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Rating: 
Summary: The Consummate Guide to the Dutch Aquarium
Review: Aquarium Beautiful is specifically written for the aspiring Dutch Aquarist. It relates authoritative information on the design of the Dutch Aquarium with photos and layouts of Dutch Aquaria throughout the book to assist the reader. Aquarium Beautiful covers the fundamental concepts of the Dutch Aquarium, including the golden intersection, use of strong points, viewing angles, the ever-emphasized depth perception, and the strategic placement of plants to achieve a brilliant display. It also discusses the interrelation of the fish and plants and how to create shade in brilliantly lit aquaria so as to accommodate fishes which prefer dark spots. There is a special section on the care and propogation of various foreground, middle, and rear plants which should be very helpful to the reader. My only criticisms of this book are that it does not discuss fertilizers enough or different techniques to accelerate plant growth. It only recommends high or low light for plants and does not offer the beginner an idea of what is an optimal amount of light with which to grow the plants. It is also a bit extraneous in the sketch of the golden intersection, with the lines, angles, and curves drawn out to locate it. A much simpler method is found by multiplying the length or width by the square root of five with one subtracted from it, with this quantity being divided by two. This will give the aquarist the exact length of the location on the tank that the points from which perpendicular lines are drawn and intersect to result in the area at which the strong point should be placed. That said, this is an excellent book which belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in aquascaping and raising plants.
Rating:
Summary: The Consummate Guide to the Dutch Aquarium
Review: Aquarium Beautiful is specifically written for the aspiring Dutch Aquarist. It relates authoritative information on the design of the Dutch Aquarium with photos and layouts of Dutch Aquaria throughout the book to assist the reader. Aquarium Beautiful covers the fundamental concepts of the Dutch Aquarium, including the golden intersection, use of strong points, viewing angles, the ever-emphasized depth perception, and the strategic placement of plants to achieve a brilliant display. It also discusses the interrelation of the fish and plants and how to create shade in brilliantly lit aquaria so as to accommodate fishes which prefer dark spots. There is a special section on the care and propogation of various foreground, middle, and rear plants which should be very helpful to the reader. My only criticisms of this book are that it does not discuss fertilizers enough or different techniques to accelerate plant growth. It only recommends high or low light for plants and does not offer the beginner an idea of what is an optimal amount of light with which to grow the plants. It is also a bit extraneous in the sketch of the golden intersection, with the lines, angles, and curves drawn out to locate it. A much simpler method is found by multiplying the length or width by the square root of five with one subtracted from it, with this quantity being divided by two. This will give the aquarist the exact length of the location on the tank that the points from which perpendicular lines are drawn and intersect to result in the area at which the strong point should be placed. That said, this is an excellent book which belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in aquascaping and raising plants.
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