All Red Plants Aquascape - 'Saudade'

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All Red Plants Aquascape 'Saudade'

Aquascaping Workshop with Balbi – A Tribute to Filipe Oliveira

We were honoured to welcome Balbi, representing Aquaflora, to Horizon Aquatics for a live aquascaping workshop in our aquarium gallery. The event brought together aquascaping enthusiasts for an inspiring session centred around technique, creativity, and tribute.

The Aquascape: "Saudade"

During the workshop, Balbi created a breathtaking all-red plant aquascape. The aquascape was titled "Saudade"—a beautiful Portuguese word that conveys a deep emotional state of longing, nostalgia, or heartfelt remembrance.

This aquascape was inspired by an original layout in Esther’s garden, designed in memory of their dear friend Filipe Oliveira, a beloved figure in the aquascaping community.

"Saudade" is more than a layout—it's an emotion immortalised in aquascaping form.

Equipment Breakdown

For those inspired to recreate a similar aquascape at home, here's a breakdown of the equipment used during the workshop:

Aquarium & Cabinet

ADA 90p (90x45x45) £529

ADA Garden mat (90x45) £35.99

Aquarium cabinet 90 Grey (90x45x80cm) £519

Lighting

Skylight HyperSpot FM – Delivers vibrant colour rendering and is ideal for highlighting red aquatic plants. £569

Light can be hung from the ceiling but there are optional extras for lighting arms

Filtration

OASE Biomaster Thermo 600 – Reliable and efficient filtration with integrated heater. £314.99
Biomedia 4litres £36.99

Glass Ware

Horizon Aquatics lily outflow 17mm £24.99
Horizon Aquatics Glass skimmer pipe 17mm £32.99
Clear hose 16/22mm £12.99

CO₂ System

CO₂ Art Pro-SE Regulator Kit with added accessories

Drop checker
in tank diffuser
non return valve
1.5kg co2 bottle

Prices for Co2 systems start from £210 there are many different options to choose from

Full cost of equipment is £2,285.94
Prices mentioned on this blog are posted on 07/08/2025 and could increase over time, please only use prices as a rough guideline, see website for exact current prices.

Hardscape & Planting

Substrate & Hardscape:

ADA Amazonia Soil – Nutrient-rich base for optimal plant growth.
AF Lava Soil - For underneath soil to allow water movement & good bacteria
Dark Seriyu & Corbo Wood – Used for structure, height, and contrast.
Galaxy Gravel detailing packs - used for finer details that match the rocks
ADA Mekong Sand - Now discontinued next closest available is ADA La plata sand or Horizon Pearl Sand.