# A cool aquascape I just stumbled upon



## Fish from Philly (May 28, 2013)

saw this on the Internation layout contest...it's spectacular! I really liked the Arizona desert too.


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## snowmonkey (Oct 3, 2013)

for some reason the first tank just doesnt look right. something about the angle of the trees and the shadows. maybe im just seeing things...

anyone else get the feeling its kinda off?


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## NJAquaBarren (Sep 16, 2009)

snowmonkey said:


> for some reason the first tank just doesnt look right. something about the angle of the trees and the shadows. maybe im just seeing things...
> 
> anyone else get the feeling its kinda off?


Yeah. On fact the tank and setting look familiar, like one of Tom's setup that someone edited pictures if a landscape into the tank.


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## Dobie Swift (Sep 21, 2013)

I'm camping right now, but when I get home I can link to the page that shows the tank growing in. I admit, I cried PhotoShop as well but I think its legit.





Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


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## xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx (Jul 12, 2011)

What about this one?!?!


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

Great tanks for a photo op, but a bad representation of a planted tank IMO. 
Someone else said it well when they likened these types of scapes to miniature train dioramas. Just not my taste.


And before anyone jumps down my throat notice I said *IMO*.


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## Zorfox (Jun 24, 2012)

ua hua said:


> Great tanks for a photo op, but a bad representation of a planted tank IMO.


Agreed. They are striking for a brief period. However, after you get past the initial wow, it just looks too unnatural. I like the scapes that represent a perfect chunk of aquatic nature rather than trying to mold terrestrial landscapes.


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

ua hua said:


> Great tanks for a photo op, but a bad representation of a planted tank IMO.
> Someone else said it well when they likened these types of scapes to miniature train dioramas. Just not my taste.
> 
> 
> And before anyone jumps down my throat notice I said *IMO*.


I agree, fully trainset.


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## plo589 (Jul 8, 2013)

These tanks are good for what they are. I think the designers went just a little too far, though, with the rainbow backdrop and fake beach. It is getting a little too close to tacky for my taste.


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## tefsom85 (Jan 26, 2007)

xmas_one said:


> I agree, fully trainset.



Hmm.. an underwater trainset. I think you might be on to something


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## DaveFish (Oct 7, 2011)

ua hua said:


> Great tanks for a photo op, but a bad representation of a planted tank IMO.
> Someone else said it well when they likened these types of scapes to miniature train dioramas. Just not my taste.
> 
> 
> And before anyone jumps down my throat notice I said *IMO*.


I agree more than you will ever know. I can't stand where Amano and those old judges are taking the expectations of a winning tank. His tanks don't even look like these. I cannot stand these tanks and I couldn't stand the tank that won last year either.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I have to say, some of these tanks are getting way to literal for me. I have seen plenty of tanks that really appeal to me that look very "real" but these cross my threshold from a nature scape to a scale model.


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## dasmall1 (Oct 14, 2013)

I think it's absolutely incredible. I don't understand why a tank as to look like an Amazon river bed to be considered great. IMO, using plants in order to re-create a scene that is NOT exactly like they may be in nature takes incredible skill and creativity. These takes are all like little worlds inside of a fish tank


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## ringram (Jan 19, 2005)

I agree with dasmall1.
While Takashi Amano is certainly an influential person in aquascaping and the planted tank community, his idea of a "nature aquarium" may vary slightly from someone else's.
I know he basically revolutionized the idea of "nature aquarium", but planted tanks are a very personal thing. If you like it, do it. You'll spend way more time looking at it then anyone else will.

I personally like these scapes, particularly the one with the desert/cacti.

That said, is it just very careful trimming to get those cacti & trees? 
I wonder what plants were used for them?


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

ringram said:


> That said, is it just very careful trimming to get those cacti & trees?
> I wonder what plants were used for them?


I would imagine it has some sort of structure that is covered by moss. Then the moss is trimmed as it grows. That's my educated guess.


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