Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock
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Book Reviews of Encyclopedia of Aquarium Plants
Book Review: User Friendly and Informative Guide!
Summary: 4 Stars
The name "Encyclopedia" implies a far more extensive listing of plants than this book actually provides, but what Hiscock lacks in the plant listing he makes up for in other ways. The majority of the book is actually comprised of plant care facts, design tips, and aquarium setup and maintenance, all of which is presented in a very accessible format for novice to intermediate freshwater aquarium plant enthusiasts. It's a great guide for those thinking about setting up a new system or for those with existing aquariums who (like me) are wondering why plant growth has stalled (or is declining). Hiscock does a great job of explaining, in layman's terms, the biological processes and requirements of the aquarium's environment.
Despite my initial disappointment over the paucity of plants listed in the second section, the listing is still quite helpful. Hiscock presents information in a very clear and concise way that quickly identifies the necessary lighting, the space requirements, the difficulty level of growing the plant, and more. The listing is a good place to start for plant selection, and can be supplemented by more advanced books (such as Kasselmann and Kotlenga's "Aquarium Plants").
The book as a whole is brilliantly illustrated and the pictures of plants and aquariums are both beautiful and helpful. I have been quite pleased with the book and recommend it to others. I only hope that Hiscock will publish another book dedicated to plant listings.
Book Review: Good but not everything
Summary: 4 Stars
The biggest benefit of this book is the plant profiles section. It is pretty thorough but doesn't have every plant or all of the info I would like to have like how fast things grow, it just says "grows fast or slow". I would like to know how much over what period of time. Same thing with the lighting.
The practical section is ok, but I wouldn't say follow it to closely. I tried some of the things it suggested and they did not work or made things worse. I found better, more accurate info on online forums. I think it should have more info on fertilizers, CO2, algae, and accurate info on lighting.
It gets a four star review because there just isn't much in the way of good books for the planted aquarium hobby right now and the plant profiles section is good. I would buy this book because it is a good reference for plants but I would recommend going online and finding a good "planted aquarium" forum for all other info.
Book Review: great but somewhat disappointing
Summary: 4 Stars
This a great introduction piece to plant aquarium and all should read it. Beginners will benefit immensely with many tips on starting a plant aquarium. Also the photos on the plants were excellent.
However on a critical note the author has given us a limited range of plants as compared to other books. So to claim the book as an encyclopedia is a misnomer. Secondly as an academic it would be nice to admit that one has changed one's opinion in the search for truth. In his previous book[I forgot the title..I've given it away]it was stated dogmatically that snails must be removed indiscriminately but in this book this animal retains some redemptive value as an algae eater. And there are a few more examples where the author apparently has been converted to another view....perhaps of Diana Walstad?
But overall this is still an important contribution to the plant aquarist hobby.
Book Review: Great introduction to aquatic plant care
Summary: 4 Stars
If you are new to planted tanks, then this is a great book to have. It discusses all of the relevent topics ranging from tank setup to pruning and proprogating to nutrients and equipment. The first half of the book is a guide to all of the aspects of caring for aquatic plants. There are a few places where a little more thorough discussion would have been valuble, but for most cases the book does a good job covering the topics. The second half of the book lists many of the plants that you can keep emersed or submerged in an aquarium. There are very nice pictures to go along with the descriptions, making it a useful reference for most plants you will find in your LFS.
In short, I'd say this book would be a nice addition to any planted tank enthusiasts library.
Book Review: Better Than Most
Summary: 4 Stars
Many of the plant aquarium books readily available are either pamphlets or gorgeous books to dream over. Each has its merits, but this book is headed in the right direction. The balance between fish and plants is a delicate matter and one that should not be taken lightly. There is a lot to be learned and this book is a great place to start. There are a lot of easy to understand color graphics which show how plants and fish need to interact for your aquarium to thrive. The explanation of how water chemistry changes at night is most valuable. The listing of plants in the back is more of a sampling than a true encyclopedia. I hope a version of this book comes out with just a listing of plant species!