20 GALLON PRIDE ROCK

Here we have a 20 gallon glass aquarium sitting atop a metal tube frame style stand. This type of stand is a unique aesthetic as the filter and pressurized carbon dioxide systems are exposed. The design is kept consistent throughout, as the tube style design is also used with the arm that suspends the light fixture. The aquarium appears to be floating with the use of this tubular framed design. Some aquariums are incorporated into a living space as another piece of furniture, this is an alternative that still retains a simplistic and modern design. 

The display is an arrangement of Yamaya stone on a bed of Amazonia ADA soil. The largest stone is placed in a way that would still be prominent even months after when the plants have fully grown in. A hardscape layout can be arranged aesthetically by itself, but keeping up the aesthetic with plants is a challenge as the display is dynamic. The plant choices and maintenance techniques govern the end result of the display.

Two types of foreground plants were utilized, there is the Hemianthus callitrichoides in the front and Utricularia graminifolia in the rear left. The Utricularia grows slight taller than the Hemianthus, thus it is propagated in the back. The Hemianthus is unique as it is actually a perennial carnivorous plant. Each leaf has little pods which are bladder traps that capture small organisms. The Hemianthus will fill the foreground nicely as a thich carpet.

Here we can see how the aquarium has grown and filled in the spaces surrounding the stones. After about 3 months the foreground plants have created dense carpets. The stem plants have also filled in the areas where they were propagated. The intent was to create an open space to still accent the stone layout without overpowering the display with too many background stem plants. 

Filtration: Eheim Ecco 80
Lighting: 70 watt HQI Metal Halide
Substrate: ADA Amazonia
Carbon Dioxide: Pressurized