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Are planted tanks art or science?

A healthy and aesthetically pleasing tank to me represents a good combination of art and science, as you'd need a functional understanding of the nitrogen cycle at its basic level, and for example principles of the golden ratio and more; to create something appealing to the human eye.
 

> Are planted tanks art or science?​

Not sure exactly what it is you are asking... but here is my take; Some of us - myself included - focus more on the science bits and some are more into the artsy stuff... You can definitely succeed with a planted tank not being into the art aspects (aquascaping and such), but you probably wont succeed unless you at least have a rudimentary understanding and appreciation of the science bits like biology and chemistry - I.e. the value of meaningful water parameters, appropriate fertilization and adequate maintenance. The great aquascapers around here are also quite astute on the science part, they just don't dwell on it too much 😉

Cheers,
Michael
 
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Science:
Don't focus too much on science. There's no need for that. Don't be a 'paper scaper' unless you have a scientific interest.
You have to grow your plants, not your problems (T. Barr)

Art:
You have to make what you think is beautiful.
Except for large aquascape competitions: there you have to make something according to the rules. Because; if you don't color neatly between the lines, that will be at the expense of a possible ranking during the final results.
In doing so, you are increasingly transforming from art to artificial.
 
dw1305 said:
Hi all,

I'm definitely on every-one's floor artistically, and as for the science? I'm probably a <"broad brush"> sort of guy.

cheers Darrel
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Better broad brush than peddling misinformation and unscientific theories. Some of the stuff I've seen on the internet makes me feel like we are back in the Age of Ignorance at times.
 
I believe it’s both, but not everybody is interested in or understands the science. You can follow the rules of regular maintenance and water change, provide light and nutrients without understanding how these work.
 
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dw1305 said:
Hi all,

I'm definitely on every-one's floor <"artistically">, and as for the science? I'm probably a <"broad brush"> sort of guy.
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Haha. That was merely an arithmetic mistake - don’t let that haunt you Darrel :lol:
hypnogogia said:
You can follow the rules of regular maintenances and water change, provide light and nutrients without understanding how thes
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Yes I agree - a rudimentary understanding and appreciation.

Cheers,
Michael
 
These days, speaking as an artist, there is much crossover with science, whether in terms of themes, ideas, or even how art is made. When I've made works on organ donation or renewable energy then I speak to medical professionals and renewable engineers. I find their ideas inspiring and they help shape the art. The aesthetic look of a tank depends on some science, even if it's just adding a squirt of plant food. And with the "look" of a tank, some people aspire to a kind of green fantasy, with a perfect carpet, while others want it to look "like nature", because art always has different desires in terms of representing nature. I suppose that's what all of our tanks are, different approaches to representing nature.
 
The presumption of a dialectic based on a contradiction between science and art (particularly within this community), is fallacious.

My reading of this forum is that we (on the whole) define ourselves by an intertwininig duality and synthesis not dualism. I would posit that the best of us have all, at one point in their aquascaping journey, morphed into a hybrid form: of being both a 'scientist' and an artist simultaneously.

As a community we are able to do this through the creation of artefacts which are reified: the duckweed index for example is a tool, an artefact which is an ideal form (it has no physical essence) but which is used by 'artists' to access knowledge derived from a 'scientific method'. It is a mechanism or tool for translation which is now a shared community 'object'.

In short, no they are and must be an amalgum / hybrid of both as is the productionof any artefact by a human, be it a cake or an aquascape..

Off to bed now.
 
Hi all,
Onoma1 said:
.... the duckweed index for example is a tool, an artefact which is an ideal form (it has no physical essence) but which is used by 'artists' to access knowledge derived from a 'scientific method'. It is a mechanism or tool for translation which is now a shared community 'object'.
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That is honestly just fantastic. I think I understand (and agree with you), but I couldn't have managed that <"turn of phrase in a thousand years">. In fact I'm going to save it for a rainy day (and <"pass it of as my own">), although I may need to practice first.
dw1305 said:
.......... I'll have to get some-one else to front them, because I <"look like a gargoyle and sound like a cockney market trader">.
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The <"Duckweed Index"> ("shared community object") as both an installation and <"translation of my our artistic vision">. In fact the "perfect*" <"synthesis of art and science">.

I'm going to forget all about <"Dragon's Den">, it is the <"Turner Prize"> I'm we are aiming for.

* I may have a got a bit carried away there.

cheers Darrel
 
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Interesting question... for me it was the science that brought me to the art. I wanted to understand water chemistry (not specifically related to aquarium keeping) but quite quickly realised how the 2 go hand in hand for me. I dont feel like you can really have or do well in, without the other in some degree or form.
 
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