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Ecoarium: Inspiration

Onoma1

Member
Joined
12 Aug 2018
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570
Location
West Yorkshire
I was able to visit Ecoarium in Porto earlier today. I was blown away by their aquascapes and in particular their 150cm Iwagumi. I wanted to take more photos, however, the light was too strong to take many and those that I took didn't turn out particularly well.

A couple of things were of interest. The first was that they used duckweed in some of their tanks in the same way in which @Matt @ ScapeEasy does. The second was the extensive use of emmerced growth. The third was that their tanks didn't follow a diorama style and instead seemed to focus on dense growth and a more natural style of nature aquarium. My favourite in the shop was a shallow tank. It reminded me of the types of environment I went pond dipping in as a child - dense planting (almost overgrown) with a small 'beach area'. Like a cross section of a clear, small slow flowing stream.

I wondered if anyone on the forum knows more about the tanks in the shop? Are the approaches used typical of a Portuguese style? If indeed there is a Portuguese style! I would be grateful for any further information.
 
I wondered if anyone on the forum knows more about the tanks in the shop? Are the approaches used typical of a Portuguese style? If indeed there is a Portuguese style! I would be grateful for any further information.
Actually met the owner of the store when I visited Oceanario with Filipe Oliveira and a load of other aquascapers from around Europe couple years back, they have a Facebook and Instagram page that you can follow for more information. That 150cm tank was scaped by Filipe if I am not mistaken.
 
Hi all,
The first was that they used duckweed in some of their tanks in the same way in which @Matt @ ScapeEasy does. The second was the extensive use of emmerced growth. The third was that their tanks didn't follow a diorama style and instead seemed to focus on dense growth and a more natural style of nature aquarium.
This sounds great. I don't know their rationale, but these are all things that simplify tank management and make maintenance of water quality a lot easier.

I have tried to publicise this approach as the <"Duckweed Index">, but the same <"basic concepts were advocated">, long before me, by Horst and Kipper in the "Optimum Aquarium" and Diana Walstad in "Ecology of the Planted Aquarium".

cheers Darrel
 
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