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I'd like for this thread to be a dedication to Dutch Style aquascapes. Post your favorite Dutch style scapes. More importantly I'd love for this thread to be a place for folks to educate others and add their $0.02 on the "how to" of the Dutch Style. It's very hard if not impossible to find video or thread links for build from scratch & maintenance for this style. I'd like to see tips on pruning / trimming / training plants to get that look as well as tips / tricks on getting good light / nutrient distribution though such jungles / blockades w/o risk of algae or poor plant health. How do we "convert" our existing scapes (or overgrown jungles) into a Dutch inspired scape one would recognize as such.
You see ADA stuff and Iwagumi styles (noted as very beautiful in their own right) about 95% of the time. The dutchy's appear far superior to me personally from a "degree of difficulty". I like many love the Dutch style aquascapes but as some recent TPT forum posts have mentioned there's not much in the way "marketing" them like the Amano styles. In my opinion these scapes are the most gripping and awe inspiring and a testament of truly understanding the hobby / art of diverse plant keeping.
Here's basically the only thing I've seen thus far for pruning/trimming (very helpful but only a very small piece of the puzzle): http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquascaping/57960-pruning-timeline.html
I found the info below via this link, which provides some of the basics of the style: http://www.aquabotanic.com/?p=946
One definition of Dutch Style:
The traditional Dutch planted aquarium is defined as an underwater garden where plants are arranged in groups that compliment each other to make up an overall composition that shows contrast in color and shape, as well as depth of field.
Some of the "rules" / guidelines:
Overall layout and composition of the aquascape.
- No more than one plant species for every four inches of tank length. Use of color and contrast
· Appropriate number of fish to the size of the aquarium and schooling fish should be at least ten
· Overall health of the fish and plants
· Appropriate levels of nitrate, phosphate, and hardness
· Gravel or sand should be very low against the front glass
· All equipment should be out of view
- At least 80% of the aquarium floor should be planted
- The Dutch “street” is a pathway of low growing plants set at the viewing angle and ascends toward the rear creating depth of field
- Terracing is a component; substrate is raised in areas most often using only driftwood. Plants are also attached to wood solely for the purpose of creating the illusion of an ascending substrate
Willem van Wezel is one of the revered veterans of this tradition now is active on the Dutch online forum called Veni Vidi Vissie, ...to help educate young people who are interested in the hobby......he also writes Dutch magazine, The Aquarium. I was unaware that there's a forum for exactly what I'm looking for...the "How It's Made" & maintained of the Dutch Style Aquascape...now if only I'd learned German the language. Any of these in English ?
A few inspiration pics to get us started...let's create more of these or at least tanks with some of the aforementioned guidelines !
You see ADA stuff and Iwagumi styles (noted as very beautiful in their own right) about 95% of the time. The dutchy's appear far superior to me personally from a "degree of difficulty". I like many love the Dutch style aquascapes but as some recent TPT forum posts have mentioned there's not much in the way "marketing" them like the Amano styles. In my opinion these scapes are the most gripping and awe inspiring and a testament of truly understanding the hobby / art of diverse plant keeping.
Here's basically the only thing I've seen thus far for pruning/trimming (very helpful but only a very small piece of the puzzle): http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquascaping/57960-pruning-timeline.html
I found the info below via this link, which provides some of the basics of the style: http://www.aquabotanic.com/?p=946
One definition of Dutch Style:
The traditional Dutch planted aquarium is defined as an underwater garden where plants are arranged in groups that compliment each other to make up an overall composition that shows contrast in color and shape, as well as depth of field.
Some of the "rules" / guidelines:
Overall layout and composition of the aquascape.
- No more than one plant species for every four inches of tank length. Use of color and contrast
· Appropriate number of fish to the size of the aquarium and schooling fish should be at least ten
· Overall health of the fish and plants
· Appropriate levels of nitrate, phosphate, and hardness
· Gravel or sand should be very low against the front glass
· All equipment should be out of view
- At least 80% of the aquarium floor should be planted
- The Dutch “street” is a pathway of low growing plants set at the viewing angle and ascends toward the rear creating depth of field
- Terracing is a component; substrate is raised in areas most often using only driftwood. Plants are also attached to wood solely for the purpose of creating the illusion of an ascending substrate
Willem van Wezel is one of the revered veterans of this tradition now is active on the Dutch online forum called Veni Vidi Vissie, ...to help educate young people who are interested in the hobby......he also writes Dutch magazine, The Aquarium. I was unaware that there's a forum for exactly what I'm looking for...the "How It's Made" & maintained of the Dutch Style Aquascape...now if only I'd learned German the language. Any of these in English ?
A few inspiration pics to get us started...let's create more of these or at least tanks with some of the aforementioned guidelines !
