# Whats the life span of your aquascape?



## Graeme Edwards (15 Mar 2009)

Hi all.

After some interesting chats with fellow aquascapers a question came to mind. How long do people give their aquascapes to mature? What is a mature aquascape to you? Are you a high octane scaper producing many short term ( 3 month old ) aquascapes, or are you in it for the long hall and not worrying your self with "pimp my tank" style of growers? 

Are you in it to produce short, sharp shocks of aquascaping "bling my Blyxa" prowess for compotions as a pat on the back,some sort of celebrity status? Or are you the type to sit back, let your green fingers tickle the scapes of maturity and be quietly happy as the subjective artist of your own master piece?


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## hellohefalump (15 Mar 2009)

I let my two tanks 'evolve'.  I don't really have any particular aquascape in mind.  As long as it looks half decent, I'm happy.  It's all trial and error for me.


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## Ed Seeley (15 Mar 2009)

I'm definitely a long term person.  I wouldn't particularly use the term scape for any of mine though!   

My main tank (Rio 180) is now 1 year and 2 months old and the only major change is that the Crinum's have been removed as they were too big for the tank.


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## scottturnbull (15 Mar 2009)

I do it so I can grow something in the winter months without bankrupting myself with horticultural lighting. It's also easier to keep fish in winter. Up here it's cold and dark from about October to March. So I'd say six months is a good duration for keeping a tank running. In the summer, I'd rather be outside.


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## Dan Crawford (15 Mar 2009)

I think I'm a long term scaper, my current main scape is about 9 months old. I have the luxury of another 4 tanks for playing with but each one still seems long term. As you know, long term nanos are tough but I like the challenge. I was particularly sad when I broke litle mountain down because I though that keeping and 11l nano going for two years would be quite an acheivment.


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## Steve Smith (15 Mar 2009)

I have yet to achieve something that works for me... I get to about 6 months and it's either all gone up the spout or I just fancy a change.  That being said, I'm currently planning 3 "scapes".  Two are nearly planted and running (end of today hopefully!) and the other is just in my head at the moment.  The one in my head will definately be a long term project, as it'll be low light and all crypty and stuff   The others?  Who knows... Hopefully they'll stand the test of time  (and my crappy maintenance schedule )


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## George Farmer (15 Mar 2009)

Both.  Short-term to learn as much as possible about different plants, techniques etc. and long-term for the laid back approach.  That's why I always run more than one planted tank.

Chasing celebrity status?!


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## andy (15 Mar 2009)

I tend to be more long term.   However, being a perfectionist with aquascaping, im forever changing groups of plants in the search for a superb tank.  

But nothing stays the same and just as we think something looks "perfect", one of the plants grows that little bit more or just melts away.

Had my present tank for 9 months and i think i only have a few plants left from the original planting....there's always something better in the lfs the following week.

New tank to be ordered in a weeks time too


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## Mark Evans (15 Mar 2009)

i'm a 5 minute pimp my tank, looking for any kind of celebrity status, want it all my way type of guy.   
well....i gota play catch up to you guys.

those "blast it out" scapes are the ones you learn from. well they are for me.



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> Chasing celebrity status?!



your already there mate!


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## aaronnorth (15 Mar 2009)

my 2 scapes have lasted a little over 6 months. The first in my 60l i hated it, but when i first added the rocks last July i slowly changed little things to get it to the final stage, such as adding a few plants every month or so.
My next scape will be long term - so i say


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## Dave Spencer (15 Mar 2009)

My 240l, due to its size, is for long term. The 60cm is for short term.

I think most people would start to slow down once they have a decent CV together.

I love my stems, and these lend themselves to short term IME, whereas crypts and mosses are more long term.

At the end of the day, some scapes are long or short term by design. When I first set up my Riccia scape (Crystal Acre), I knew for sure that it was short term, whereas my current 240l (no name), was always going to be long term, due to the planting. My current 60cm is another stem scape, but I think I may drag this one out a bit.

Competitions do not influence my scaping in any way, although I have admittedly held back with pics of my two latest, just in case I do enter them for the IAPLC or AGA competitions.

One good thing about people getting through a lot of scapes is that they are getting more and more hardscape together. Not being limited by choice with hardscape is a huge factor in aquascaping, and possibly why the tanks are improving on UKAPS so much.

Dave.


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## George Farmer (15 Mar 2009)

saintly said:
			
		

> those "blast it out" scapes are the ones you learn from. well they are for me.


This is very true, but it also worth mentioning that long-term 'scapes can be a very useful learning tool. 

Having a layout for 6 months+ shows you better how plants can merge into one another, bits of moss float about and grow elsewhere etc.  You can gain a fuller understanding of your chosen plants too, if you're keeping them for the long-term.  Patience is also a valuable lesson.

Interestingly two of my own favourite layouts are at extremes - 'Harlequins' Haven' lasted 5 weeks and 'The Shade' developed over 18 months.  

Circumstances will often dictate the lifespan of my aquascapes.  For instance I'm having a new floor put in my living room so will have to strip down my current 120cm crypt layout very soon...  Also, as a regular contributor for PFK, I tend to churn out new layouts for articles and photography purposes.

Perhaps another reason for wanting shorter-term projects is that not all of us are particularly creative and may realise our original idea wasn't too great, so use the opportunity to start over ASAP.  

After all, there's limitless potential out there, with only a limited time to realise it...


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## Mark Evans (15 Mar 2009)

George Farmer said:
			
		

> After all, there's limitless potential out there, with only a limited time to realise it...



in one sentence mate, you've summed up my style of scaping   

life just isnt long enough, so we have to force the issue a little. AMEN to that brother  8)


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## JamesM (15 Mar 2009)

I go for long term setups mostly. I just don't have the time or money to be knocking something new out every 3 months or so.


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## Superman (15 Mar 2009)

Mine are long term, as I've only have a 180 ltr to play with. Now I've got a 14ltr, I think that'll be more shortish. Then my 60ltr somewhere in between.


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## GreenNeedle (15 Mar 2009)

Mine are aimed to be long term and I wouldn't call them scapes.   Attempts prior to Celestial Glade were really trials of plant growing whereas I was very happy with Celestial Glade which lasted about 9 months and would still be here if I didn't need the money. (hence the huge fern sale  )

Not overly happy with the current one, looks a little boring and lifeless to me but will let the plants grow and hopefully it will look as good as Celestial Glade did 

I don't accumulate hardscape from scape to scape.  I use what I have and always intend to have it the way I set it up for many many years and will continue to do so.

AC


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## Thomas McMillan (16 Mar 2009)

I'm a long-term kinda guy. 

Well... that's the idea anyway. I plan for my 'aquascapes' to be long term, but often end up getting bored of them or not happy and just change it!


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## Egmel (16 Mar 2009)

Hmmm, I'm doing long term stuff at the moment but I'm not sure that's out of choice or skintness/lack of time!

I think I would love to set up scapes on a monthly basis but at the moment I a) can't afford the costs involved and b) don't have the spare time!


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## Tony Swinney (16 Mar 2009)

I guess I'm similar to above, although I'm so new to this, that mine are short term so far   

I really enjoy the hardscaping bit, and am a bit impatient so the nano will get rescaped fairly regularly - its so quick and easy to work on.  However the bigger tank will be long term, as changing it is quite a number due to the discus, and it'd be way more expensive to do.

Tony


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## TDI-line (16 Mar 2009)

Mines probably about 6-7 weeks, once my Blyxa has grown over everything.


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## John Starkey (17 Mar 2009)

Hi All,my current setup has been running for nearly two years,i have a mix of low and high light plants and i do tend to favour the long term setup,i have two new tanks waiting to be setup,one 60cm opti-white which will be for shortish term setups,and i have just bought a dennerle 30ltr nano which i wil be scaping for shrimp and microrasboras,regards john.


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## beeky (18 Mar 2009)

SuperColey1 said:
			
		

> Mine are aimed to be long term and I wouldn't call them scapes.   Attempts prior to Celestial Glade were really trials of plant growing whereas I was very happy with Celestial Glade which lasted about 9 months and would still be here if I didn't need the money. (hence the huge fern sale  )



I reckon anything with a name should be called a 'scape!

My first scape lasted 8 years, so I reckon I'm a long hauler   

They never really finish though do they? The damn plants keep on growing and mucking up your ideas, so you constantly have to fiddle with them to keep them in line. I change things around as well, get bored of one plant so pull it out and try another or move them somewhere else. Hardscape remains the same though. I'd do more rescapes but just don't have enough time.


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