Do you agree that reef scapes look more natural than planted FW scapes?

[Steven777]

Not sure if my post is allowed here, but I had a debate with my friend about SW reef tank vs FW planted tank.

He said reef tanks look kinda fake and the scapes have been done in the same design for decades, while with planted tanks they look natural and there's a wide variety of scapes. IMO while reef tank designs might be the same, they do look much closer to the ocean than it does with planted tanks. Let's look at these pics:

I personally think it's very rare to see those planted scapes in nature, while in the ocean you can find these reefs easily. I don't mean to bash planted tanks because I own one and love it too, but I'm curious what you guys think...

 

[saltyhog]

Never thought about it but I think the average planted tank I've seen looks "better" than the average reef tank. Sometimes ours just looks like we threw a bunch of rock in a box.

Both can be impressive.....vive la difference! ;Happy

 

[roberthu526]

Well both are very unnatural if you have really spent time observing nature. Most people think nature looks good, athletically pleasing. But the truth is most of the time nature is ugly. If you dive in the river you will see muddy water, a lot of floating particles and a lot of algae growing on the rocks and plants. If you dive in the ocean, you will never not see corals we put in the same tank appear in one place. Instead you will see see hug same corals over and over again occupying a large area. Also the colors are usually brown.
We humans always organize things according to our taste which make things "unnatural" but it's not a bad thing. Or why do you think people use makeup?

 

[leedsrhinojohn]

I think while both reef and planted tanks look gorgeous neither of them replicate natural reefs or rivers

 

[Steven777]

Well both are very unnatural if you have really spent time observing nature. Most people think nature looks good, athletically pleasing. But the truth is most of the time nature is ugly. If you dive in the river you will see muddy water, a lot of floating particles and a lot of algae growing on the rocks and plants. If you dive in the ocean, you will never not see corals we put in the same tank appear in one place. Instead you will see see hug same corals over and over again occupying a large area. Also the colors are usually brown.
We humans always organize things according to our taste which make things "unnatural" but it's not a bad thing. Or why do you think people use makeup?

This is the right explanation. I like it. Thank you

 

[AngryMike2016]

I personally think it is much more challenging to make a beautiful planted aquascape than a reefscape.

 

[juanrmattos]

I’ve always liked planted scapes and they kind of provide a wider range of design possibilities than a reef scape (Inside an aquarium that is); As a personal choice saltwater species and life stock are more attractive to me.

They are both beautiful, we all can appreciate a well elaborated aquascape.

 

[maroun.c]

Keep in mind when we scape for a reef tank we have a key aim in mi d which is coral positioning which isnt as crucial in planted where plants can be glued to any surface and in contact with other plants with no issues.

 

[S2G]

Neither are natural. Planted can be beautiful but can't hold a candle to the beautiful colors of a reef in my eyes.

I don't think the examples are of equal comparison either no offense to the reef tanks.

 

[Katrina71]

I think without gha, a reef tank looks too sterile. I know most reefers hate it, but I happen to like greens in my tank.

 

[LadyMac]

I think that depends. There are some planted tanks set up to be more natural. I have two, myself. I have a 29 housing Betta Pallifina. In their bio tope, they live in slow to medium moving Blackwater streams, with banks made of rocks. They have bucephelandra, java fern and crypt species as well as pitcher plants. I made the tank as best I could but I had to use slate. It’s not a deep setup as they don’t care for the depth, but it is Blackwater with emersed plants. Then I have a ten gallon for a fancy betta. While we all know these guys are hybrids, the species that makes them up live in differing locations. Blackwater, dark substrate, planted with natural bog woods. Shallow slow moving waters. Both tanks have the 24/7 light fixture to help mimic a natural day cycle, as much as we can without actually being outside.

 

[leedsrhinojohn]

I think without gha, a reef tank looks too sterile. I know most reefers hate it, but I happen to like greens in my tank.

There was a picture a bit ago of a 6ft saltwater tank but was made to look like a planted freshwater water because all he grew was lots of different types of red and green algae, which he pruned just like a freshwater planted tank.
The contrast of the fish he kept and the algae was absolutely gorgeous.
Is it natural? no but if you was to have a reef and a planted tank to look natural, they would be dull and boring.
I will see if I can dig out a link to this guys tank

 

[shred5]

No Freshwater takes aquascaping to a new level and has more to work with.


There are competitions for aquascaping in freshwater...

 

[BrandonS]

There are many different styles of freshwater planted scapes. Some more natural than others. Reef scapes don't have as big of a range from natural to un natural IMO. But some of the minimalist structures do not look natural until you get several years of coral on them.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

No Freshwater takes aquascaping to a new level and has more to work with.


There are competitions for aquascaping in freshwater...

I had freshwater for 4 years and always had loads of plants in a same size tank as I have a reef now. 1 coral in my reef tank costs more than all my plants and fish combined in freshwater.
It was alot easier to fill the tank with nice plants and not worry about sweepers. Was it natural? Haven't got a clue as I don't dive in rivers, then again I dont dive in the sea over reefs!
Also is a box of water in your house natural? We should just enjoy what we can keep whether be it reef or planted and just love the life we keep within these boxes.

 

[shred5]

I had freshwater for 4 years and always had loads of plants in a same size tank as I have a reef now. 1 coral in my reef tank costs more than all my plants and fish combined in freshwater.
It was alot easier to fill the tank with nice plants and not worry about sweepers. Was it natural? Haven't got a clue as I don't dive in rivers, then again I dont dive in the sea over reefs!
Also is a box of water in your house natural? We should just enjoy what we can keep whether be it reef or planted and just love the life we keep within these boxes.

I am a diver and have been diving allot of different places.. There is nothing natural about any of them..
I kept freshwater for a very long time and have been reefs over 30 years.
Our reefs we keep fish and corals from completely different oceans. We keep corals next to each other what would never be close to each other or even close to the same depth in a little box.

I just think some of the freshwater aquascapes are just insane especially paludarium aquariums where they have above and below water environments.

I think some of both are very unrealistic while others are closer to natural than others.
I think reef aquariums in general have been heading farther and farther away from being more natural looking.. So many now look more like a frag tank with corals all over the bottom of the tank and little tiny frags and frag racks in the aquarium.. How many grow out colonies at all anymore? There are some but it seems to get less and less everyday. I am sorry but all these reefs with little tiny frags and frags all over the bottom of the aquarium is anything but realistic. Personally I like a Reef with fewer coral that are colonies and not a bunch of little frags packed into a reef aquarium.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

I am a diver and have been diving allot of different places.. There is nothing natural about any of them..
I kept freshwater for a very long time and have been reefs over 30 years.
Our reefs we keep fish and corals from completely different oceans. We keep corals next to each other what would never be close to each other or even close to the same depth in a little box.

I just think some of the freshwater aquascapes are just insane especially paludarium aquariums where they have above and below water environments.

I think some of both are very unrealistic while others are closer to natural than others.
I think reef aquariums in general have been heading farther and farther away from being more natural looking.. So many now look more like a frag tank with corals all over the bottom of the tank and little tiny frags and frag racks in the aquarium.. How many grow out colonies at all anymore? There are some but it seems to get less and less everyday. I am sorry but all these reefs with little tiny frags and frags all over the bottom of the aquarium is anything but realistic.

I agree totally. When I first started reefing over 13 ago it was loads of rock and deeper sand beds and now it's very minimal, and like you say corals all over the sand, or even bare bottom tanks and people have frag racks on the sand and stuck to the glass. I have to hold my hands up when I have fragged corals I put a little rack in there while I'm selling but that's not for long and in the back of the rockwork.

I admit this time round I have gone with less rocks and I have kept the sand clear as I like the look of sand in a reef just not deep sandbeds that has algae in it an inch up the glass. Nowhere near natural but it's my little piece of reef (well rocks and corals in a box) with non sun looking lighting. But heyho

 

[siggy]

Stunning tanks on both sides. Mom had a green thumb and the FRONT ROOM was a tropical jungle. To each their own!

 

[shred5]

I agree totally. When I first started reefing over 13 ago it was loads of rock and deeper sand beds and now it's very minimal, and like you say corals all over the sand, or even bare bottom tanks and people have frag racks on the sand and stuck to the glass. I have to hold my hands up when I have fragged corals I put a little rack in there while I'm selling but that's not for long and in the back of the rockwork.

I admit this time round I have gone with less rocks and I have kept the sand clear as I like the look of sand in a reef just not deep sandbeds that has algae in it an inch up the glass. Nowhere near natural but it's my little piece of reef (well rocks and corals in a box) with non sun looking lighting. But heyho

I think your tank looks very nice.

 

[motortrendz]

Honestly its apples and oranges. You can't compare them, they're both really beautiful tanks in their own right. But both ate very unnatural but are pieces of art bc no 2 are ever the same.