nazrm;73988 said:
Found his site a while back, but didn't find any vids. Too bad really. Pics still hold their own tho. Gotta say I like his dutch and some of the tanks you've scaped better than ADA style. I don't find them to be very interesting, even the top ranked ones.
Well, in that regard, they have very different goals. A Dutch tank is NOT based on a natural emulation, nor even attempts to be relatively representative of nature.
Whereas a nature scape is always centered on a natural theme and should in it's true essence, should emulate nature without appearing contrived.
This is very hard to teach. Few really discuss this part.
I do not think many know the differences of what each style really is about fundamentally.
Maybe I don't?
My view on nature aquarium style is centered on Japanese landscaping and gardening. I've learned far more from that than anything aquariums have shown me.
I spend more time on the terrestrial side of this honestly, and less on the aquarium, but I do have a couple that fall into the nature catagory and perhaps one or two that are more towards the dutch side.
None of my tanks follow a traditional style really though, but that is not my goal either.
I do not find the top aDA tanks creatively interesting is some regards, but that's NOT the point of a well done Japanese garden, it is all about well done craftsmanship. the designs are often well rooted in acient old styles from various forms of art, the media is new and different, but the design are often very much like many gardens. Japanese gardens are not meant to be creative, they are meant to embody nature on the human scale and be part of how you live and interact with nature. We cannot live anywhere out in nature, so we try and bring and recreate that in out immediate living area. The home is also designed this way, there are no window sills blocking the entire view of the garden in a Japanese traditional home, even a person laying on the floor is afforded a sweeping view of the garden. This is very different than Western style but some homes and glass/Dwell type structures have floor to ceiling glass and the ability to open this living space. This stuff ain't cheap though nor is the long term care and quality.
If this same commitment is placed into aquariums, then you can have a really nice tank.
I have my periods of motivation. This comes and goes, but over time, we all learn a bit more. Green Machine has some nice tanks and is committed. Over time, they will only improve with each incarnation.