Ultima clase del curso...Fotografía!
Y ya llegó la última clase del curso de paisajismo de AQA Espai, dedicada a la fotografía.
Repasamos los conceptos, el material y las técnicas para hacer una buena foto a un acuario y los alumnos pudieron practicar con sus cámaras y sus acuarios.
Después de 8 meses, se terminó lo que ha sido el primer curso de paisajismo creado por una tienda de Barcelona. Ha sido una experiencia muy gratificante y que sin duda repetiremos el año que viene.
Si estáis interesados recordar que tan solo hay plaza para un máximo de 5 alumnos y que las inscripciones ya están abiertas en AQA Espai.
Muchas gracias a los alumnos y a AQA Espai por confiar en mí!
Repasamos los conceptos, el material y las técnicas para hacer una buena foto a un acuario y los alumnos pudieron practicar con sus cámaras y sus acuarios.
Después de 8 meses, se terminó lo que ha sido el primer curso de paisajismo creado por una tienda de Barcelona. Ha sido una experiencia muy gratificante y que sin duda repetiremos el año que viene.
Si estáis interesados recordar que tan solo hay plaza para un máximo de 5 alumnos y que las inscripciones ya están abiertas en AQA Espai.
Muchas gracias a los alumnos y a AQA Espai por confiar en mí!
Alevines Daltum
Os dejo un vídeo rápido hecho con el móvil de como están hoy los 8 alevines que siguen creciendo.
Crias Daltum
Ya hace aproximadamente un mes que nacieron los pequeñitos y este es su estado actual :D
En el foco BEYOND THE NATURE de Gary Wu
152 x
51 x 58 cm
How you got inspired to create this scape?
This idea
in my mind for a long time, it is inspired by a Japanese cartoon movie
"Laputa" or translated name "Castle in the sky" by Mr.
Hayao Miyazaki, the movie first launched in 1986. However, when my layout released, that is the
year when movie “Avatar” showing and there also have some floating land in the
movie so some people thinks my idea is come from that movie.
Why did you choose this name? what was the
purpose?
The series
of Hayao Miyazaki's cartoons are full of environmental concern. The movie
describe the flying cites is the remained part of an unknown civilizations
after the unspecified catastrophe. Without human disturb, the flying city
become part of the nature with tree covered and full of vegetation. By that time, human are happy and back to a
basic living standard without a lot of high technology and living in a peaceful
world. However, because of discovering
this flying city, those governors like to own this high technology city and
begin to fight and finally destroy everything. From the background of the
movie, you could imagine that without human disturb the city. Even the city
full of technology but it is peacefully in the nature environment. The human's
selfish and greed destroy this peaceful world.
(The illustrated picture shows the three stages of the flying city)
After human destroy, it gradually merge with the nature and peacefully living
in the sky.
Thinking of
this peaceful flying city without human disturb, it would become part of the
nature and everything harmonize together. My idea of this aquascape just wants
to present this condition in the scape. What the movie describes may be happen
in the future very soon if we keep on destroying our global. The name Beyond
the Nature likes to address something beyond our age and something happen that
higher related to our nature.
Have you prepared any kind of draft or drawing
previous to set-up?
This layout
stretch some rough layout, the ideas just want to replicate this peaceful
flying city in the nature environment. But sometimes when an idea turn to a
picture, there is something in your mind, every part in the movie is the
outline of my scape that include a full of vegetation flying city, A gentle
breeze on the grassland, a blue sky……
A proportion
is very important to a nature style layout, the size of every component in the
tank have to consider carefully. The flying land is on far end, so all the leaf
shape should be small. On the flying land I choice moss as the major plant. On
front end, even a small plant, the visual proportion are bigger, so even I
choose hair grass at the front end, it would look like weed at the slope.
Can you tell us how
you make the flying land? It was allways in the aquascape or you add it for the
pic?
The flying land are on the day one when setup,
I would not do a fake photo touch up to my scape, When I decide to replicate
this flying city, actually I already have idea how to make this flying land by
create an illusion effect to hold the flying land on the glass of the backside.
I often have some excess plant after trim or some plant that I not use for the
layout but want to keep. I have a spare tank to keep these plant, there are a
lot, I cannot plant all at the substrate so I would use some sucker to hold
some plant on the glass surface. Those sucker actually is for fixing the tube
in the tank, it have different diameter so I could hold a bundle of plant
together and suck it on the glass surface.
The sucker that I use to hold the base of the
flying land is the type for partition the tank. Sometimes, people would use
this accessories and with a piece of acrylic board to divide the tank into two
to avoid the fish fighting. I use three of this type of sucker and two piece of
plastic grid form a reverse triangle shape that already provided a sufficient
support to the flying land. (see attached image) After the base formed, the
next step is to position those small stone and those moss and Anubias.
In what style would you rate the design of your aquarium?
It hard to
define, may be Imagination, Creative with Nature, the only thing I would stick
the rule is theme driven, if just layout an aquarium without any theme
associate, that aquarium for me are without soul and just an aquarium or
picture. I like to express sometime from my layout, which is something like a
picture could communicate with you. I write up something that related to this
rational behind in our Aquascape Book to express this idea, The whole concept
and style of an aquascape I call it CAST of aquascape that contain four basic dimension
"Creative", "Aesthetics", "Setup" and
"Timing".
Why you choose this fauna for this set-up?
A basic
clean team like shrimp, Beehorn Snail, Otocinclus Affinis and Hyphessobrycon
herbertaxelrodi. The basic clean team is a co-living fauna in a healthy tank that
help to balance the eco system in your tank.
Did you get any algae in any moment? Why you
think it happened? How did you eliminate it?
Very lucky,
this setup without any algae issue, I think this is the most easy maintenance
layout other than what I create before. After I arrange every plant into
position, I just wait for the front end hair grass to spread, only trim few
time on the flying land because of over grow. I think regular water change help
a lot. I also observe in winter time, an aquarium easier to control than
summer, especially in our location. In winter time our room temperature is
about 22˚C without using any heater, it is
very suitable for most of plant grows and this layout was setup in Autumn. I don't think algae can be eliminated,
especially in tropical zone, higher water temperature will activate a lot of
reaction that include algae and bacteria, once the water parameter is suitable
for their reproduction, they would grow. I don't think we could control every
part of our aquarium to keep in an ideal condition, especially for aquascape,
we put everything together are base on aesthetics not let plant naturally grow
with proper density. We trim it, the fauna we choice may pollute water and our
filter system cannot 100% remove all the wastage effectively. All these
uncertainty would turn the water parameter out of the safety zone. How to fix
it? Start to think how to control algae grow rate, once the algae grow rate is
lower than what the procedure you remove them, algae would gradually gone. It
could by your cleaning fauna team, water change, reduce fertilizer and reduce
light power. However, you have to aware that the change in water parameter
should be in acceptable condition, because in some location, the tap water
parameter is not suitable for plant grow, like the GH is too high, under this
situation, a water regulation have to apply like proper pre filter process.
Have you done a regular photo-follow-up of the
set-up? Photography helps you to have a clearer image of the development of the
aquarium?
Usually, I
only take photo in the setup stage to check if the components are on the right
position, I seldom take step journal of my creation. About two week before the
final photo, I would take a snap shoot to check if there is overgrow or any
final adjustment has to apply. Some people like to take step journal to review
every stages, however I seldom make a lot of adjustment at the middle stage and
I like to let the plant grow freely a while to enhance some nature feel, so for
me not necessary to rely on photo to make change.
What technique you used for the finish picture?
The flying land give you problems with the lighting?
As usual, I
would prefer professional spot flash instead of using the original aquarium
light, the flash could support me with the flexibility to adjust different
combination of lighting requirement, like this layout, the shadow area under
the flying land have to consider, I have to use a standalone spot light to let
the shadow area not too dark. I also use a strong power at the right hand side
to enhance the depth of the layout.
Have you added or removed any fish for the
final picture?
This group
of Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi already in my tank for four year, I cannot
remember how many generation they delivery. Every year, I saw some small fish
born and some old fish pass away. It is around half hundred in my layout. There
is no need to retouch the photo for adding extra fish or remove them. Hyphessobrycon
herbertaxelrodi is one of my flavour fish for aquascape, once they scare, they school
easily, the only decision I have to choice is the schooling direction after photo.
What techniques you use to group the fish for the photo?
To make
them scare or unsecure is the easiest way to let them schooling, but sometimes
you don't have to do anything they would feel unsecure. When I set up the
lighting, usually I would use black cloth to wrap around the tank to avoid
reflection, when the surround area suddenly turn dark, they would start
schooling, when using flash light, they would even scare and often schooling
during I take the picture.
This set-up was created for contest purposes
and will be “dismantled” after the last picture or do you have the intention to
keep it for the long run? Do you submit to a contest again this year?
I would not
label my creation only for contest, however to gain awareness and to join the
community, to participate contest is a plus. Usually, the life cycle for my
creation are six month to about a year,
this is not because I don't want to keep them, the major issue is whether you
could have infinity tank to setup new layout and you have time to maintain all.
In my house, I already have four tanks but only one or two would have layout,
the rest are keeping plant, so after the layout is matured, you would have
decided how long you keep it so you could have resource to design your new
layout. I would not turn it over after the picture, because it is the best
moment at that time. I would try to slow down everything, reduce the light and
less fertilization so to control the grow rate. This best moment could keep
about a month then if by that time I have new idea, I would turn it over, if
not, I would keep it at a low consumption level.
How old was the tank when you ran the photo contest?
I cannot exactly remember the life cycle of
this layout, I just remember that I start in Autumn and take the photo around
summer time next year. When I know I get the second prize of AGA, I still
keeping that layout.
Once you finished the scape and after the final
picture, what do you think could be improved on the set-up?
My review
process always during the development cycle, it is seldom after photo. If I
really find something I have to adjust, I would take another photo after the
adjustment and that become the final picture. If you are an experience planter,
you could control the plant grow to your desired condition. If you are a good
aquascaper, you could visual your final layout when you sketch your layout.
Planning is very important to me. If really want to find some improvement, I
would replace the mid-ground Blyxa japonica. Originally, I want to put
something there to balance the floating land on the left, but the leaf shape is
too large that spoil the proportion of the visual
Every year we see better hardscapes, with fewer
plants. Think you are forgetting the real essence of the planted aquarium?
I think I
still keep the balance of hardscape and plant. My latest two layouts "Angkor
Wat" and "Great Fall" almost with full vegetation.
To balance
the hardscape and plant is one of tactic of a layout, but it is not necessary,
I saw those African Cichlid's tank just decorate with stone are also with good
visual. In my opinion, plant are not necessary in all aquascape. The term
"Aquascape" not just means fresh water planted tank. It only present beautiful
decorated aquarium, a sea water aquarium also have good aquascape without any
plant but coral.
However, I
also observe a lot of layout start replicate different landscape into the
aquarium, their objective already not to use aquatic plant as main component;
they just want to show a landscape in the tank. Whether it is a good trend or
bad, I am open-minded. What I against some of the hobbyist start to build a
model in the tank just for their interest and create an eye catching layout,
they just use plant and hardscape as media to build that model not to create a beautiful
and balance aquatic world for plant and fauna.
It was a pleasure for me to have the chance to
interview you, would you like to add anything else?
Thank you
for your interview, hope my view would help the other and like to see more
people enjoy this activity.
Aquarioscaping (Concurso Aquarios Plantados)
Nuestros amigos Portugueses de Aquariofilia.net, organizan este concurso de acuarios plantados que cerrará inscripciones el 4 de noviembre.
Podéis visitar su foro para saber sobre las normativas y los premios!
Mucha suerte!
Puesta de los Altum!
Después de varias puestas fallidas de una pareja de Altum, esta vez los pequeñines han aguantado y están a punto de empezar a nadar.
Supongo que será difícil que salgan adelante en el acuario grande con los demás peces, pero la naturaleza a veces puede sorprendernos.
A ver si tengo la opción de hacerles fotos nadando con los padres!
Supongo que será difícil que salgan adelante en el acuario grande con los demás peces, pero la naturaleza a veces puede sorprendernos.
A ver si tengo la opción de hacerles fotos nadando con los padres!
Taller Low-Tech en AQA Espai!
Os presento el nuevo taller que AQA Espai ofrece el sábado 15 de septiembre!
"Vuelta al Cole!
TALLER GRATUITO "MONTAJE ACUARIO LOW-TECH by PELE"
Volvemos con fuerza para presentaros el próximo taller. Esta vez montaremos un acuario de 160 litros al alcance de todos los aficionados.
Sábado 15 de Septiembre a las 11:00 en AQA Espai.
Interesados en asistir enviar un e-mail a info@aqaespai.com o dejar mensaje en facebook"
Montaremos un acuario muy sencillo y muy vistoso! No faltes!
"Vuelta al Cole!
TALLER GRATUITO "MONTAJE ACUARIO LOW-TECH by PELE"
Volvemos con fuerza para presentaros el próximo taller. Esta vez montaremos un acuario de 160 litros al alcance de todos los aficionados.
Sábado 15 de Septiembre a las 11:00 en AQA Espai.
Interesados en asistir enviar un e-mail a info@aqaespai.com o dejar mensaje en facebook"
Montaremos un acuario muy sencillo y muy vistoso! No faltes!
Amasonic
Como comenté en mi última entrada, he rehabilitado el 270 litros para que mis Altum estuvieran más cómodos. La idea no era hacer un paisaje trabajado sino más bien un acuario agradable de observar, con mucho espacio de nado y muy poco mantenimiento.
Las plantas que he utilizado son: anubias nana, bolbitis y cryptocorine.
Con solo estas 3 especies y 3 kg de raíz roja he reformado el acuario de esta manera:
Ahora toca, como siempre, esperar a que las plantas crezcan. Cuando las cryptocorines ocupen toda la esquina trasera y el bolbitis crezca, el acuario lucirá muy distinto.
Os mantendré informados de la evolución del Amasonic!
Las plantas que he utilizado son: anubias nana, bolbitis y cryptocorine.
Con solo estas 3 especies y 3 kg de raíz roja he reformado el acuario de esta manera:
Ahora toca, como siempre, esperar a que las plantas crezcan. Cuando las cryptocorines ocupen toda la esquina trasera y el bolbitis crezca, el acuario lucirá muy distinto.
Os mantendré informados de la evolución del Amasonic!
Riubok, tiempos de cambio
Hace ya un año que monté el Riubok, un acuario destinado a mantener un grupo de Altums. Mi idea principal era que el mantenimiento fuese lo más cómodo posible.
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Estoy en una época dónde no me interesa participar en concursos, sino disfrutar de la esencia de la acuariofilia y con este acuario lo he conseguido al 100%.
Con un cambio de agua cada 15-20 días y un abono semanal, este acuario ha funcionado a la perfección, libre de plagas de algas y con un crecimiento saludable.
Este agosto ha funcionado prácticamente solo, con comedero automático y dos rellenadas de agua, y no presenta síntomas de deterioro.
De todas formas, este acuario sigue teniendo algunas especies de plantas de crecimiento rápido que ocupan demasiada zona de nado. Los Altum han crecido y cada vez necesitan más espacio, por lo que he decidido realizar un cambio drástico y total al acuario. La idea ya está en mi cabeza, ahora solo falta que encuentre el material necesario.
Os mantendré informados!
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Estoy en una época dónde no me interesa participar en concursos, sino disfrutar de la esencia de la acuariofilia y con este acuario lo he conseguido al 100%.
Con un cambio de agua cada 15-20 días y un abono semanal, este acuario ha funcionado a la perfección, libre de plagas de algas y con un crecimiento saludable.
Este agosto ha funcionado prácticamente solo, con comedero automático y dos rellenadas de agua, y no presenta síntomas de deterioro.
De todas formas, este acuario sigue teniendo algunas especies de plantas de crecimiento rápido que ocupan demasiada zona de nado. Los Altum han crecido y cada vez necesitan más espacio, por lo que he decidido realizar un cambio drástico y total al acuario. La idea ya está en mi cabeza, ahora solo falta que encuentre el material necesario.
Os mantendré informados!
Escuela paisajismo AQA Espai, vacaciones.
Llega el temido mes de agosto para los acuarios, pero nuestros alumnos deberán estar pendientes de sus acuarios si los queremos tener en condiciones para finales de septiembre.
Fotos David Guarch.
A los que os vais varios días o semanas, recordad de hacer un buen cambio de agua, abonar y dejar el comedero automático en funcionamiento para no encontrar sorpresas al volver.
Que tengáis un buen verano!!!
Fotos David Guarch.
Que tengáis un buen verano!!!
IAPLC second Round
Este año las votaciones del IAPLC són distintas a los años anteriores. Después de una selección previa, los participantes y el jurado puede votar por internet los favoritos entre los 200 acuarios escogidos.
Estos son algunas de las obras de arte que se pueden ver en la galería del concurso.
Quiero felicitar a mis compañeros Bernat y Pep por encontrarse dentro de esta selección!!!
Estos son algunas de las obras de arte que se pueden ver en la galería del concurso.
Quiero felicitar a mis compañeros Bernat y Pep por encontrarse dentro de esta selección!!!
Escuela de paisajismo AQA Espai, primera poda!
El sábado pasado hicimos la 4ª clase del curso de paisajismo AQA espai y pudimos ver como se hace la primera poda de control y sobretodo la limpieza exhaustiva del acuario en general.
Añadimos las primeras gambas y algunos Otocinclus affinis a la espera de los peces que ha escogido cada alumno.
Todos los acuarios van por muy buen camino...próxima clase en tres semanas!
En el foco CONTROLED FURY DE Jeff
Size 273 Liters
How you got inspired to create this scape?
Desired a lush scape with many shades of green that was low maintenance. I don’t believe I used an actual image I just went with a feeling.
Why did you choose this name? What was the purpose?
Because I felt the scape had a wild nature, but was somewhat controlled by the use of slower growing plants the name was born.
Which techniques you used for to make the distribution and fixation of every kind of solids?
I knew I wanted a main area off center and I seemed like that would be a good place to fill out the wider part of the bowfront tank. The rest of the solids feed from there. The center is 18” and the sides are only 12” so it was a challenge.
Have you prepared any kind of draft or drawing previous to set-up?
No, I just had in my head basic layout then just went with my feeling.
To arrange the distribution of solids and plants, are you following any kind of previously studied proportion or simply you improvised as you work on the scape or followed your intuition?
Yes, definitely intuition of what I thought would look good once it filled in.
How you arranged the first planting (without water? Keeping just the soil wet? With the aquarium full of water?
The very first planting was done with a little water and then filled quickly so the plants wouldn’t dry out since they were all submersed grown.
When you added the animals?
I take my time to add animals. I like to get the setup the way I want it and have conditions stabilize and see healthy plants growing well and good water clarity. So probably at least 1 month before animals were introduced.
How do you add nutrients in the first weeks of set-up? (co2, N, P, K, microelements…)
Pressurized co2 added at start-up via a ceramic diffuser. I don’t add anything else 1st month since I have nutritive substrate.
Do you change the amount and the method of fertilizing when the aquarium is already mature?
After 1st month or so I go full NPK as per high-end EI dosing guidelines. I don’t really change after that since I go pretty high-end from this point.
With wich parameters of water do you like to work?
My water is pretty soft KH 2, as mentioned I go high on all added macros.
How and how much light you put on the aquarium? What colour light do you use?
This setup has PC/CF lighting. 4x65 with a 2 bulbs on 8 hours and 4 bulbs for 2. They are a mix of 6500 and 10000k color.
What kind of water have you used and which criteria you use for water-changes?
I use tap water for this setup and stay consistent with 50% water changes weekly. As long as NPK added this is fine for fish and plants.
Did you get any algae in any moment? Why you think it happened? How did you eliminate it?
I really didn’t. I take many proactive steps to avoid algae. Consistent water change, organic removal media, low livestock, shorter light duration at startup.
Do you have any preference for the first “pruning”?
I pruned where I felt I needed more space between elements.
How you do the pruning ?
This setup of course being mostly slow growers I didn’t have to do alot of pruning. When there wasn’t enough space between different elements or glass I just selectively pruned those áreas.
In any moment in the initial steps you moved the solids as you were not convinced with the result?
Yes, I did fine-tune some of the solids to move them into better position.
Have you done a regular photo-follow-up of the set-up? Photography helps you to have a clearer image of the development of the aquarium?
Yes for the first few months I took regular pictures and did use them to make adjustments.
What kind of photographic material and technique you used for the finish picture?
Not being an advanced photography, especially during this scape I used only tank lighting which consisted of the 4x65 CF fixture. Pretty basic, took pictures at night with all lights off in room.
Have you added or removed any fish for the final picture?
Unfortunately for this scape many of the better full tank pictures did not show the Congo Tetras that were put in. I simply went with best pictures at the time.
This set-up was created for contest purposes and will be “dismantled” after the last picture or do you have the intention to keep it for the long run?
I didn’t originally setup for a contest, but did enter AGA. The setup known as ‘Controlled Fury’ was setup for about a year.
Once you finished the scape and after the final picture, what do you think could be improved on the set-up?
One think I missed was careful trimming of the moss. When I took some final pictures I hadn’t trimmed close enough and became some point of distraction and non conformity.
Have you used any kind of Photoshop for this scape? Do you think image edition should be acceptable in the contests? Which limits would you fix for this, if any?
I didn’t, but I can see allowing one to lighten dark areas, etc, but not change color or manipulate content. Obviously good photography goes along way in communicating detail which sometimes would not be evident without this skill.
It was a pleasure for me to have the chance to interview you, would you like to add anything else?
I would just like to thank you for doing what you do. It’s hobbyists like yourself that allow this to be viewed as an art form. It will hopefully continue to evaluate this art to higher levels, especially in the United States where it has a long way to go.
Escuela de paisajismo AQA Espai, plantado!
Hoy hemos realizado la tercera clase de este curso y por fin hemos plantado y llenado los acuarios!
Piedras, troncos, cuba, utricularia, rotalas, didipilis,.....para todos los gustos y colores.
Ahora toca esperar a ver como evolucionan las plantas, ir manteniendo los cambios de agua, la limpieza y en aproximadamente un mes nos volvemos a ver para la siguiente clase.
Ahora toca esperar a ver como evolucionan las plantas, ir manteniendo los cambios de agua, la limpieza y en aproximadamente un mes nos volvemos a ver para la siguiente clase.
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