Stephan said:
What strikes me is that in garden design we have numerous styles and directions whereas in aquarium design we only really have two. (Ok, I regress - there are a few more but for the sake of the argument, let's call it two: NA and Dutch).
I have been wondering why that is and I come to the conclusion that it is because an aquarium does not have the necessity to function practically. In other words: Because an aquarium is there for sheer pleasure.
Landscape design has to deal with various aspects of utility and whilst that is a real constraint for any designer, it is at the same time a great guide and, indeed, justification for a design. We don't have that in an aquarium and therefore, creating something (new) is all the harder. People participating in this thread have tried to come up with new ideas but it has been quiet for some time now. To me, that goes to show how hard it is to come up with something so revolutionary new and exciting as Amano has managed to.
I have asked this before and I ask again: Do we need something new already? Are we starting to get bored by repeating variations of the same theme? It seems so. Earlier in this thread I said that I thought that many of the new interpretations were misunderstandings and some people were better off with miniature train sets. While it is not up to me to decide what is aesthetically sound and what is not, it shows that there is a great hunger for something new and cool and the old ways of the Nature Aquarium are getting diversified to an extent where the whole thing becomes far removed from the original idea. Which originally was to represent a snapshot of nature in a poetic, not biological way.
Personally, I think my next door neighbour's japanese garden is a real turnoff because it is badly executed and full of blatant truisms. (Apart from that - it doesn't belong in a provincial German backwater but then again, if it was a great piece of art, why not). The recent trend to copy terrestrial landscapes such as trees, paths and even waterfalls under water is the aquarium counterpart to that. And it documents the helplessness of people on a mission to find something new and exciting. But why do we need that? In the Netherlands, people have for almost a hundred years designed the most beautiful aquariums and rather than looking for something new, they are further developing the style. With new plants emerging rapidly, the Dutch aquarium is a very pure form of aquatic gardening: The focus is on combining plants. IMHO, this is a very difficult discipline which will take me a lifetime to get the hang of.
One more thing about the Dutch aquarium style: They have rules. And this brings me back to what I said earlier: Since aquaria don't have to function like a landscaped plot, everything is allowed: Trees, treasure chests, skulls... you get my drift. So rather than trying to launch a new trend maybe we need to classify the old trends. In NA there could be Biotope, Amano Old School, Creative (Waterfalls are so 2010 - the next big thing will be campfires), Iwagumi (We already have that) and so forth. If we start to apply rules in the same sense that the Dutch do, then we might get somewhere without having to go looking for something new.
My 2 Euro-cents.
--Stephan
Excellent commentary Stephan.
I think folks pander to Amano and ADA, eg, "Fan boys", the same may be stated for nice Dutch style scapes.
Few really want to challenge them or go beyond and take risk.
I set up aquariums for myself, no one else, not Amano, ADA etc..............I also consider the location in my house. I never place them in a my bedroom for example, that is where I sleep, not watch fish.
I have not entered a single competition ever. I likely never shall either. For myself, it's an intenal issue, a judgement of myself and desires. I do not disagree with competitions. They can help improve aquarist ability and draw new people into the hobby.
Same can be said for using CO2 gas however...........
Biotopes are tough, because it is often VERY hard to get plants, wood, sediments and fish from one single location.
I think more hobbyists should travel and see the locations where aquatic submersed plants exists and then see about modeling those locations. Landscapes are nice, and Japanese landscaping is where Amano takes his art from and placed it in the aquarium, all one has to do is pick up some Japanese gardening books and suddenly you see exactly where the ideas and designs come from.
The designs are not novel, but the application is/was when Amano did this and then he ran with it. A pretty pic sells in ANY language also.
I've always had a more simple practical approach to design, I suppose because I have an engineering bent. I ask questions" What is it that I want to see when I look into this space? Do I wish to see all the way through to back of the glass? How about maintenance and care? Do I want to sell the plants/livestock and have the hobby pay for itself? How can I incorporate these into the design? What interesting scape material do I have available? Where should I place the aquarium and what size should it be? What external designs should I use if I wish to garden often? Do I want to design something someone else has already done or something new?"
There are many good questions aquarist should ask themselves.
Many see the competition pics and feel inadequate..........they feel they cannot do things like that. This is unfortunate. I do not suggest that route, rather, what they want, their goals, and if that happens to win a competition? Great.
I think folks should REALLY consider the impact their comments have on newbies. Snooty attitudes really irritate newbies. Heck, me too. An aquarist who has achieved their goal is a happy aquarist, so we should help others/newbies achieve those goals. Design is part of it, but they need to have enough horticultural skills to get the design fully executed as well.
This leaves things open and less rigid than an Academy Style school approach. I like risk, life without them is not a life worthwhile to me. Also, simply try and sit and think if you like the rick or wood or plant in that spot in the tank........
Much of this is more simple and less complex than we often times suggest.
