Recreation of 9th Place IAPLC Aquascape 'Golden Hour' by UK Aquascaper Tom Ryan.

Описание: In a historic moment for the UK hobby, Tom Ryan’s 'Golden Hour' secured 9th place in the 2025 IAPLC, making it the highest-ranked British entry in the contest's history.

To celebrate, Tom visited the Aquarium Gardens showroom to recreate the layout and share the secrets behind its success.

01:42 Timelapse: Full timelapse of the workshop build from raw hardscape the fully planting.

03:30 Discussion: Chat about the overall concept and details about the aquascape.

12:16 Interview: Toms background and aquascaping journey.

15:41 Your questions answered.

During a live event on 6th December 2025, Tom assembled the scape in a 120cm Aquascaper 1200 aquarium, using a high-energy setup featuring Skylight Hyperspot LED lighting and Eheim Pro 5e 600T filtration.

The Aesthetic: The design is a modern evolution of Iwagumi, crafted to resemble a sun-drenched riverbed with a powerful left-to-right flow.

The Hardscape: Tom used intricate rock work to create depth, later softened by epiphytic plants and mosses to give the "river" an aged, organic feel. Depth was further enchanced with clever planting, using Aponogeton, Limnophilla sessiliflora and Eleocharis Vivipara.

The scape filled in remarkably fast; the Limnophila species required their first trim only 21 days after the initial planting.

The "River" Fish: To enhance the sense of movement, the tank features active species like Tinwinni Danios and Rosy Loaches, mimicking the "dancing" trout featured in his original contest photo.

Tom’s jump from 22nd in 2024 to the Top 10 in 2025 highlights a shift toward scapes that are both artistically elite and sustainable in the long term.

Thank you once again to Tom for recreating Golden Hour here in the Aquarium Gardens showroom. We're very proud to have it on display publically for all to see.

Shop online: http://www.aquariumgardens.co.uk

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