# A local biotope



## jimjim (Jan 25, 2004)

Alright people, I've decided to do an "aquarium Bootiful" out of all the plants I've found in a ditch next to a swamp and an old cotton field (see Local Biotypes). This tank has been going for 3 weeks, Comments? what do you see I could change?...Thanks , Jimjim


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

At this point in its life, the tank just looks like a menagerie of different plants, which fail to work as a seamless whole.

It depends on what you are trying to achieve. A collection? An authentic representation of the swamp you collected these plants from? A Dutch/Nature Aquarium style aquascape?

We need to know what direction you want to take with this setup,

Carlos


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## keisuke (May 31, 2004)

Well done. The plants are healthy.

tsunami:
In our region, tanks are classified as farming and aquascaping.
''Farming'' is a tank used for plant a wide variety of plants only. So, we normally, will not comment any more for the landscaping. It is quite interesting that a tank can be used for farming just like doing a lab.

Also, we have classified Aquarium style aquascape as Japanese, Holland, Taiwan and Germany style. I would like to share with you the different concept over here. It is quite interesting.

It is great that we can shear our own idea to aquascapers all over the world.


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

keisuke,

You don't have biotoping as a concept in HK? Do not forget those! They follow different rules/guidelines than the other scapes. Let me rephrase... the "Dutch" biotope aquascaping style. They are very well developed in this field, more than any other country:

South America (Discus):









South America (Altums):









Lake Tanganyika (Cichlids):









Cameroon, small stream:









...all made in the Netherlands.

And please, tell us about how you view the differing styles in your country. In the United States, we typically split styles into Dutch/Holland and Nature Aquarium/Japanese.

What is the difference between Germany style and Dutch style? I'm also curious to hear the "insiders" description of the Taiwan style. Perhaps we should move this to another thread. We don't want to take over jimjim's topic asking for advice. 

Carlos


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## keisuke (May 31, 2004)

It is interesting. I learn much more over here.
Feel free to shear this topic in another thread.
anyway, thanks. tsunami


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## jimjim (Jan 25, 2004)

*A local biotype*

Tsunami, Thanks for the critique, its made me think at least. Altho the examples you're giving kind of leave me cold. The Camaroon stream tank is nice but the others all have that artificial look so common to most tanks, which is what I'm trying to get away from. The biotype in question is a roadside ditch here in southern Georgia. All the plants are found within a hundred feet of one another, so I'm somewhat restricted in variety and choice. We'll never get a perfect biotype because most of us don't like mud and cloudy water. In one respect the tank is wrong because I'm using Shultz Pond Soil but I'm hoping to cover that as the plants grow. The wood is a stump I found in the same ditch(just cut down a bit).
There are fish there, just hav'nt gotten to catching them yet. I guess I'll go back out to the garage and stare for awhile and think of which direction I'm going, as my old professors used to say. (retired architect)....Jimjim


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

Perhaps something like this tank is closer to the effect you are trying to recreate:










And I never understood why biotopers complain that they are handicapped when it comes to aquascaping due to lack of plant selection. I see that you have more than enough plants to create a great composition. A great aquascape is great no matter if it has one species or twenty --something that has proven over and over again. Improvise. If you don't have any foreground plants, try finding an alternative like white sand or a gray pebble (cobblestone-like) foreground). Experiment, observe your collecting location. Try to idealize it --you don't have to have muddy, insect infested water to make it LOOK authentic.

Carlos


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## jimjim (Jan 25, 2004)

*biotope or biotype*

Tsunami, That is more or less the effect I*'m looking for but the picture shows plants from differant parts of the world. Biotopers (or biotypers, whichever word you use) (biotope is the correct one I know) We "are" somewhat handicaped in choice of plants, yes. But that is the fun of doing them. I'm no Amano, but adding pebbles and rocks or whatever to this tank would not be keeping with the Biotope I'm doing. Working within the handicap of whats there is actually (to me) the fun part of doing this. I'm trying to figure out a way to simulate mud without clouding the water or I'll just use watever and hide it with plants when they grow in. Keep up the comments, I'm not flaming you. You're getting me to think and it's becoming more fun...Thanks, Jimjim


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