Aquascaping is not just underwater landscape art but also a form of living collection that requires ongoing care and management. In practice, aquascaping requires diligence, organization, and an understanding of the aquarium’s ecosystem, values that align with the principles of library and information science.
Through empowerment society activities (TIM 107 KKNT Undip) with Antoaquarium & Art in Branjang Village, West Ungaran District, I had the opportunity to further explore how art and science converge in one place: care and conservation. In this activity, I not only observed but also participated in practicing aquascape care and relating it to the principles of information collection management.
1. Cleaning: A Practice of Conservation
This cleaning is done at least once every two weeks. This practice reminds me of library collection conservation, such as cleaning shelves and books of dust or mold to ensure they remain presentable and useful. The clear glass reflects how information should be presented cleanly and undistorted, much like metadata in information systems.
2. Temperature and Environment: Managing the Information Environment
Aquascape owners emphasize the importance of temperature stability and the aquarium’s location, ensuring it is out of direct sunlight or outside air. In Library and Information Science, this is equivalent to managing an information space, where reading rooms or digital systems must be designed to be comfortable, safe, and undisturbed by external factors. Aquascapes placed in quiet, stable spaces act like reading rooms or information system servers, allowing users to focus and achieve the best possible experience.
3. Mapping and Understanding Information Elements
The activity of redesigning the aquarium layout, from rearranging rocks and plants to rearranging water flow, aligns with how Library and Information Science studies the best layouts for library spaces. This activity fosters an understanding of the interconnections between elements, such as mapping information within a classification system or data organization. Each plant and fish has different needs, similar to how each type of library collection or digital data has its own management standards.
This activity provides a reflective and practical experience demonstrating how the values of information management reside not only on bookshelves or digital systems but also in visual media like aquascapes. Caring for an aquascape teaches diligence, orderliness, and care, values that are also essential in Library and Information Science. I believe this interdisciplinary approach will enrich students’ and the public’s understanding of the importance of caring for all forms of collections, whether printed, digital, or living in water.
By: Ilham Fadlurrohman Hamid
