Aquascaping is arranging aquarium materials (substrate, rocks, driftwood, background and even livestock) in a way that makes the entire composition pleasing to the eye. Artistic aquariums are often done in a natural flavor with natural materials. Purple gravel and bubble burping treasure chests are normally avoided. Although shipwrecks and even antique whiskey bottles have been used in creative ways.
As in any type of art, beauty is in the eye of beholder and there are no wrong ways to create something you enjoy. The main thing is to have an idea of what the composition should look like before scaping the tank. Picking a theme is a great idea, like a valley before a mountain, or the fringing reef before the shore line.
In Japanese freshwater planted aquariums hobbyists often emulate a terrestrial scape with very small and colorless fish to resemble birds in the sky and hint to the viewer that this an aquatic environment. They subscribe to the less is more theory with immaculate attention to detail. European styles on the other hand often show a thick jungle look with diversity and complexity that looks best from across the room. Biotope aquascapes are the most natural and are become increasing popular. In a biotope aquarium, the hobbyist will pick a specific location and environment and create a tank with materials and livestock that are found to coexist together in nature. Whether its a southeast Asian stream, Malawi lake in Africa or the Philippine reef the attention here is mainly on the fish, corals and plants all of which have to be picked out and planned very carefully.
I often meet people who put a great deal of thought into the fish they like and strive to keep in their home aquariums. Folks who are very much in tune with their aquarium inhabitant's needs, yet never really focus on how the tank looks. Perhaps it is every fish keeper's prerogative to do what they choose, but I think a natural and creative aquarium layout will enhance the beauty of not just the fish in the tank but also the entire room the aquarium is in.
In the next write-up I will describe some techniques and show examples of artistically done aquariums.
As in any type of art, beauty is in the eye of beholder and there are no wrong ways to create something you enjoy. The main thing is to have an idea of what the composition should look like before scaping the tank. Picking a theme is a great idea, like a valley before a mountain, or the fringing reef before the shore line.
In Japanese freshwater planted aquariums hobbyists often emulate a terrestrial scape with very small and colorless fish to resemble birds in the sky and hint to the viewer that this an aquatic environment. They subscribe to the less is more theory with immaculate attention to detail. European styles on the other hand often show a thick jungle look with diversity and complexity that looks best from across the room. Biotope aquascapes are the most natural and are become increasing popular. In a biotope aquarium, the hobbyist will pick a specific location and environment and create a tank with materials and livestock that are found to coexist together in nature. Whether its a southeast Asian stream, Malawi lake in Africa or the Philippine reef the attention here is mainly on the fish, corals and plants all of which have to be picked out and planned very carefully.
I often meet people who put a great deal of thought into the fish they like and strive to keep in their home aquariums. Folks who are very much in tune with their aquarium inhabitant's needs, yet never really focus on how the tank looks. Perhaps it is every fish keeper's prerogative to do what they choose, but I think a natural and creative aquarium layout will enhance the beauty of not just the fish in the tank but also the entire room the aquarium is in.
In the next write-up I will describe some techniques and show examples of artistically done aquariums.
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