Interview with Liquid Nature
Behind Liquid Nature are the aquarium designers Philip Schwarz, Stefan Graf and Alexander Hecht from Austria. This group has made Nature Aquarium keeping and aquascaping its big cause and pursues these topics with particular passion and dedication. Their designs are at a very high level, which was also reflected in 2018 in corresponding IAPLC placements in the Top 100. They have also already taken home one or another prize in other aquascaping contests, such as the EAPLC, The Art of the Planted Aquarium or the Austrian Aquascaping Award.
Taking part in competitions has always motivated them to improve their layouts and was largely responsible for their progress. They are repeatedly excited by new ideas and concepts and try to integrate them into their scapes. It was precisely this drive that led them to travel to Magdeburg in 2017 to take part in "The Art of the Planted Aquarium". The trip brought them new like-minded friends and first international successes. The seemingly endless drive home ultimately led to their team building (at that time as APS- Aquascaping).
Introduction
In the meantime, the three have turned their passion into a profession and opened a great gallery in Vienna with a focus on aquascaping and Nature Aquarium keeping. We would now like to introduce the creative aquarium designers from Austria in a little more detail. Liquid Nature consists of:
- Name: Stefan Graf
- Age: 28 years
- Place of residence: Vienna
- Occupation: Owner of Liquid Nature
- Personal: I have always been an animal lover and enthusiastic about keeping and breeding fish.
- Focus in aquascaping: Nature Aquariums and colorful layouts with classic stocking.
- Name: Philip Schwarz
- Age: 24 years
- Place of residence: Vienna
- Occupation: Owner of Liquid Nature
- Personal: Always enthusiastic about nature, out and about a lot, and fascinated by water as a habitat.
- Focus in aquascaping: Dioramas, detail-loving layouts and lush plants.
- Name: Alexander Hecht
- Age: 31 years
- Place of residence: Vienna
- Occupation : Physician
- Personal: Great passion for the medium of water; for over 15 years I have been fascinated by Takashi Amano's Nature Aquarium keeping.
- Focus in aquascaping: The Nature Aquarium and variations on the classic Nature Aquarium.
The interview with Liquid Nature
Aram Schneider (AS) had the opportunity to ask the people from Liquid Nature (LN) a few questions.
AS: "When and why was this team founded?"
LN: "We have been keeping aquariums since childhood and became aware of Takashi Amano's Nature Aquarium independently of each other. We pursued the hobby with enthusiasm and thereby came together in Vienna.
An aquascape by Alexander Hecht.
Over the years we have learned to set up aquariums attractively and to keep them healthy and clean over the long term. Soon the wish arose to meet other lovers of this special hobby and to exchange ideas with them. Taking part in "The Art of The Planted Aquarium 2017" in Magdeburg was finally the starting signal for our joint project. After this successful trip, we decided to found the Facebook page "APS-Aquascaping" as a platform for publishing our aquarium layouts and thereby spreading our hobby further. Our team was able to gain recognition beyond the borders of Austria and celebrate numerous successes in national and international competitions. In 2018, "APS-Aquascaping" became Liquid Nature."
AS: "So what is Liquid Nature all about?"
LN: "With the idea of turning our hobby into a profession, the concept "Liquid Nature - Aquarium Shop & Gallery" came about. In our store we above all want to present and inspire. We are of the opinion that this hobby deserves considerably more attention, and we are convinced that it will get it through proper presentation and explanation.
Besides our large showroom, in which we show our layouts, we offer everything necessary for modern aquarium keeping in the store. In addition, on request we bring our customers a piece of nature to their homes that delights them. That means we deliver finished layouts to our customers or set up the aquariums on site. On request, we also maintain them. For us, an aquarium is not just a vessel for fish but a small world of its own, a piece of nature that you bring into your home. Every aquarium is unique to us and can convey very different moods. In principle, it is an art to combine the various plant species, fish, shrimp and so on in an overall concept so that a healthy ecosystem with an aesthetically appealing form can emerge."
"Methusalem Cliff" by Philip Schwarz.
AS: "What characterizes your collaboration?"
LN: "Our professional careers and personal experiences differ, which brings together many different qualities that complement each other and lead us to success. Our collaboration is characterized by the fact that we support each other in our projects, e.g. with final shots, setup, aquarium planting, trimming etc. With new setups, it is always important to us not to change the other person's setup style but to help them with the necessary tasks. More eyes and hands simply get more done in the end.
Ultimately, our collaboration is what made the implementation of the "Liquid Nature" project possible in the first place."
AS: "How and when did you start the aquascaping hobby? Where are your roots?"
LN: "Aquarium keeping has accompanied us since childhood, and independently of each other we came across Takashi Amano. Through his way of designing, we finally came to aquascaping."
AS: "What or who inspires you for your design ideas? Are there particular role models?"
LN: "We try to find a lot of inspiration in nature, and it does not matter at all whether it is entire landscapes, individual stones, trees, roots or just tiny moss cushions - basically anything can be inspiration. Besides walks and hikes, pictures in calendars, on the internet and in documentaries are good sources. Layouts by other aquascapers, especially Takashi Amano, are of course important inspirations too, and particularly at the beginning they provided great orientation!"
AS: "What are your fertilization concepts?"
LN: "We always adapt the fertilization to the needs of the aquarium. Most of our layouts are strongly lit and well supplied with CO2. In these setups it is important to pay attention to a good nutrient supply. Besides a rich nitrate content, we pay attention to a suitable magnesium-calcium ratio. We keep potassium, phosphate and iron rather low. Depending on the needs and the amount of plants, the amount of fertilizer and frequency of application also vary."
Aquascaper Stefan Graf created "Edge of the Woods".
AS: "What are your favorite materials, e.g. which types of stone and aquatic plants?"
LN: "With aquatic plants, plants of the genus Bucephalandra now run almost like a common thread through our layouts. The versatility of this plant group has delighted us; they can be built into almost any design style.
When it comes to hardscape, we have no clear favorites. Richly detailed, rugged stone structures and gnarled wood are used most often."
AS: "If you had to choose between a beautiful stone and a beautiful aquatic plant, which would you take?"
LN: "Since we could never decide, we always just got additional aquariums. "
AS: "Haha, a very good approach! We sincerely thank you for this detailed interview."
Copyright of the photos: Liquid Nature.