Custom Aquascapes…. what’s the deal?
Aquascapes are essentially a way of landscaping an aquarium. They are for the most part an aesthetic thing but there is generally no reason for them to not include plumbing or even the entire filtration system. They can look like anything but the ones we offer attempt to create a more realistic environment for both the viewer and the fish.
From the outside looking in it can be a startling effect as it comes closer to completing the illusion of a window into another world. For me that is what a show tank is all about.
Click the picture to see the tank 4 months later.
The Benefits
There are a number of benefits, some obvious, some not so much.
The biggest benefit is obviously appearance but once you spend time with one of these systems you will see that fish often behave differently. My best comparison is the difference in the way fish act when the water is not to their liking vs. when it is. The fish loosen up and relax.
Part of this probably comes from these tanks requiring fewer fish to feel complete. Most aquariums today, especially the Rift Lake Cichlid tanks, depend on high stocking levels to keep the aggression level controlled in the tank. I have kept a number of some of the most aggressive African’s in systems like these with minimal aggression issues including a breeding colony of Sunflowers in a community tank. It also is a way of keeping the interest level high from outside the tank as well. With a properly scaped tank both goals can be realized without over stocking.
Even a common Comet fish becomes much more interesting in a scaped aquarium.
Part of it likely comes from the improved water quality. We use all natural materials in the creation of these tanks and the Aquascape itself quickly becomes part of the filtration system for the aquarium jut by virtue of the bacteria that it becomes host to. This is true of both freshwater and salt water scapes.
We generally build the aquariums plumbing into the scape as a means of eliminating what has always been a terrible eye sore to me. The heater, the filter intake, the return flow can all be hidden in the scape. The return lines are generally designed with several hidden return jets to increase currents to keep debris suspended long enough to be caught by the filters. Once again it is a win win. All the mechanicals vanish into the scape and at the same time the functioning of those mechanicals is improved.
Finally we build different levels into the tank to support different types of fish. Good water and lots of hiding places helps calm the fish but giving enough territory to support the fish you have does wonders for your community. I have commonly kept combinations of fish that many will tell you is a recipe for disaster but in the right scaped tank I’ve produced some amazing completely stable communities doing so.
What are the limitations?
The only real limitations, and it varies with the different styles of scapes, is that it is not easy to rearrange large parts of the aquarium and that fish can be very difficult to catch.
The aquascaped aquariums are in my opinion some the nicest show tanks available. They are time consuming to create and two months is about the normal lead time but it is well worth it. If you want an aquarium that takes it all to the next level you have to give this some thought.
Ways to get a scaped aquarium
There are a variety of ways to get one of these tanks. Many people build their own and for a basic scape it is not that difficult. They are often made out of styrofoam with concrete applied over the surface like the tank below. I’ve built many of these and I’ve seen many more built by others and I will say it take either an artistic person or an experienced person to make a nice one.
This is an example of a complete custom install by Quinte Reef System. We started with a blank wall and built what you see here. The custom aquascape in this aquarium not only includes all of the plumbing but the complete filtration system as well.
How do you get one of ours?
Well call us or email us at the shop. We typically need 2 months lead time to get one ready for delivery and a typical scape like the ones shown on this page (55/65 gallon tank) will cost approximately $500 with full plumbing. We require a non-refundable 30% deposit.
