What is Nature Aquarium Style?

The Nature Aquarium style, popularized by Takashi Amano, mimics natural landscapes—mountains, forests, valleys—inside your tank. Combining carefully selected plants, stones, and driftwood, the nature style creates harmonious, living underwater scenes. This method focuses on balance and evokes the serenity of untouched environments, making it a favorite among intermediate and advanced aquascapers.

To dive deeper into the history and philosophy, check out our guide on What is Nature Aquarium Style?.

Planning Your Nature Aquascape

Every successful nature-style aquascape starts with a solid plan. As an intermediate aquascaper, you’ll want to:

• Research Nature Scenes: Photograph or sketch natural inspirations for your aquarium layout.
• Choose a Focal Point: Decide if your tank will feature an iwagumi rock formation, driftwood centerpiece, or forested path.
• Consider Scale & Perspective: Use size differences between foreground, midground, and background to create depth.
• Select the Right Tank Size: Larger tanks allow for greater detail, but even small aquariums can shine with the right composition.

Planning helps reduce mistakes and sets you up for a balanced, sustainable aquascape.

Choosing and Arranging Hardscape

Hardscape—rocks, driftwood, and stones—forms the backbone of every nature-style layout. Here’s how to approach it:

Types of Hardscape Material

• Rocks: Seiryu, Dragon Stone, Ryuoh, and Lava Rock
• Driftwood: Spider wood, Malaysian wood, Manzanita

Arranging Your Hardscape

• Use the golden ratio or rule of thirds for placement.
• Aim for asymmetry to mimic nature.
• Anchor large stones and wood securely in the substrate for stability.
• Layer smaller stones and branches for realistic detail and flow.

Learn more about hardscape selection and techniques in our in-depth guide.

Substrate and Nutrient Foundation

A thriving nature aquascape relies on a healthy root zone. Use a nutrient-rich aquarium substrate with an additional base layer if needed:

• Aquarium soil: ADA Amazonia, Fluval Stratum, UNS Controsoil
• Nutrient additives: Root tabs or mineral additives for demanding plants
• Sand/gravel paths: For realistic river or pathway effects

Shape the substrate with slopes and elevations to guide the viewer’s eye and enhance perspective. Be sure to gently mist the substrate before adding plants to prevent compaction and dust.

Planting Your Layout

The plant selection and arrangement are key to the nature aquarium style. Combine various leaf shapes, sizes, and colors for a vibrant, natural look:

Foreground Plants

• Hemianthus callitrichoides (Dwarf baby tears)
• Eleocharis parvula (Dwarf hairgrass)
• Marsilea hirsuta

Midground Plants

• Cryptocoryne species
• Staurogyne repens
• Bucephalandra species

Background Plants

• Rotala rotundifolia
• Ludwigia palustris
• Vallisneria species

Planting Tips

• Use planting tweezers for precise placement.
• Plant densely to prevent algae and establish stability.
• Mist plants as you go to prevent drying out.
• Attach epiphytic plants (Anubias, Bucephalandra, mosses) to wood or rocks using thread or glue.

For plant inspiration, visit our guide to the best aquascaping plants.

Establishing Flow and Maintenance

Consistent water flow and proper maintenance are the keys to a healthy nature-style tank:

• Use an appropriately powered filter to create gentle, natural current.
• Set up CO₂ injection for lush growth and to minimize algae (optional but recommended for intermediate scapes).
• Fertilize with comprehensive liquid or dry nutrients.
• Perform weekly water changes (30-50%).
• Trim plants regularly to maintain shape and light penetration.
• Monitor for algae and adjust lighting, nutrients, or flow as needed.

For more information, read our aquascape maintenance checklist.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overloading with too many plant species—keep the palette simple for realism.
• Neglecting elevation and substrate slopes, which can make the layout look flat.
• Placing hardscape symmetrically or inline with the tank glass.
• Ignoring the importance of water chemistry and CO₂ for advanced plant growth.
• Skipping maintenance, leading to algae outbreaks or unhealthy plants.

Next Steps and Resources

Mastering the nature-style workflow opens the door to creative aquascaping possibilities. For more learning:

• Explore our Aquascaping Ideas for layout inspiration.
• Read the Aquascaping Beginner’s Guide if you need a foundational refresher.
• Join the Aquascaping Academy Community to share tips and get feedback.