my project.

Starting with the bogwood, I cut and trimmed Marimo Moss Balls into shapes and sizes that I require, and tied them to the branches or edges of the bogwood using nylon fishing line that are transparent, and won’t disintegrate.

The Hemianthus callitrichoides carpet was planted into the soil the conventional way, in sparse bundles, and it was just a matter of time and patience before it grew into an astounding foreground carpet.

However when it comes to the Fissidens fontanus, a different approach has to be taken as it is neither self-attaching nor rooting. Instead, a wire mesh was needed to tie the fronds onto, such that it will flourish into a luxuriant fleece bearing delicate fronds.

Subsequently, given proper care and patience, growth of the plants was rewarding and it developed into the Bonsai Garden portrait that I envisioned it to be.


GREATEST CHALLENGES

Certainly, maintaining my Bonsai Garden has its challenges, just like all other planted aquariums.

One such problem is that the Hemianthus callitrichoides tend to be extremely fast growers, and if untrimmed, they will soon overwhelm and smother any other plants next to them. Monthly trimmings have to be done to keep the lawn in shape, and in its own territory.

Concurrently, being a student, one challenge was of course, to juggle my studies and my hobby. Therefore, much of the planning and scaping process was done during my summer break, and when school starts again, it would be a monitoring process to anticipate the growth of my plants.



Time is always a constraint for everybody. I learnt that being busy is not an excuse to give up the dream-plan of developing my own unique aquascape.


FINAL THOUGHTS & ADVICE

I would like to show my gratitude to Aquascaping World for appreciating the hard work and effort I put into my Bonsai Garden. It certainly means a lot to me, and has fueled my passion for the aquascaping hobby to create even more and better pieces of artwork in future. This is certainly a milestone in my aquascaping hobby, and a moment I will never forget.

Ultimately, every hobbyist is an artist. Every aquascape is an artwork.

Each aquascape that every hobbyist performs will be unique to its own, regardless of size or methods. Like they always say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Click here to view Tank Specifications

Click here to view Plant and Fauna List

The scape has a lot of visual pleasing objects but lack on the structual parts. Some balance in the placement of foreground would have been good.

The small bushes and bonsai tree is done very well. Plant health is great.