This is a pretty tank...

Redknee

No edit no more...
But when we make the poll we do not mention who made it. We simply make a poll asking if the aquascape in picture A looks and feels the same as the aquascapes in pictures B, C, D, etc.
Also there will be no updates, pictures or comments on this project till after voting is done.
Do not get me wrong, it's not the 50$ and it's not that i think redchigh might try to influence anyone BUT i know how loved he is here and well... when you like someone and appreciate someone you tend to rule in favour of that someone and for me this is really a test of what can and cant be done in aquascaping more than a pocket money bet(but hey dont get me wrong, i love to bet with ppl, just this time it aint about the bet). I really am curious to see if it can be pulled of. Causse if it can the whole myth of aquascaping will be busted turning aquascaping in nothing more than someones imagionation put in a tank. If redchigh fails then aquascaping really is the dragon it's supose to be.

Mikaila31

Sorry, but I will have to continue to disagree. If it is true that perfectly aquascaped tanks require CO2 and all the expensive equipment then this hobby has really lost something. Oh yes many people will spend tons to get that "look" similar to Amano and any other famous aquascaper. But reality needs to hit home that these famous aquascapers IMO are so far away from the hobby its silly. Sure they obviously have tons of talent, but don't think all of Amanos tanks are entirely his work. It would be a discredit to call them that, but maybe other scapers are different. I'm sure he probably started doing everything on his own and has the experience and he is the one "creating" the scape. Yet when the camera pans away from him there is a table with 4-5 people very meticulously picking out individual Dwarf tear stems for him to plant. You also forget things about these people, most have companies backing them up or else their names wouldn't be on that really expensive bag of gravel.

I agree aquascaping is about the rocks and decor and how they go together. BTW if you don't know there is actually math involved in aquascaping. Its the things beyond that. The rimless tank, lily pipes, and more are examples of totally unneeded expenses that don't make a scape, sure they add a look to a tank, but if people really want to dock points against the planted tank that doesn't use them then this hobby has some problems.

Their are two things high light does, allows for red colors and keeps plants short and dense. I agree that to carpet dwarf tears or similar plants in any pretty way it is easiest with CO2 and high light. That does not mean you can't make a beautiful scape using less demanding plants. Thing is half of these "high light" plants are either due to their colors or a specific type of growth. In reality though dwarf tears will often grow better in a emersed setup since that is a much more ideal environment. Same with dwarf hairgrass, most of the pots you buy are emersed anyways since that is the easiest way to grow it.

Mikaila31

I'll join in on this to and try my best. No bets for me though, cuz I got school and know telling if I will have time down the road. Are we going to need any more rules though? So low tech as in zero fertilizers or what? Will lighting levels matter? or as long as its low tech is okay?

Redknee

Mikaila31 the hobby is one thing aquascaping is another. Aquascaping IMO is the next lvl. of planted tanks. It may have started from the fishkeeping/plantkeeping hobby but it evolved into somethign else. Thus your statement "but if people really want to dock points against the planted tank that doesn't use them then this hobby has some problems" is a bit out of context. I have NOTHING against planted tanks that do not use high tech because aquascaping is one thing and planted tanks are another.
Also what you said about Amano is very true, there are more than 5 ppl backign him up, selecting the plants, etc., they are his "students" if we can call them that. But aquascaping is not all Amano. There are many many more that have nobody around them to do the "crappy" work for them. Most actually do it all by themselfs. And even those who do the work for Amano do it under supervision and under strict "orders". They dont just take what they want and put it where they want.
My point still stands. If you want an aquascape you need high tech.
Now for your questions "Are we going to need any more rules though? So low tech as in zero fertilizers or what? Will lighting levels matter? or as long as its low tech is okay?"
No, low tech is not 0 ferts but it is low tech ferts. So you cant use the whole range of ferts from the best there are on the market. That would make it expensive and high tech. If you buy the whole range that Tropica has to offer for example and use them you are not going low tech.(Tropica was just an example, it can be Easylife or Seachem, etc.). If you start using PO4, K, NO3, Fe, flourish excel and stuff like that you are not going low tech. Lets say you can use JBL ferropol and ferropol 24, those are pretty low tech ferts, also cheap. Tho IMO low tech is also not using ferts or using very few and dosing rarely but lets say something in the low range can be used.
CO2 is out the window, that to is not low tech.
Expensive and good/powerful lights are also not low tech. You cant use 3WPG(or more) that would mean powerful light and that aint low tech.
You cant also use special substrate(the stuff that you can buy from your LFS) for example ADA and stuff like that, that is also high tech.
You can use tho the low end of the stuff you need.
Now do not get me wrong, low tech light dont mean you need to use a lightbulb or a candle. But no special plant light like the osrams and the "made for plants" lights.
Sounds ok?

kitten_penang

btw mr Amano is visiting Malaysia for a 2 day lecture in aquascaping this December in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia after that he's coming to Penang for a TT session with the members of the Malaysian Aquascaping Club which includes me ^.^ woopie.... were supposed to meet up with him coz he wants to see the nothern club members.

ps those tanks cost a bomb to set up and maintain.

Calmwaters

What about flourish excel that in my opinion is low tech as I use it on all my low tech tanks that have minimum lighting as all the plants I have are low light plants.

Redknee

Flourish excel aint low tech. That is an adition of carbon and it's somewhat of a replacement for co2.
Just because you use it in low tech tanks dont make it low tech, but rather make your low tech tank an medium tech tank if i can put it that way :P
As i said even tho ferts are not considered low tech i will say ok if he uses Ferropol and Ferropol 24 from JBL as those are pretty low end ferts. Still they should provide plants with nuff to keepem growing.
Also an algae outbrake will not be tolerated in a aquascape.
Tank must be pristine when the shot is taken even if he takes the pic 1 day after he sets it up.
thing is we keep mumbling about it but mr. redchigh is still busy and thus not here to tell me if our bet is on :P

Calmwaters

LOL oh I did not relise that so I guess I have medium tanks. LOL ; I am pretty sure that the bet is on if not by redchigh then I think Sincrisis said he was up to the challange.

Redknee

Amanda i care not who takes the challange on i just want to see a low tech quascape. A PRISTINE low tech aquascape and whoever can do that will have a place in my sig. and it will way:
In honor of X, the greatest aquascapist that God ever created! Plus if it's redchigh that get's the work done he's geting my end of the wager to ofcourse. Heck, anyone who can do it(but only the best of them) will get that in my sig and the 50$ i bet redchigh!

Calmwaters

I love a good contest! It keeps thing interesting. I hope someone will give you a run for your money. LOL