Re: [AGA Contest] Re:Biotopes

["Steven Pituch" <spituch@ev1.net>]

One thing  that is driving me to present this subject is the way I see the
aquariums that people call biotopes.

1)  Most of these tanks are theme tanks done by hobbyists who are of the
aquascaping mindset.  Mostly these tanks are designed with aquascaping as
the primary focus, and the biotope reference is often minimally accurate
(not always).  Most of these tanks are planted and need to be entered in one
of the planted aquaria categories.

2) A few of the theme tanks above are plantless.  Once again very few of
these tanks have been accurate biotope representations, although some have
been outstanding aquascapes and works of art.  These entries either need to
be entered in one of the existing aquascaping categories along with planted
tanks, or in a new "aquascaped unplanted tank" category.  Jeff's tank proves
that these aquascapes can compete with planted tanks as far as aquascaping
goes.

3) Biotope tanks as I see them, are those where people are trying to
reproduce an environment.  The majority of these people collect their plants
locally in ditches, lakes and streams.  Many people like this "local" idea
because they see the biotope and have control over the environment as far as
choosing everything they need from nature.  They have a special pride in
discovering a new aquatic plant, since only about one in twenty plants
usually is satisfactory for submerged growth.  It can take over a month of
searching to discover a new suitable plant.  Most of the time these plants
are not as easy to aquascape with.  Often its hard enough to just make them
look decent in a tank.  Compared to the work aquascapers put into a design,
these aquarists also put in lot of a very different kind of work into their
local biotopes.  Also you can't compare these tanks with those of
aquascapers who have every commercially available plant in the world to
choose from to make a perfect presentation.  The biotoper's "palette" of
colors and forms is usually, depending on the environment, just an extremely
small subset of what aquascapers can use.  Just think of what a biotoper
living near the Artic circle in Sweden or Canada has to work with (these
people exist), or in SW Texas where its hard enough to just find some water.
So instead of art, biotopers model realism.  That's why they need a category
of their own.  These local biotopes are often lifetime learning projects.
That's the enjoyment these people get out of the hobby.

Carlos said,
> If the biotope population is small in the U.S. (specializing in foreign
> biotopes), than those
> that go out to locally collect plants is even minute.
>
Yes, see above.  The majority of these people are actually more into
aquascaping and these are theme tanks.  I have corresponded with maybe 2
dozen people in the last six months who are actively involved in making
their own local biotopes.  How many total biotopers these people represent,
I do not know, but if about 10 percent of these people (3) attempt realistic
biotopes in the AGA contest it sort of figures.

 > Let me say this, however, that aquascapers also typically have the
> healthiest plants
> out there. Plant health is a massive part of aquascaping. A good design
will
> not look
> good without healthy plants. Amano calls plant health as the sin quo non
of
> aquascaping.

I very much agree.  They are leaders in the state of the art including the
science of plant propagation.  They have my utmost respect and I someday
hope to emulate them.  Biotopists are only starting to develop ways to
represent the natural appearance of plants and other objects in an
environment.  Since they are often dealing with "unknown" plants they often
have a special handicap just getting a plant to grow.

> A tank with wild rice and Crypt becketti can be made to be beautiful,
> however. Aquascaping
> doesn't just have to be about competing with one another. It also has to
do
> with creating
> something beautiful that you get to enjoy on a day to day basis.

Again agreed but then if aquascaping is the chief concern put the entry in
an aquascaping category.  The way things are going, with all of my
experimental rice ponds and rice planted tank, I will be able to tell you in
about a year how well I can represent Wild Rice in an aquarium.  After a few
months, wild rice appears to be an "ugly" amphibious grass.   Once again if
someone spends months of research on local plants and a biotope tank, he
shouldn't be penalized because aquascaping was the primary consideration.
The accomplishment is in the research, and the presentation of an accurate
biotope.  If it is ugly the biotope shouldn't win, but the realistic
presentation of  the plants and the environment, should be the primary goal
of a biotope, with aquascaping a secondary consideration when it can be
applied.

Gee, I think I've said about everything I can say on this.

I am slowly developing my aquascaping skills, and do enjoy aquascapes, so
please don't think I'm doing this as an antagonist.  Its just that I have
developed a love for this biotope/research part of the hobby, and I think
that it is important to preserve.

Steve Pituch

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