Gomer

IF a single species, you don't want to let slow growing scapers hanging. Also don't want a contest when there are already so many going on. With that in mind, I think that a contest in late fall or early winter would be good

Also, a required bi-weekly or monthly journal from start to finish would be really cool!...regardless of contest theme I know this limits it to new tanks, but hey....trying to keep this contest more original and productive

IUnknown

I like the ideas listed so far. It would be nice to compare what people do, given certain parameters. Using a ten gallon, aqua scape a tank using these plants. Keep a journal. That way it is easier to judge. Everyone had the same base, but took them in different directions. I like an article in aqua journal were contestants are given a 10 gallon tanks and driftwood pieces. It is interesting all the different combos people come up with, and the best driftwood positions really stand out. I've got an extra tank that I would enter.

Phil Edwards

That's what I was trying to do when I pitched the aquascaping contest to Robert last year and it turned out that almost nobody was interested in doing something like that.

I personally don't think APC should to a contest, it seems that everyone and their mothers are doing contests. At this rate we'll have a different one every month. I like the idea of featured tanks though, perhaps some sort of general membership poll to vote for a featured aquascape/aquascaper each month and that person gets interviewed and maybe 50 extra points on their account.

Although, I like Steve's idea of a biotope contest. It's something that hasn't been done before and we've got a pretty interested group of biotopers here.

An alternate to the above, why not just do an informal group aquascape thing. On one ofthe miniature figure painting boards I belong to sometimes people all get the same mini and set a time limit for painting then show off/compare their work. I think it would be a lot of fun to see how differently we would all use the same plants in a 10g tank. I just don't like the idea of a general web-wide aquascaping contest....again.....and again....and again.....

Best,
Phil[/quote]

MiamiAG

Hmm...A lot of you think that we should have an aquascaping contest. I'd be interested to know what the prizes should be? Ribbons, products, cash?

tsunami

A few things to keep in mind...

1) There are already four major contests out there: ADA, Aquabotanic, AquaticQuotient, and AGA. We can't have another contest just because we can. We have to create an original contest with a significant number of entries (ball park range --twenty five or over).

2) We didn't see too much participation out of another restricted contest (AB).

3) We are a very young forum (not even two months old). It may be best to wait until the forum has matured a little more.

4) Could we really get a lot of entries with a standard sized tank, setup only for this contest? Would it make a difference if the prize is really good?

5) I am very doubtful of a biotope contest. Even the much larger, more well advertised AGA Biotope contest category barely turns in five entries per year... and many of those aren't even real biotopes.

Carlos

dennis

IMHO, i think a contest would be nice but I do agree with Phil that maybe it should be only for members of this forum. Not really a big deal since membership is easy. It also might bring others to join the forum and boost the knowledge about what is happening here. I am really pleased wiht what i see so far here and I believe that I have found a new favorite place. It seem like many of the people hear are sort of the "higher caliber". MEaning that thaty are very knowledgeable and truely seem to want to improve the hobby and seem genuine in helping newbies.

I really like the idea of specific parameters. 10 gallon, limited number of plants. I am not sure about the idea of a specific pre chosen single plant. Especially if it is anubias. That would be way to expensive for some of us. I also like the idea of A focus plant, like Ken mentioned, and then the scaper gets to choose one or two plants to go along wiht it. I relly like the idea of a 10 or 15 gallon tank. CHeap but they have wonderful aquascaping potential. The grow in time would not be to long either. Just my two cents worth. Maybe we should give it a wack on this board and see how it goes. Give the winner some points and or something small like that. Aside from bragging rights, of course

Dave B

I think a low light contest would be ideal. It would be more cost effective and a change of pace from my 29 gallon, high light, co2 obsession. I've been thinking of aquascape designs using that tall 15 gallon cube that has been in stores lately (See "How to 'scape a cube or hex") so I hope that it falls into the contest's size parameters. I hope it includes driftwood and Java fern also.

JLudwig

Right, this is a problem. The AGA will need to address this soon, but the same tanks get entered into multiple contests and frankly I think this is stupid. You really need to require tanks be original submissions that won't be submitted anywhere else and then there isn't enough to go around.... to crowded as it is. I also have some other reservations about tanks that have been posted on a forum before the "blind" voting at the AGA but that is a topic for another forum

The point of single plant wasn't to develop a knock-out aquascape, but rather to be instructional... using hardscape effectively. As far as cost, a 10 gallon leader is really cheap and standard, I'm willling to do something like this.

The problem with the one-plant/iron chef idea is where in the world are we going to get enough source material for 10-15 of us simulataneously?? I mean, how much Hemianthus (which is what I had in mind) is out there? I usually need to let my plants grow for a few months before they look halfway decent, I mean even the best stock from a LFS is crap, those folks who need to mail order have a real fight on their hands...

Jeff

tsunami

I do disagree on your first point...I think suggesting something like that would hurt the aquascaper looking for more advice from multiple sources with different tastes. As you said, it would spread tanks very thinly --most contests would fold. Heck, if I only have one original tank, I'd enter it into the ADA. I bet most would. AGA, AQ, AB, etc would turn into non-events. Are you suggesting this?

I have usually found mail order to be far and beyond higher in quality than anything my LFS can provide. We will definitely be chosing something very common in the trade and very maleable.

We will continue to plan this out, but there will be raffles for the plant chosen as the 'theme ingredient.' There will be plenty of chances to get it and from multiple sources may it be java moss, hairgrass, H. micranthemoides, Cryptocorynes, etc.

We're not going to choose something like Rotala macrandra or Eusteralis stellata.

The deadline will be set some time in December or even January. Time shouldn't be an issue --especially since we are working with small tanks.

Carlos

JLudwig

I have very mixed feelings here. I think we should have (for general planted tanks) ADA (difficult multinational) and AGA (mainly US, a little easier to rank)... I really hate drawing attention away from the AGA.

With all of these other contests that allow re-entries, it ruins the most important aspect of the contest which its the anonymous judging. I mean, if I were a judge last year at the AGA, I would have picked out James's tank in an instant... infact I prolly already commented on it earlier on the AB forums. This could help or hurt but the problem it that it does something.

It also prevents less experienced aquascapers from having their creations rank. If Luis wanted, he could enter all of his tanks and win every prize in the AB contest IMO. I love his work, but I've already seen it, and I think its only fair you get to enter a tank to one contest once...

To be honest, I've had terrible luck with mail order in the past, I'm trying a new vendor this time, I hope things look a lot better...

Definately count me in tho, it sounds like a lot of fun...

Jeff