Whether in a nano aquarium or a giant tank: aquascapes in the Nature Aquarium style can be created in any aquarium size. Redesigning a very large aquascape is not so easy, so it is important to set up such layouts in particular in a way that lets you keep them looking beautiful over a long period. In this issue we look at the 7-meter-long aquarium "Grassland and Stone Landscape" at the Sumida Aquarium, which has been standing for a very long time and is a typical super-large aquascape.

NA Water and the Cation Filter - for optimal water in the aquascape that promotes good plant growth and allows a long lifespan

Two NA Water units installed at the back of the seven-meter aquarium are connected together because a large amount of water is changed here. One container holds a sediment filter as a pre-filter and an activated carbon filter; the other holds two cation exchangers. The picture shows an old model of the NA Water.

Why was the Glossostigma not growing properly? The tap water was the decisive reason here.

The seven-meter tank at the Sumida Aquarium bears the title "Grassland and Stone Landscape". It has existed since the aquarium opened six years ago. Glossostigma, a very popular foreground plant in the Nature Aquarium, was also used here for the grassy part. The ADA staff responsible for the care of this aquarium, however, were concerned because the plants were not growing well. There are many factors to consider in plant growth: the nutrient supply through the substrate, the lighting intensity and the CO₂ content of the aquarium water, to name just a few. Glossostigma grows only hesitantly, especially in hard water. Normal tap water is used for this aquarium, but the hardness was not stable. The content of dissolved solids was 20-50 mg/l, but from time to time it shot up to over 100 mg/l. We therefore decided to run a Cation Filter on this aquarium, which lowers the general hardness. This allowed the dissolved solids content to be kept permanently below 20 mg/l, and the Glossostigma recovered astonishingly quickly. If you are struggling with very hard tap water, the ADA Cation Filter can really be worth it!

Red neons are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in water parameters. With the help of an activated carbon filter in one NA Water container, the water change can be done very relaxed, since this filter removes any chlorine that may be present from the water.

Unzan Stones are a kind of lava with which you can design a stone landscape very well. They do not affect the water hardness. It is therefore enough to provide soft aquarium water by means of a filter so that the Glossostigma grows properly.

Source and copyright of the article/photos - Aqua Design Amano - ADA