Are you interested in aquascaping? But size is not equal to complex. When the tank becomes even smaller, say, 50cm-this kind of setup actually calls for considerable precision and creativity, and a deep understanding of life in minature as it operates within an aquatic ecosystem.
A 50cm aquarium is small. In the limited space, however, aquascaping can radiate a hybrid appeal like no other. Spectacle distilled into one small but nonetheless exquisite and affective display.
I have been experimenting with various types of tanks for years but I think that the 50cm aquascape is truly an interesting challenge. To me, it’s like making a small bonsai tree-every choice has to be very intentional, every placement of plants meaningful, and all the hardscape must be carefully chosen.
THE BEAUTY OF A 50cm AQUA
One thing I particularly like about putting together smaller tanks in the 50cm range is that it requires you to come up with new ideas. If there is only so much room and other tools, you cannot throw in large rocks or a few pieces of driftwood to construct grand structures. Instead, the designer must give careful thought on how to scale down those components without losing an excellent sense when completed aquascape can offer grandeur and depth.
When everyone suffered, one fun little story: a few years ago now I entered a local aquascaping contest; thinking it would be as easy as winking, I entered with the now famous 50cm tank. Yet I hadn’t even considered the need to fuss so much over every little detail of my scape. The result was that I spent an entire week rearranging hardscape-just a few rocks here, some sticks there, slightly different levels of sand In the end my family thought I was making a fuss about nothing but for me it was like painting a large pictures with an exceedingly small brush indeed.
In a smaller tank, the tiniest imbalance will show up immediately. I have very vivid memories of setting up the hardscape for that competition. After while, I thought everything was just perfect. Then stepping backward to admire my handiwork, one tiny rock on the left side could be seen as being out of place. It was a few millimeters at most but to the eyes of this size tank that made all difference in world. So I spent yet another hour that rock again and again until it worked into the larger scene not to stand out on its own.
And this brings me to a basic tip for aquascaping a 50cm tank: patience an precision are everything. When you’re working on smaller scales like this, everything catches the eye. So you must make sure nothing stands out by accident at all. Whether it’s the curve of a branch or the texture of the substrate, every element should work harmoniously with all others in its design.
But despite the challenges, aquascaping a 50cm tank is immensely rewarding. There’s something very nice about creating a whole world within the limits of a small space. And then things are properly arrayed, it plays in three dimensions too. You find yourself asking all time one question, ‘How can we give this undersized little box more scope? ’
In a 50cm tank, one of the biggest challenges is creating that sense of depth. Without careful placement and design work, a small tank can appear flat and overcrowded. Fortunately, over my years in the hobby I ’ve developed some techniques which seem to consistently help me avoid this pitfall. For example, on each 50cm project I do I like to use a combination of substrate gradients, well-placed hard scape elements and cunning plant selection. By doing so, an astute observer might find that the tank itself seems more spacious than in reality – or at least than they were at first inclined to believe.
In one of my earlier 50cm projects, I sought to create a canyon-like effect. I began by raising the base at back and two corners of tank. This slope could be seen no matter which direction you looked in; it created a natural focus point right in the middle of the layout, so at least there was something that my mind’s eye could latch onto as being infinite. Because of this, one felt as if the whole development stretched out for miles Off beyond the actual boundary where glass met man-made world.
To make this feeling even stronger, I put taller parts of driftwood and stone at the back which gave a higher feel. For smaller, more delicate materials in foreground contrast with these. A trick I learned from the great Takashi Amano was to use texture difference between background and foreground plants. In this particular scape, I had Rotala rotundifolia and Ludwigia arcuata at the back to add height and splash of color, while carpeting front with a tough perennials like Monte Carlo. It was not just the measure of large, bushy plants at rear and small, delicate ones in front that made for an impression of depth — but rather a dynamic effect which appealed to 50cm tank.
I will never forget the first time I used this technique in a tank of this size. At the time, I was holding a small aquascaping workshop at a local hobby shop; and when I unveiled the tank, reaction was overwhelming. People were just beside themselves with astonishment at how you’re actually able to get that sort of depth out of a 50cm setup. Which I can truly recommend to anyone attempting a small tank—it has paid off handsomely for me. It’s a technique that has stood me in good stead, and I encourage anyone attempting a small tank to try it. Some other important points to consider in a tank of this size include the need for a balance between open space and planted areas.
when working with a 50cm tank, it’s all too easy to overload in plants and hardscape After all, there’s so much choice these days in terms of plants and materials! But from my experience I have seen that in smaller tanks like this less is often more. Overcrowding can make an aquarium feel jumbled and detract from the overall effect. Instead, what I always aim to achieve now is a balance between planted areas and open spaces. This creates a more natural environment that is restful and tranquil. Just the job on a nano aquascape for friends. They wanted something luxuriant and jungle-like, yet we were working within a 50cm cube.
After planting the tank, it became apparent that we had just gone too heavy-handed. The plants were crowded out / jostling for room and hardscape was completely lost in the foliage. So we started over. Taking out about 30% of plants allowed more breathing room. The difference was night and day. By leaving some open space – especially to the front – what was left has some room for healthy growth, and the whole scene is in better balance. It was a valuable lesson of retrenchment, which I still try my best to follow in all my smaller tanks.
Of course, layout is just the first part of it. Keeping a 50cm aquascape going over time requires careful planning, especially as regards plant growth. In a small tank, fast-growing plants if left unchecked can quickly come to dominate everything else in there. For smaller rigs, I’ve learned to be very sparing in my choice of plants. Domed plants like Cryptocoryne, slower-growing species, Bucephalandra: those are the kinds I prefer planting because they’re easy to take care of and don’t need to be constantly pruned. Having said that, I always introduce at least one very fast-growing species–such as stem plants–to help soak up excess nutrients and keep the water quality high.
It is essential to have slow-growing and fast-growing plants in the right ratio. So, I had a 50cm tank which started out as a Dutch-style aquascape, filled with colored stem plants of all shapes and sizes. It looked gorgeous but I found myself trimming plants every week within a month–the constant maintenance became a chore to live with. In the end, I replaced some of the faster-growing species with slow-growing alternatives. It made the tank significantly easier to manage yet retained its visual impact.
Really, it’s about establishing that equilibrium which suits your lifestyle and design goals.
Equipment and Water Parameters: Precision in a 50cm Tank
In a smaller tank, your margin for error is slight indeed. The water parameters that can swing wildly-are thus much more important, and your selection of equipment is crucial to getting great results. My 50cm aquarium I’ve spent untold hours trying different types of filters, lighting, and CO2 setups. Through trial and error I’ve come to the conclusion that a few pieces of equipment are now absolutely indispensable for tanks this size.
The first thing for any aquarium owner is to have proper filtration. Wherever a water circulatory energy is lacking in a small tank, such as in the Carribbean graybeard’s bowrider, we cannot pause but do battle until the inescapable dead zone is reached. And here lies the cruxen of an ironic tragedy that must plague every citizen who lives in some place without plumbing systems That’s why in any aquarium with a base of 50cm I prefer an external canister filter. More reasonably priced than internal filters, it offers a wealth of grating options and keeps the tank itself clean.
For filters in my 50cm setups I’d like to single out one of the Eheim Classic series. It’s compact and reliable. When you have a tank of little more than 50cm, you want to buy a filter that keeps the water really clean but does not upset it too much. The Eheim Classic series I find just right. It is an elegant solution where the power and performance of a filter is ultimately determined by the user I remember a time when I underestimated the importance of good filtration in a 50cm tank. I was using a smaller internal filter, thinking it would be good enough.
But soon I was dealing with problems in the water quality- algae outbreaks, pH fluctuations and plants meling away. When I switched to a filter with a lot more capacity than what an internal piece would allow, that completely cleared up the same problems that had been troubling me up until then. It was a clear demonstration of how, even in a small tank, having to right set of equipment makes all the difference and then some!
