I'm curious about the intentions APC members have for their current tanks. Have you set it up to mature into that perfect photo opportunity and then plan to start a new scape or is the tank going to be setup for long-term enjoyment.
It seems that a 3-4 month old tank is just beginning to mature, and become very stable so I agree. IMO, long-term is the way to go. The less hassle the better
6 months? Long-term means at least a year or two as far as I'm concerned. I planned my big tank to last no less than 10 years. It had been in the planning stages for about 2 decades, so now that it's underway maybe it will actually last that long. I'm 18 months into it and still view it as a fairly new project. It will undergo major re-do's along the way, and will probably morph into a lower-maintainence setup, but the basic elements of substrate, equipment, lighting and such will hopefully stay the same.
Throwing a tank together for a few photos at the 2 or 3 month point is sort of a waste (cheating)IMO. I guess quick turnaroud does provide more opportunity for experimentation, but a durable setup is more interesting and more meaningful to me. Most tanks look their best about 6 months into a major re-scape.
The definition of a long term might scale with the size of the tank.
6 months for a small cube and a year or two for a larger tank.
How many plant swaps can you do and still consider it a long term scape?
If you remove and then add three plant species, then this is either a rescape or you have a plant collection rather than a scape. I would choose the unlisted option of having plant collections.
It's hard to define exactly what constitutes a "new scape". Personally I've never set up a tank that I didn't tinker with on an almost continuous basis. Does moving a few plants around mean it's a new scape? I guess I've always thought of a "new scape" as one that requires changing out the substrate, tearing down the aquarium, or at least a complete restart of the biofilter. There probably isn't a way to come to a true consensus on this.
Hmmmmm. The size of the tank might be important too. There are very few reasons to keep a 6" cube going for 10 years other than just to be able to say that you did it. An entire re-do takes about 30 minutes.
Some interesting comments so far. I think when I started this thread I wasn't thinking about length as much (although it plays a factor), I was thinking more in terms of the when the scaper has gotten the tank to where his/her vision was for the tank, final pics are taken and the tank is torn down and a new one is started based on another plan or vision. Any scape that is started, whether it be for a contest, photo, etc or long-term will have to be tinkered with and fine-tuned as the tank matures.
IMO,
Tanks are best viewed in person. I see no reason to take a photo of a tank that no-one will be able to see ever again. My friends enjoy coming over and viewing my tanks. When something changes, its usually met with disdain. "Hey! Where'd my favorite plant go??!?!??" is usually the response.
I'm limited slightly by the fact that I'm moving soon. However, I plan on being in my next house for many years, and hope to keep at least one tank going uninterrupted the entire time I'm there.
Guiac,
Which tank is your decade tank? Do you have a post about it, and do you explain your preparations for the tank, and your long term strategy?
SKS, I agree that tanks are better in person. This is especially true when your occupation is something other than professional photographer.
My "decade tank" is journaled in the "Large Aquariums & Ponds" section. The link is here. My long-term strategy isn't really defined as such, but I tried to select hardware and set up the plumbing with that in mind.
I definately see myself as in for the long haul with my tanks. My skills are not yet up to par with competitive aquascaping... but one day I may just surprise the world! BWUAHAHAHA!
1 long term tank. My wife would kill me if I went back to my mts from when we were dating. I had 4 tanks including a 5g, 10g, 35g and 55g in a 1 bedroom apt!
i have had a 29 gal for 5 yrs now and it almost always changed up untill the last 6 months to yr but that is cause i could never figure out how i wanted it. i would add this or that and take that plant out cause it was dieing or got eaten by the gups. some plants were put in just to be eaten. my 55 gal has not realy changed much other than the addition of a coupld plants and rocks and as stuff out out of controle. i let it grow. i have a 10 gal that was set up and planted with intent on shrimp that didnt do well do to heat but it has not changed at all in 6 months and then i have the outside tanks that started out as just plant holders till i moved and ened up with fish in them and getting planted with extras from in the house. here is a link to my tanks and fish if any one wants to look and enjoy http://s161.photobucket.com/albums/t214/wicca25_2007/fish/
no 'scapes'
just growout and collection of spp.
so I picked other.
I need to work on photo ops though, and got some good ideas from some other members recently.
Its hard to get a decent sp. pic out of a packed growout.
I do think that the size of the tank makes a difference. It's much easier to redo a 10g than a 125g. I have recently redone my 10g two times, but just change around my 125g. That comes under tinkering for me. IMO, there's just too much invested in a large tank to take the risk of killing your fish by interrupting the cycle.
I enjoy watching the smaller tank scapes come and go. The nano's are just too cool... but I think the bigger the tanks, the more difficult they are. You have more area to fill without being too repetitive and boring OR too jungle like....
Being lazy, I just like to scape for long term, but do tinker around to get things to my liking for.
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