What are your favourite aquascaping trends / themes ?

[BioBaby]

I just bought a 10 gallon tank (PetSmart is having a sale!!) and I want to aquascape it, but I've never really aquascaped beyond gravel and some decorations. I'm looking for ideas on what to do with it. I don't have a plan for any specific fish yet, but I want a community tank of maybe three or four small fish and my betta.

What are your favourite aesthetics / trends / styles in aquascaping? Or tips if you have any obscure advice for beginners?

edit : I didn't mean to start an argument in the replies, but we are on a fish forum so I should've predicted that.

 

[NickAu]

Low tech wild jungle.

 

[King puff]

My 10 gallon is a blackwater biotope. Basically, you just set up a natural looking habitat for the fish with native plants and fish. In my case, I used Indian almond leaves to make the water "black". The fish in there is a German blue ram. You could have more fish if you wanted to. I also added very soft sand because Rams like to filter it through their gills.

 

[Byron]

Aquascaping must take into account the needs of the fish intended. That does not mean we need to be technically authentic biotope-oriented, but we do need to know what is in the species habitat and provide something that will allow the fish to feel "at home." It can be natural, or artificial, just so long as the effects of the natural habitat are recreated in some way.

Taking just the substrate, it should always be dark rather than light in tone, and absolutely never white. This will affect the fish. So a dark-tone sand or fine gravel. River rock representing boulders for such habitats, chunks of wood which can be real wood (some fish need this) or artificial logs, sand if cories and certain other fish are intended. And so forth.

Healthy fish start with the proper environment, which includes the aquascape.

Byron.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

A clean cut dutch aquascape

 

[Toney]

my newest ten with a few clippings.

 

[NickAu]

I agree with Byron.

A clean cut dutch aquascape

Sure, If you want to use bright lighting, Ei ferts, Co2 injection.

Heres some Dutch Aquascapes, While these tanks are stunning they are not always suitable if you want happy healthy fish,
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...AhUIn5QKHYINB3UQ9QEIKzAB#imgrc=7PJ2SvfChbnpwM:

 

[SnailPocalypse]

I see it as this.Happy healthy fish as Nick said can not be achieved with co2,EI,high lighting?I call that false.Whilst you might of said "not always possible for happy healthy fish" the amount of plants people put in those is so great that they soak up all that EI and CO2 not to mention tremendous amounts of cover for fish and pearling from plants for added oxygen.I really do not see your point here.

 

[NickAu]

Most of the small fish kept in those aquariums require lower light and or floating plants

For example.

This is a Neon Tetras or Rasboras natural home.

This is not

 

[SnailPocalypse]

I understand this,but look.These are fish probably not wild caught but bred through years.Therefore knowing what their habitat looks like is something they do not know.It is called a domesticated animal.I can though understand what you say.Just my point of view I guess.

 

[Byron]

I understand this,but look.These are fish probably not wild caught but bred through years.Therefore knowing what their habitat looks like is something they do not know.It is called a domesticated animal.I can though understand what you say.Just my point of view I guess.

This won't hold up to scientific scrutiny I'm afraid.

Freshwater fish have evolved over thousands of years to "expect" a specific environment. This is programmed into their DNA. We as aquarists cannot change this. While it could be well argued that over hundreds of years we might be able to alter some of their DNA...after all, evolution continues in all species today, it is not a "past" event...the extent to which we can do this is certainly not understood.

The second thing is that many of the fish we maintain are wild caught. Though that really isn't all that pertinent to this particular discussion since we cannot alter the DNA of any fish species as quickly as this aspect seems to imply.

There is nothing wrong with any of us having points of view--but when those viewpoints are contrary to known scientific evidence and fact, and thus will detrimentally affect many if not all of the fish we keep, it is time to rethink one's viewpoints. Dr. Loiselle's comment in green in my signature block addresses this.

I will only delve into one factor, light. If one understands this scientific reality of how light affects fish, it is easy to see why the mega light over an aquarium with no shade (via floating plants is easiest, but one could use terrestrial vegetation under the light) is going to weaken them and cause a shortened lifespan, and this makes them more prone to various disease. The photos of such tanks always (the ones I have seen) show fish pale in colour, and hovering near the plants at the bottom, and both of these are due to the detrimental effect of the bright lighting.

 

[SnailPocalypse]

Hmm,I see.But Byron.I understand one thing I am confused with though.If the water is correct for the fish and there is cover from these bright lights then is there really a problem?

 

[NickAu]

Fish dont need or care for bright lights, Humans do.

I have seen forums that are dedicated to plants, and when I questioned the use of so many ferts CO2 and bright lights and their long term affects on fish I was told " That the fish were there as a source of ammonia and if I didn't like it perhaps I should re think my membership status on that forum" Basically they told me to F*** OFF, So I abandoned my membership there. Looking at you plantedtank.net

 

[Byron]

Hmm,I see.But Byron.I understand one thing I am confused with though.If the water is correct for the fish and there is cover from these bright lights then is there really a problem?

Depends. My last post was responding to your comment on domesticated fish (which is not the case to begin with, no fish are "domesticated" like cows, dogs, cats, etc.) not knowing or caring about their habitat, and I trust I dispelled that. To maintain any fish species in good health, we as aquarists must know their habitat and provide something that replicates it, whether this is closer to a natural replica, or more artificial. As long as the expectations of the fish are provided for, the fish will likely be healthier.

The second photo in Nick's post #9 is not a healthy environment for fish (which is what Nick was getting at).