Interview George Farmer

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Hi and thank you for accepting my request on giving this interview for the readers of aquaville.ro, I'm sure you'll make a lot of people happy by talking about some of the most interesting aspects of your work.

1. How did the aquascaping story begin for you?

G.F.: My friend kept a very nice Malawi cichlid tank and my wife wanted something similar.  I thought a planted tank looked nicer, so bought my first aquarium – a Juwel Rio 125.  I filled it with non-aquatic plants by accident.  Algae and dying plants gave me the motivation to learn more, especially from the Internet.  I discovered Takashi Amano's work and have not looked back since.

2. We can all guess that you prefer fresh water aquascapes to marine tanks. What are the reasons behind this?
G.F.: Freshwater is more accessible because it is more affordable to set up and maintain.  This is why I started the journey with freshwater and not marine.  Aquascaping with plants provides greater room for creativity.  Plants are cheaper than corals and grow much quicker.  You can create a fully grown aquascape in weeks with plants.  For a reef tank it takes years.  There is also something more relaxing about a well-aquascaped planted tank.  The greens of the plants, rocks and wood are more closely related to our daily lives that the purples and other bright colors associated with marine aquaria.

3. Talking about marine tanks, your first attempt to a marine one, besides looking amazing, was very similar to a freshwater planted tank. How did you come up with this original idea and what 'plants' did you use?

G.F.: I had seen some nice examples of marine tanks using macroalgae as an aquascaping tool, instead of just a nutrient export.  I wanted to try it out for myself and even started to add nitrates and phosphates to feed the macroalgae.  I used various macroalgae species given to me by a friend.

4. When creating an aquascape what inspires you the most and what are the most important steps you take in putting your idea into practice?

G.F.: Most of my aquascapes are created with the intention of being published in PFK magazine, or for other clients.  If I am creating an aquascaping for myself the inspiration usually comes from wanting to try out something that I've not done before.  I like to learn new things so will rarely use the same style of aquascape.  Creativity is reduced if we remain in our comfort zones for too long.  This is why I'm happy to aquascape with anything from goldfish to corals.  Nature Aquariums are my number one passion, and I will use Amano's work as inspiration, but try not to copy.

5. What are, in your opinion, the best decorative objects to use in order to give a natural aspect to an aquascape?

G.F.: Rocks and wood.  You don't even need plants if you have a strong enough hardscape.  A nice natural substrate is important too.  There are some great sands out there.

6. We all know that aquascaping is an art and many people use the golden ratio in order to create the best optical effect. Do you apply this rule or are you the type that breaks certain rules in order to be original?

G.F.: I don't rigidly follow the golden ratio.  I place focal point where I think look best, and usually this conforms to the golden ratio or rule of thirds.  I don't deliberately break 'rules' to be original, but believe I have enough experience now to have developed my own style.

7. We know that you create biotope aquascapes as well, are there any aspects that you like best at a biotope aquarium rather than a nature one?

G.F.: I like biotopes because the fish come first.  Many aquascapers tend to put the plants' needs first, and will run very high CO2 for instance.  Iwagumi is another example of not putting the fish first i.e. open spaces with little shelter that some fish find stressful.  I am guilty of it myself!  Now I tend to run tanks with lower lighting and CO2, and the fish seem much happier.

8. Regarding the technical part of an aquascape, what is the your preferred lightning method, filtration and fertilizing scheme?

G.F.: I usually run 8 hour photoperiods.  Most tanks are lit with 2 x T5.  I am using LED at the moment which works well.  I always overfilter and use the 10x guideline i.e. a 120 litre tank will have a 1200lph filter.  My favorite filter is the Fluval G6.  It has good flow and is very simple to maintain.  I find Tropica fertilizers to be excellent and usually use these exclusively.  Typically I dose 5ml per 100 litres per day and adjust if the plants need it.

9. Let's not leave out the little guys, are there any particular fish species that you prefer? Do you have a favorite as well?

G.F.: Mostly small shoaling species i.e. tetras and rasboras.  Fish choice depends on the aquascape.  Longer fish in longer tanks, taller fish in taller tanks.  My favorite fish has to be wild discus or Altum angelfish, although I haven't kept either (yet!)

10. Do you have any tips for beginners who want to create their first aquascape?

G.F.: Firstly realize how much time, effort and money you're willing to spend.  Find a good online forum and learn by reading as much as you can from reliable sources.  The answers to most questions are out there – you just need to know where to look… Growing plants is easier than even with the good equipment and modern techniques.  Find an aquascape you like the look of, and if it is within your capability use it as tool to learn from.  Copying is a good idea until you are confident enough to try out your own ideas.

11. And for a last question, we know that Dutch aquascapes are more and more undesirable in favour of nature aquascapes. In what direction will the trend go in your opinion?

G.F.: The Nature Aquarium style will continue to be the most popular, with individuals creating their own twists on the concept.  I have noticed many great aquascapes coming from Eastern Europe lately…I would like to see more biotopes, especially to help educate young people.  Connecting children to nature is perhaps more challenging then ever with our reliance on technology (computer games, social networking etc.), so using aquascaping to help educate about nature etc. is a positive move.

Thank you for answering our questions and we hope to see more amazing creations from you! And I encourage all of you to visit the UKAPS website.