A taste of Brazil

This aquascape was created to depict a winding path surrounded by a rocky landscape, a design typical to what’s known as the Brazilian aquascape style. The bright vibrant stem plants at the back of the tank almost resemble a sunset behind rocky mountains.

In order to create a layout such as this, a high bank of substrate is required to support the rocks and create perspective. A base of porous lava rock was used to support the heavier rocks and reduce the amount of aquasoil required.

The rocks were arranged in layers but with the aim to create a finished piece that looked connected and accentuated the depth. Small rocks were used at the back of the tank and larger rocks at the front to create this sense of perspective. I made use of the strata lines in these rocks to create a direction of flow and contrast. You may notice that most of the rocks follow the same direction but some work against this flow and this is done purposely to create a sense of conflict or imperfection. The sand path was placed on top of the aquasoil followed with gravel details. With an army of shrimp moving the substrate, the maintenance to keep this sand path free from aquasoil granules was a challenge!