Sumida aquarium [Tokyo skytree] comparison pics from 9 years ago and today

[Dennis Wong]

Sorry, all handphone pictures, so newer pictures are captured by better phone cameras. Quite a lot of the color difference is due to camera issues and also they used different light sets back in the day (ADA grand solar? metal halides vs Solar RGB LEDs today).

2026


2017



2026


2017


2026


2017


2026


2017


2026


2017

 

[Dennis Wong]

Condition of plants from 2017 to 2026:
Since this is a plant focused forum, many will be curious about this. The aquariums have all generally filled out on epiphyte growth and the maturity of the ferns on hardscape look very good in 2026. However, while the tanks look better because they are fuller grown in in 2026, a lot of the plant growth (aside from ferns and lotuses) is of poorer quality. The stem plants were in much better shape in earlier years and now the deterioration has really set in. Similar to hobbyist tanks - more of the old growth could be removed, and replanting/enriching of substrate could have been done more rigorously. The plants that have done really well are the ones that grow well in lean conditions - the ferns mainly and the lotuses also seem to be in good shape.

These are all close-ups taken in 2026

 

[ElleDee]

Thanks for the report. Does ADA maintain these tanks, or aquarium staff? The English wikipedia page for the aquarium doesn't even mention this exhibit, so is it just a minor feature?

So do you think the lean dosing just leaves the whole system less resilient to shoddy maintenance, or the maintenance is the real issue and the lean water column may shape the problems that show up, but richer dosing would just reveal different problems?

It is weirdly reassuring to me though - this hobby isn't super easy and any tank can be inconsistent. I bet most aquarium visitors don't notice the problems though. To the casual viewer if the overall vibe is good, it's not so important to nail all the details. And really, I think that's a perspective even experienced hobbyists should keep in their back pocket for when things aren't quite coming together the way you wanted.

 

[Naturescapes_Rocco]

Yeah it's extremely reassuring to see some of the greatest tanks in the world still have deficiencies and algae. We're all in the same boat to some extent!

 

[JayP]

What I get from this is the dramatic appearance difference between old and new lighting. Let's be honest, the biggest pleasure from this hobby for most of us, is having these beautiful magical aquariums we can just sit and stare at for hours, and it's quite clear that staring at the tanks with the new LED lighting is more pleasing. You're always seeing people on FB and Reddit saying the high dollar lights are just a waste of money. They can grow plants just fine with cheap grow lights. I imagine even a few here might say that. But it's not just about light for growing plants, it's about light for stimulating our senses.

 

[CincyScaper]

What is the specific Java fern that ADA use which has the thin leaves ? Is it too big for a 60 or 90 P ? It seems not doing well based on the recent pic does it need periodic replanting ?