The Green Machine's 1800 Litre Aquascape 'Bones of the Earth'

May 01 2009

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

It is not often in the entire world that an 1800 litre freshwater tropical aquarium is set up and it is rarer still that one is on public display. That is why it is with great pleasure that we at The Green Machine are publishing this journal to document the re-scape of one of our main in store display tanks.

Setup Specifications

Step by Step

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

After the big strip down all that is left is the messy substrate and lots of work ahead.

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

Once the existing gravel had been sorted and piled up within the aquarium for me to see what I was working with, the enormity of the project hits me and Im left feeling quite overwhelmed.

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

Half of the substrate was left in the aquarium for me to bed the main stones on. Here the first stone weighs in excess of 50KG.

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

The main stone formation is starting to take place. It was around this time that I felt a sense of the surreal as I was aquascaping from within the aquarium, something that does not happen every day on this scale.

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph
The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

I chose to use ADA aquasoil Malaya as the planing medium. I chose the Malaya soil as it complements the soft tones of the fossilised wood and decorative sand. It creates a much more harmonious and natural display.

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

Here I use a two inch paint brush to work the sand into the gaps in the rock.

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

ADA Sarawak sand is added to the unplanted foreground.

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

The hardscaping is complete.

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph
The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph
The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph
The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

The planting is complete.

The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph
The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph
The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph
The Green Machine's 1800 litre display tank by Graeme Edwards - 'Bones of the Earth' - photograph

Photograph taken April 2010 by Tony Swinney

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