- Thread starter
- #21
I will be there. Booked for the Shizuku class on Sunday, too. So looking forward to it!
Welcome to ScapeCrunch
We are ScapeCrunch, the place where planted aquarium hobbyists come to build relationships and support each other. When you're tired of doom scrolling, you've found your home here.
Aquashella 2026 - Edison, NJ
- Thread starter Capraquaria
- Start date
BranchScape
Active Member
We did the same plants but different stone I did Jaguar.
- Thread starter
- #24
I love the jagure stone. Works pretty well with Hakkai, too. I used a little in my 150.
BranchScape
Active Member
Same I just wish I could get it easier and it wasn't $$$$. I need to go hunt for some cool local rock I can commercialize.
- Thread starter
- #26
Heading off to the airport! See you soon, New Jersey!
- Thread starter
- #27
- Thread starter
- #28
Ok, first day recap. While the contest aquascapers were busy scaping, @Noahspapa and I were hanging out watching Daichi Araki scape a lovely Nature style aquarium in an ADA 90P, with a South American theme. Typical ADA powersand/Amazonia subtrate with additives, but using the new ADA Madeira sand for the foreground. Hardscape was 'driftwood' with ADA Yamaya stone (available here in the US through Aqua Forest Aquarium in SF).
Ryan Noel, who I met at breakfast in the hotel, doing initial introductions
and Daichi Araki about to introduce the history of ADA and Takashi Amano.
His aquascape started with the Maderia sand, and the hardscape, before the subtrate was added in the back. Always fun to watch others scape, and how we all do things a little differently. I tend to do my soil before the sand. Hardscape was completed, and moss tied before the lunch break.
Had a front row seat before lunch. Was a couple of rows back with a less straight on view for the planting, but this was the tank once planted. Bolbitis, various Echinodorus, a rare Nymphaea species that apparently stays very low with high light, Anubias Nana and Nana Petite, and Microsorum Petite.
After this session, I wandered a bit to look at the scaping contest tanks, and I'll post a few pics next, and was introduced to Nick Kinser, the manager of Capital Exotic Fish that's located in DC, and discovered how small the world is, as he went to High School in Santa Cruz, CA. I lived in Santa Cruz until my move out to Virginia a few years ago. Definitely need to make a trip out to Capital, as it sounds like they are probably my best local hardscape in-person resource.
Had to restrain myself on purchases, as I need to get the Shizuku on the plane tomorrow, but I am still currently working on a game of suitcase Tetris for my mini haul. $8 a Tropica TC cup could not be passed up, with the free shirt and towel thrown in!
Ryan Noel, who I met at breakfast in the hotel, doing initial introductions
and Daichi Araki about to introduce the history of ADA and Takashi Amano.
His aquascape started with the Maderia sand, and the hardscape, before the subtrate was added in the back. Always fun to watch others scape, and how we all do things a little differently. I tend to do my soil before the sand. Hardscape was completed, and moss tied before the lunch break.
Had a front row seat before lunch. Was a couple of rows back with a less straight on view for the planting, but this was the tank once planted. Bolbitis, various Echinodorus, a rare Nymphaea species that apparently stays very low with high light, Anubias Nana and Nana Petite, and Microsorum Petite.
After this session, I wandered a bit to look at the scaping contest tanks, and I'll post a few pics next, and was introduced to Nick Kinser, the manager of Capital Exotic Fish that's located in DC, and discovered how small the world is, as he went to High School in Santa Cruz, CA. I lived in Santa Cruz until my move out to Virginia a few years ago. Definitely need to make a trip out to Capital, as it sounds like they are probably my best local hardscape in-person resource.
Had to restrain myself on purchases, as I need to get the Shizuku on the plane tomorrow, but I am still currently working on a game of suitcase Tetris for my mini haul. $8 a Tropica TC cup could not be passed up, with the free shirt and towel thrown in!
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #29
It was a zoo after lunch, but I did grab a few pics of some of the contest aquascapes in progress.
I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with our fellow Scape Cruncher, Jeff Miotke, earlier in the day, and this is his tank as some finishing details were being added. I really love this wood structure, but my tanks with driftwood so far all arch down, including a manten stone and manzanita tank I threw in a dark start before I left, so I am quite partial to that style at the moment.
Hiep Hong, TX @hiepthehuman
Asa Bennett, NC @asascapes
Shelby Kaye Brown, FL @shelbykayescapes
Eduard Kim, PA @kim_eduard_art
These were all 'in progress' pics. I will try and walk around early in the morning tomorrow before the crowds show up and catch a few more I couldn't get close too this afternoon. More tomorrow...
I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with our fellow Scape Cruncher, Jeff Miotke, earlier in the day, and this is his tank as some finishing details were being added. I really love this wood structure, but my tanks with driftwood so far all arch down, including a manten stone and manzanita tank I threw in a dark start before I left, so I am quite partial to that style at the moment.
Hiep Hong, TX @hiepthehuman
Asa Bennett, NC @asascapes
Shelby Kaye Brown, FL @shelbykayescapes
Eduard Kim, PA @kim_eduard_art
These were all 'in progress' pics. I will try and walk around early in the morning tomorrow before the crowds show up and catch a few more I couldn't get close too this afternoon. More tomorrow...
Thanks for all the pics! It looks great!
