# Above and under (with video)



## niko

Well, some years ago Amano ventured into a new dimension of planted tanks - the open top tanks with plants sticking out. The effort was to expand the aquarium beyond the "world in a glass box".

From this:









To this:









Today we have the Riparium supply guy showing that you can actually stress more on the above the water vegetation and make beautiful tanks:










In Britain they approach the tank sideways too. Look at 00:59 on this video:





Well, there is another dimension of the tank still left untouched. Almost that is - the Japanese have gone there allright, but it is not emphasised very well. They do show pictures of it, but I don't think anyone has really looked into taking that further:

*Expose the roots.*

Now, you may not consider exposing the roots in some way the greatest idea on Earth. So watch this video:





Now tell me the root growth is not something astonishing and beautiful. The roots is where some of the major processes in a plant's live happen. If you are looking at the developing roots you are looking at life making its way in the world with very little between you and that miracle of creation.

I don't know if an aquarium can have this clear gel as a substrate. I'd think not.

But an aquarium filled with this clear gel substrate and with terrestrial plants planted (or emersed, why not) could be very interesting depending on how it's displayed.

What do you think?

--Nikolay


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## Michael

I don't know if the gel would work in an aquarium, but I enjoy watching root growth in my Walstad tanks. Good root penetration into the soil substrate assures me that healthy conditions exist there.


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