# Aquascaping - Addiction or a responsibility?



## sciencefiction (24 Mar 2016)

Hey everyone.

I hope the topic of this thread does not sound offensive to anyone.
I love this forum. It has the right attitude and culture towards its members.

The forum is all about creative plant aquascapes and the challenges that come with it.
For a long time however, I've been wondering why all the aquariums I see around look the same to me.. I can't see originality anymore. I see the same thing over and over again....I see members that want to re-create the same thing someone else did...

I am a person with little imagination when it comes to aquascaping. I love numbers, mathematics. I love literature and books.  I don't care much about visual things although I absolutely get enthralled with nature, probably because I don't feel I can re-create it.  I love animals too. I yearn of understanding their ways of being. At the same time,  I don't see nature in fish keeping. We buy and buy plastics and we destroy and replace animals as if they are plastics.

I could be in a philosophical mood but well arranged/aquascaped  fish tanks make little sense to me and I find little beauty in looking at them. They look like old pictures without history, like a memento of something that is never going to be, something that has no sustainability. At the same time I hate the marketing power companies have at addicted fellow fish keepers. Aren't we about preserving nature, not just being irresponsible consumers...


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## EnderUK (25 Mar 2016)

Wild Jungle aquascapes with lots of wood are my favourite for that reason. The well arranged always look tame and cold to me.


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## parotet (25 Mar 2016)

Hi all

If I am addicted to the hobby is because the whole lot of things there is behind: natural history, chemistry, physics, etc.  I have a pair of hobbies more and it's again the same thing that engaged me.

I've never been very good regarding art, so aquascaping let me explore this side: combining science, nature and art... At least from the theoretical point of view, because afterwards the nature part always win. Actually I won't say I am an aquascapers, but just a planted tank hobbyist. My last layout (#4 rivershore) begun as a minimalist project,perfect for a contest picture, but it is now is going to a jungly look, especially after adding a nice pair of Apistos. I have never been able to make an Iwagumi, I get bored very fast and I always feared my fish were not going to be comfortable in such a "man oriented layout". I also think it twice before buying fish (never rare or wild) and I don't like the idea of purchasing a nice shoal just for a picture. Actually during the last year I have not kept fish (just shrimps) because I was changing both on my tanks and this was going to cause a lot of problems to them.

However, as far as you are honest and fair with the living beings you have, I think there is no rule in the hobby. Copying layouts is a very nice way to learn the basics (did you know that most of the famous painters spent ages copying masterpieces from other artists?).

Jordi


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## PARAGUAY (25 Mar 2016)

My personal view is there is a huge amount of similar styles of aquascapes nature,dutch,low tech,high tech,small tanks large tanks,hardscape dominated,plant dominated even fish or shrimp tanks with the emphasis on making a biotope first or a community tank with suitable planting even the popularity  of just plant growing and technique(Georges latest set up) or wabi kusi or emersed growing seems to be getting ever more popular (many of our other halfs may think us looking at glass jars bowls  on store shelves a bit odd)and everyone wants a carpet!. But heres the thing the more something is the same its the more it can be different.Why do I still look up contest aquascapes or old threads on here or read how to  guides in magazines or tutorials.? just love this hobby  I guess


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## Aqua Hero (25 Mar 2016)

I just enjoy it because it feels like your creating your own world and managing the life within it even to a microscopic scale


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## chrismiller12341 (25 Mar 2016)

Aqua Hero said:


> I just enjoy it because it feels like your creating your own world and managing the life within it even to a microscopic scale
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I feel the same. And as far as copying other people. I agree but everything you have ever done in life is because you have copied someone. From using a spoon,writing. Drive, walk, wipe your butt. It's all because you have been taught. Or seen someone else do it. Even the right brothers who were the first to fly only did it because the copied birds. Even "NEW" inventions aren't new they are just better copies.
I guess what I'm trying to say is..... I'm ok with it. Lol.  . I love to see other peoples perspective. Maybe it's because I'm only a few years into the hobby. But I hope my interest doesn't change.


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## Kezzab (25 Mar 2016)

In general terms,this is no better or worse than any other form of consumption. That said the potential for this hobby to be damaging and exploitative to the natural environment, all so we can recreate 'nature' in our living room, can be too high - wild caught fish/collecedt plants etc, all just because people want more niche, more new. I think we can all be a bit wilfully ignorant in not looking into how this fish/plant whatever actually arrived in our tank.


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## chrismiller12341 (25 Mar 2016)

chrismiller12341 said:


> I feel the same. And as far as copying other people. I agree but everything you have ever done in life is because you have copied someone. From using a spoon,writing. Drive, walk, wipe your butt. It's all because you have been taught. Or seen someone else do it. Even the right brothers who were the first to fly only did it because the copied birds. Even "NEW" inventions aren't new they are just better copies.
> I guess what I'm trying to say is..... I'm ok with it. Lol.  . I love to see other peoples perspective. Maybe it's because I'm only a few years into the hobby. But I hope my interest doesn't change.


Wright brothers. That's what I get for not proofing what I type. Lol.


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## Aqua360 (25 Mar 2016)

I like it cause I get to play God over my little shrimp-topia


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## Chris Jackson (25 Mar 2016)

I particularly like aquascapes that look like a slice of an actual lake or river rather than mimicking a landscape or forest. Amano's earlier works are some of my favourites in that regard, before cosmetic sand took hold.. I think that as uk aquascapers we should maybe look more at using local rocks and wood rather than importing this stuff.

As a hobby it really teaches us a lot about the balanced interconnections nature needs in order to thrive and that has real relevance to how we treat the natural world.


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## Kezzab (25 Mar 2016)

Chris Jackson said:


> I think that as uk aquascapers we should maybe look more at using local rocks and wood rather than importing this stuff.



Agree with this. Shipping stone half way around the world so you can put it in a fish tank is fairly mad by any standards, it's not as though it's cheaper to 'make' rock elsewhere.


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## chrismiller12341 (25 Mar 2016)

Then shipping stone from Italy or from anywhere else to put as you kitchen floor for you just to walk on. Or bamboo from china. is just as crazy.(if you can think of your house as a metaphoric aquarium) If someone likes the look of a specific stone And it is only in one spot in the world it's your only choice. It might not be worth it or crazy to you. How about this im an artist and the only paint I will use is made in Germany I live in the us. I'm not going to stop painting! I'm going to buy that paint and ship it here lol. I'm not saying your wrong. all I know is. it might not be a crazy as you think. think of all the things people ship because they can't get it were there from. Fabric, metals, cloths, FOODS, cars, I don't know about you but 90% of everything I own was made in china. I'm not trying to Argue just play Devils advocate. You might think it is stupid to ship a rock when you have them in your yard. and I might think it is stupid to ship a million dollar car when I feel you can build one yourself for alot less and better. In the end "TO EACH IS OWN"  (how ever the saying goes.).


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## chrismiller12341 (25 Mar 2016)

The rocks were i live are bad for the fish I want. What do you do then.


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## Kezzab (25 Mar 2016)

Fair enough if there is no safe rock locally to you. But if you live in the UK there'll be some somewhere within reasonable distance i'd reckon. 
Your point about shipping all sorts of unnecessary stuff is also valid, it's a wasteful world and we all buy stupid stuff we don't need. It just seems particularly ridiculous for aquarium rocks though.


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## chrismiller12341 (25 Mar 2016)

I feel what your saying me and my wife had the same argument on jewelry. I think it's rediculas to spend so much on something so small that you can't drive to work. And she says the same thing about my fish lol.


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## chrismiller12341 (25 Mar 2016)

It all goes back to  what makes you happy.


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## SandstoneSturgeon (26 Mar 2016)

chrismiller12341 said:


> It all goes back to  what makes you happy.


 
I agree.  I've always had a great sense of joy and happiness when I have a responsibility and stewardship towards others, including animals and critters.  I like to provide as good a habitat as I possibly can for them and watch them live longer (and I really hope happier ) lives than they would in households that might be a little more ignorant as to their needs.  That being said, I haven't been able to copy what you folks do on a daily basis yet, much less attempt to create my own.

Those are my two cents.  I hope it helps


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## Robert1979b (26 Mar 2016)

I know what you mean sciencefiction. I see too many scapes that are meant to look like something else, re-creating trees from wood and moss, you can tell they are put together for a very short term project. Some of them look too polished and fake for my taste. I really prefer the very natural looking tanks, ones that evolve rather than torn up and restarted.
But this is in your house, as long as it makes you happy its a good thing?



Kezzab said:


> That said the potential for this hobby to be damaging and exploitative to the natural environment, all so we can recreate 'nature' in our living room, can be too high - wild caught fish/collecedt plants etc,



On the conservation side, wild caught is not always the evil everyone thinks. If you put a £££ value on a river being healthy (i.e. local population catch fish from river and sell them to export) it gives a motivation/reason for people to keep the rivers clean. This reduces the less ecological trades from taking over. The prime examples is mining(gold and diamond in Brazil) that severely damage river systems. This is a good example of one of these schemes.  http://conservationmagazine.org/2008/07/buy-a-fish-save-a-tree/ Remember these will be managed and many will be caught after the breeding season, most of these fish can also be consider as annuals i.e. unlikely to make it to a second breeding season.

I hope these projects catch on as I feel this is one of the ways conservation will have to move to be effective. This may be better than Ecotourism etc.


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## Soilwork (26 Mar 2016)

The aquascapes I see never really get boring but I haven't been looking as long as others and that brings me too my point.  As a beginner, what really are you supposed to do? Once you master the art of keeping plants (which for me is a skill in its own right) you then look for the next step.  Which plants grow well together? Much easier to look at what has worked for others and take that route.  When you become knowledgeable on the requirements of plants and you have had enough experience working with them you can start to put your own stamp on things but there is only so much you can do with some rock, a bit of wood, and a very limited colour scheme.  Art is art at the end of the day and whether it's Dutch, iwugami, jungle or sponge bob with multicoloured gravel there will always be someone to appreciate them all.

As for the fish, as long as there is ample room, good conditions and a bit of flora I don't think they mind too much.  The bigger the tank mass of flora the better of course and although some put the art first the fish are still well catered for. I honestly don't believe anyone buys fish to purposely harm them and 99.9% of the time the fish are at the centre of all of our best intentions.  If not, we wouldn't be here and that's good enough for me.  The remaining point 1% is the retailer trying to convince you to take home a goldfish with your brand new 5 gallon tank.


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## Wombat (26 Mar 2016)

As a child I used to be driven in the car to visit relatives in the north of England in Cumbria. I just loved looking out of the window at the landscape, big rocks jutting out of the hillsides, different colours and shades of the grass, moss, heather etc. 
I try to create landscapes in my tanks like this and the Iwagumi style is what comes closest. I don't try to do proper Iwagumi, I just create what I find pleasing. I can stare at my tank for hours. It just draws me in. 
I know what you mean though about unoriginality. I did wonder about doing a different style next time but it occurred to me that it would probably consist of a big V-shaped piece of wood on its side in exactly the same style as has been reproduced endlessly already (just like iwagumi has been), with moss tied on bits of it etc.  It was as though there were only 2 styles that I felt I could choose from. Very odd now I come to think about it...


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## zozo (26 Mar 2016)

I think the originality is in this case in the little intrecate details. Even if it in general from a distance looks rather the same rocks and wood it's the complexity to make the whole look natural in detail. For the majority of fish keepers it's throwing a bucket of sand in the tank a few rocks and shake it a few times, put some plant around and they are done. i see more of these kind of tanks outside UKAPS and even sometimes at UKAPS.. But then i rather look at a few simular looking well aranged setups than at those throw some together tryouts..

In my opinion it has all to do with responsibility, that's why i always say if you do it, do it for the animal don't just do it for your self. (It's not about you.) But honestly most people i say this to, look at me like i'm from another planet. One of my friends has a daughter and she and he have a just throw it together fishtank.. They asked my advise, only a few times and never again. I'm to confronting, they do not want to hear the truth they actualy do only want advise rapped up with what the want to hear, compliments. But that's not asking someones vision.. Overstocked and to large fish in a to little tank and not clean enough. I shouldn't have said that, it did setup his daugther, because i said the fish she loves the most is not suitable for that little tank.

Can you learn somebody how to be an animal lover without being confronting??. I guess not.. Ask a bird keeper what love is when he looks at his bird in the cage. You end up with a very nice probably heated discussion.. 

Being honest to yourself also is a responsibility.. Before you know it, you are measuring with 2 measurs.. One for you and one for me..


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## Manisha (25 May 2016)

I love Oliver Knotts aquascape that features a dragon with an emmersed island on its back. It's different and looks fantastic. "Rules and models destroy genius and art" ...true at times if it holds you back from experimenting but it can be a good place to start for less experienced folk ☺


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