Does Takashi Amano‘s work inspire you? Do you wonder how someone can be so good at aquascaping? Is it as simple as being a “natural” at it?

The truth is you don’t need to have natural talent to be as good as Takashi Amano. You simply need to do the one thing Amano’s has been doing for over 30 years. It’s called “practice.”

How to practice aquascaping and become the next Takashi Amano

Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers, says that you need roughly 10,000 hours of practice to gain mastery in a field. That’s about 40 hours per week for five years. Mr. Amano has logged more than that in his 30+ year career in aquascaping.

Takashi Amano started his career as a nature photographer traveling to the world’s jungles in 1975. He’s been studying nature since then.

He started Aqua Design Amano in 1982 and has been aquascaping since then. Poorly at first. Gradually improving through practice.

So how do you practice like Amano if you don’t have the time to travel to the Amazon on a photoshoot?

Well, you tell your spouse you are giving up your paying profession to risk it all starting a planted aquarium business. Or, like me after my wife helped me see that I would not make a good business owner (thank you, honey!), you can figure out how to consistently work on hardscape and planting.

I came up with the ScapeFu Dojo. You can find it at some good local fish stores but this is your do-it-yourself version and it’s “spouse-approved.”

Here’s the accompanying, ROUGH, video I made to show you how to make it:

It’s my first video so be kind. I know it can be better. LOL. But that’s the point, right? Practice! I need more practice!

Practice Homework for YOU!

Please practice getting an eye for aquascaping by taking pictures of “the aquascape in the mountain.” Listen to the episode to know what I mean. Then share your pictures we me on Instagram! I’m ScapeFu on Instagram.

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