Customer Reviews

Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Given the glowing reviews I read on this site, I was somewhat disappointed with the book when it finally arrived. The general information is fine, as far as it goes, if on a rather basic level. I guess what annoyed me most was that the author makes only a half-hearted effort to use plants indigenous to the various biotopes he describes--for example, Anubias, an African genus, finds its way into the Amazon acid pool. Also, the lists of appropriate fishes are fairly sketchy. And maybe I'm alone in this, but I found it odd that none of the finished biotope aquaria are photographed with fish in them!

What I was hoping for was information on a par with that provided on the Italian website www.natureaquarium.it; this book, while pleasant enough, doesn't begin to reach that level of sophistication or specificity.

Is java fern found in an Australian river, I don't think so. This book is not accurate!
All of the aquarium displays are not even mature, probably because most of the plants would be quite unhealthy by the time the display is mature enough to photograph, very unprofessional!
Another example: there are no mangroves in the mangrove swamp design, Hygrophila corymbosa was used instead with the author stating it is a good substitute for mangroves, what the, right up until the brackish water kills it! What's almost as worse is that the heater is not even hidden in the aquarium background.

I'm going to start off by saying that this book is basically an updated version of "Creating a Natural Aquarium", by the same author. This being said I'm going to compare the two in this review.

"Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature" (ADIBN) is a very good book for anyone who has wanted to turn their aquarium from a mix and match display to a strict biotope aquarium. Its divided in two parts, the first is a "practical section" that covers the water cycle, substrates and decoration, plants, water conditions and planning. ADIBN goes into some detail on the subjects but doesn't go as far as a textbook and make it boooooring. It is good information for aquarists of all levels. In the other book, "Creating a Natural Aquarium" (CANA), the same information is covered in Part 1, but to a lesser degree and CANA omits some small sections. Part 1 of both books is really very similar and I wouldn't choose one based on the small differences. The important factor, in my opinion, the differences in part 2.

Part 2 of ADIBN covers more biotopes than Part 2 of CANA, which I will list below. The biotopes that are in both books are virtually the same, with ADIBN giving a little more information about each. In the following list I will list the biotope sections and then which book it is in.

Mountain Stream (CANA) split up in ADIBN
*Chinese Mountain Stream (ADIBN)
Central American Stream (BOTH)
Central American River (BOTH)
Australian River (BOTH)
European River (BOTH)
*European Lake (ADIBN)
Flooded Forest (CANA) Same as Below
Flooded Amazon Forest (ADIBN)
Amazon Acid Pool (Both)
*Downriver Amazon (ADIBN)
*Congo Whitewater River (ADIBN)
*West African Streambed (ADIBN)
Lake Malawi (BOTH)
Darkened Cave (BOTH)
*Southeast Asian Stream (ADIBN)
Southeast Asian Swamp (BOTH)
*Indian River (ADIBN)
Brackish Estuary (BOTH)
Mangrove Swamp (BOTH)

Personally I prefer Aquarium Designs Inspired by Nature because it includes a few extra biotypes and goes into a little more depth about each biotype. Aquarium Designs... is also a larger book so there are more pictures and they are larger. Aquarium Designs... uses the pictures from Creating a Natural Aquarium and adds a few. I like pictures, so this personal preference.

CONCLUSION:
If you want a little more detail and a few extra biotopes then go with AQUARIUM DESIGNS INSPIRED BY NATURE. If cost is a factor CREATING A NATURAL AQUARIUM is usually cheaper, and if you don't really care about the extra details missing CANA is as good as ADIBN. Both books are helpful in pointing you in the right direction and no matter which you pick you will be happy. ( I Hope) These are the best books I have found (so far) that describe natural environments for the home aquarium.
GOOD LUCK!

As a tropical fish keeper since childhood (35+ years) my aquariums always looked real "plain". Then I found this book. Not only does it have about 20 different proposed designs (like European River, Southeast Asia Swamp) but it them specifies the gravel type, plants to use, and fish to populate it with to make the real thing. You don't have to do all the things suggested but it give you great ideas to design your aquarium (or redesign it). It is packed full of color pictures and has plenty of advice. It is full color, hard back and 200 pages.

I really can't believe the author put as much time and effort into this book as he did.

Hi...I bought this book thinking it would help me design my first aquarium. Well, it does, if your fist aquarium is a biotope. I would not recommend this book for beginners who are looking for basic ideas to set up their first tank. It DOES have a great intro on fish, substrates and planting. In my opinion, this book is GREAT for someone who has earned their experience and is now up for a new challenge, ie, designing a biotope. If you don't feel like choosing particular types of rocks and gluing them together with silicone to make caves, or, varnishing bamboo inside and out, then, I would recommend that you search the web and look at pictures of other peoples tanks. If you want to set up an African cichlid tank or mangrove biotope, this book is perfect. I still give it 5 stars. Good luck.

As an experienced fishkeeper, I can't say I learned a lot from this book. However, I think it is an excellent overall reference for hobbyists above a beginner's level. The pictures are just gorgeous! Each of the 200 pages has at least one or two photos. You will definitely be inspired! The biotopte profiles are in-depth enough, but I feel Hiscock could have better explained how to actually assemble some of the tank features--namely the Chinese Stream waterfall. Although some of the plant types listed do not always "go" with the specified biotope, the finished product looks great and could be easily modified for the purists out there. The only complaint I have is that most of the designs are intended for large tanks. I think you could probably scale down some of the designs, but they might not have the same impact. Regardless, this is a great book for the money!

Wow, this book really helped me get through my "tank block". I sort of knew what I wanted but couldn't put anything together. Once I read this book, I got tons of ideas! This book contains not only several different aquascapes to mimic natural environments from all around the world, but detailed information on the plants, fish, substrate, and construction. If you want to do a biotope this is defintley a great starting point. Or if you're just looking for basic design ideas, this would definitley work too. Highly recommended.

Overall, this is a good book. It has impressive pictures of the aquariums as a finished product and plenty of info on how to make them look natural. The problem is, as several stated earlier, it is not always accurate. African plants are used in S. American setups, plants that can't tolerate any salt for an extended period of time are used in brackish setups. If you don't mind these inaccuracies, you can get plenty of ideas for your own aquariums. Amano's Nature Aquarium World books would probably be better for inspiration, but it's not a bad read overall.

I had the pet shop where I bought my fish design my first aquarium. Though I liked it at first, I quickly outgrew it. I didn't like all the artificial looking stones and plants. Furthermore, they placed in my aquarium a treasure chest that produced bubbles, and a water-mill. I also had a sunken ship and a deep sea diver's helmet. In other words, a very unnaturally looking aquarium that did not reflect a real environment.

After reading this book, I embarked on my second aquarium. This time, I designed it myself, planting real plants and using driftwood and natural gravel and stones (not artificially colored ones). I made it look close to an Amazonian flooded forest using the pictures in the book as a guideline. The result was amazing!

If you want to create a natural looking aquarium that mimics a real environment, this is the book to read. Plastic plants, artificially colored stones, sunken ships and treasure chests have no place in a real environment aquarium!

The book specifically is about freshwater aquariums. The author first explains how rivers are formed, describing the natural water cycle. He then goes on explaining how mountain streams, lowland streams, tributaries, main rivers, lowland swamps, and brackish waters are created. All this background information is necessary for you in recreating the natural environment in your aquarium.

The author then explains how fishes live and how evolution (though very briefly) works. The anatomy of fish is also briefly explained. The author just gives enough information to the reader to understand the natural environment, and in no way overcomplicates things or tries to be overly descriptive and scientific. He keeps the information very basic and easy to digest (not mentioning enjoyable to read).

The author then introduces the reader to the different substrates available, giving the advantages and disadvantages of each type. He also gives advice on what type of natural decor to use.

The really interesting section is on using live plants. I never really considered using live plants until reading this book. Though much care and maintenance is needed, a live planted aquarium mimics a real environment. It will also be a joy to watch your plants bloom and flower.

Another important section concerns creating the right water conditions for your fish. For example, some fish require a water ph lower than other fish. The temperature of the water is also an important factor. Not all fish have the same water temperature requirement, so you have to carefully choose what fish to mix together.

The book gives great illustrations on how to create your aquarium resembling the following natural environments: Chinese Mountain stream; Central American stream, Central American river; Australian river; European river; European lake; flooded Amazon forest; Amazon acid pool; downriver Amazon; Congo whitewater river; West African stream-bed; Lake Malawi; a darkened cave; Southeast Asian stream; Southeast Asian swamp; Indian river; brackish estuary; and a Mangrove swamp.

After reading this book you will be able to create a natural environment in your aquarium specific to the type of fish you have.

While most people tout the pictures, I find the Hiscock's description of the different ecosystems fascinating. For example, most people know, at the most, that Zebra Fish come from Eastern India. This book, however, goes quite a bit further in explaining what someone would see if you visited this fish's natural habitat. This book makes you appreciate where your fish come from and motivates you to recreate its environment so that your fish live a happier life in the aquarium.