# AGA Contest Winners -- Aquatic Gardener Forums



## shieber (Jan 23, 2004)

Opening both barrels at once:

The Grand Opening

You can find the winners and all the other terrific entries in the 6th Annual AGA Aquascaping Contest here:

*http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org*

And the other Opening:

In response to repeated requests from aquatic gardeners, the AGA has opened forums for the benefit of the community:

*http://forum.aquatic-gardeners.org/*


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Why in the world didn't I see more folks from APC in the contest?


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

I was in it with two tanks.


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

Wait a second, Phil! APC put up a strong showing this year in the APC contest.

I'd like to give special thanks to the following members for entering:

John Zhang (turtlehead)
Baruch Mor (mor_b)
Harry Kwong (HarryPlanter)
Dennis Dietz (dennis)
Alan Chan (alanchan)
Rui Manuel Martins Alves (ramirezi)
Aaron Padilla (Aaron)
Tony Gomez (Gomer)
Jose María Romero León (Xema)
Daniel Larrsen (defdac)

And congratulations to the prize winners!:

Wayne Sham (waynesham)
Justin Law (GoHan)
Norbert Sabat (Norbert S.)
Roland Seah (lorba)
Oliver Knott (plantella)
Bjørn Olav Monsen (Hanzo)

I think APC was there. Heck, I also helped judge it. Great contest everyone. Lots of very competitive layouts. Looking back at the first AGA contest, we have come a long, long way.  

Carlos


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

The X-Large category has some stunning layouts and Roland Seah's paludarium is gorgeous! Picking the 'popular vote' will be tricky.

Carlos, great job on judging the contest. Must be a hastle writing up all of those comments.


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## Faruk Gençöz (Nov 4, 2005)

Phil Edwards said:


> Why in the world didn't I see more folks from APC in the contest?


Do each communities exactly share the same purposes and suggest the same procedures to reach the purposes? In theory, the differences partially explain "why".


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## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

fgencoz said:


> Do each communities exactly share the same purposes and suggest the same procedures to reach the purposes? In theory, the differences partially explain "why".


well said!!!
I don't know if it's what you ment.....
I didn't see any(many) tanks, like the ADA 1,2,3, winners.....


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## Norbert Sabat (Jun 26, 2004)

Hi

I'm very surprised that my tank take 3rd place in small category but of course i'm very happy . This year contest(in all category) was very high level and "average" planted tanks was better (IMHO) that winning tanks in last year


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## shieber (Jan 23, 2004)

Norbert S. said:


> Hi
> 
> I'm very surprised that my tank take 3rd place in small category but of course i'm very happy . This year contest(in all category) was very high level and "average" planted tanks was better (IMHO) that winning tanks in last year


Congratuilations. This year indeed had many very fine entries.


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## GoHan (Aug 14, 2004)

Congratulations for all winners!
Both ADA and AGA are in high level this year!
APC Contest is coming too. Hope it will be a good show too! ^^

Justin


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

Ok, I stand corrected, I didn't recognize many of those names.

Well done everyone! The quality of entries this year blew me away.


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## gnatster (Mar 6, 2004)

Phil, 

Why did AGA decide to start a forum?

With AB, APC, Plantgeek and PT what new things does the AGA think can be covered without watering down whats already out here?


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

We did it because that's one of the things complained about the most. So many folks complained that we weren't up with the times and starting a forum is a big step toward accomplishing that. We don't see it as a way of watering things down, but as a way for the AGA to increase its ability to pursue it's mission. 

Regards,
Phil


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Phil,

Does this mean the end of the APD?


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

No, it doesn't. APD is independent of the AGA it just seems that it's an AGA thing because so many folks use it as such.


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## shieber (Jan 23, 2004)

APD is not operated by AGA or any AGA members or affiliated with AGA in any way. It runs without the need for any affiliation. It's a product of Actwin, care of Mark Rosenstein, who provides APD and other mail lists completely free of charge to the public. And I don't think Mark even has planted tanks! Swell guy.

For that matter, thekrib.com is not affiliated with AGA but is the product of Erik Olson, who happens to be the President of AGA. Erik does lots of things -- he's a busy fellow -- and most of it is not AGA. AGA is glad that of the many things he does, he does so much for AGA.

I could go on but I started counting and there are an infinitie numbers of things that aren't affiliated with AGA., which is too many to enumerate here ;-)

sh

sh


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## ramirezi (Aug 24, 2004)

*Aga contest*

Hi everyone!

Congratulations for all!

best regards,
Rui Alves


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I saw many great pictures, and really enjoyed this years contest. There may have been several APCers that entered, but many who didn't who you would expect to... most of the recognizable American aquascapers from past years, people featured in the aquascaping forum here, and many of the outspoken artists from the local plant clubs across the country were all absent this year. 

I think its about time AGA got a forum and is making an effort to get in better touch with its members. I think if it had done it five years ago, the other plant forums including this one would have a much smaller audience or wouldn't even be around. Nathan is right though, it is basically the same group of people on all these forums. I think Scott and Erik and the rest will find the forum to be a great tool to reach out to people and promote the organization. They have already created a forum there to make relevant announcements! Don't you think that is cool Scott?!


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## Overfloater (Apr 2, 2004)

I entered my tank but I didn't do so well. In any case I am hoping I can get a much improved layout in the APC contest but that may not happen.

Best of luck to all who enter the APC contest!


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## shieber (Jan 23, 2004)

Robert Hudson said:


> . . .
> 
> I think its about time AGA got a forum and is making an effort to get in better touch with its members. I think if it had done it five years ago, the other plant forums including this one would have a much smaller audience or wouldn't even be around. Nathan is right though, it is basically the same group of people on all these forums. . .


There is no dirth of forums for aquatic gardeners and I don't expect to see changes in any of them because AGA has opened new ones. Forums are places where people with common interests can meet and discuss their interests and few folks want only one place to "hang," whether on the web or in clubs. I see the new forums as one more place to meet, to learn, to help each other. I doubt any promotional impacts for AGA; it's a service AGA provides to the community, in keeping with its mission.

Those who wish to show their aquascaping skills in competitions find increased opportunity in multiple venues -- the contests don't compete with each other. In fact, I think each helps the other by advancing the hobby.

Similarly, I see multiple forums serving the hobby in concert rather than competition.

two cents,


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## skylsdale (Jun 2, 2004)

I'll get off my butt for next year.


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

> Those who wish to show their aquascaping skills in competitions find increased opportunity in multiple venues -- the contests don't compete with each other. In fact, I think each helps the other by advancing the hobby.


Part of the reasoning for scheduling the APC contest with a December 1st deadline was to encourage people to continue working on their aquascapes after the AGA's September 15th deadline instead of trashing them immediately for the ADA. They could use the same hardscape, as Amano explained in TAG, but change the atmosphere with different plantings and fish for example.

We hope that having about three weeks after the AGA contest results are announced would give people some time to tweak something a judge may have pointed out that the aquascaper did not realize. Or, maybe the aquascaper thinks the judge does not know what he or she is talking about and decides to do something else. 

In the APC contest's debut, we hope this reasoning follows through. We are seeing a couple entries from some people in the AGA contest, actually. Same tank. Same hardscape. But the plantings and fish have been changed. I think that is a good exercise that few people do. Of course, we welcome the brand new layouts and the old as well.

Then, the ADA contest rolls around 4-5 months later right before summer time and everyone stops working on their aquariums. It'll work nicely, I think.

Carlos


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## user367 (Dec 15, 2004)

*new contest*

I have participation at AGA 2005 with my modest tanks and I want make tank for new contest at Aquatic Plant
Why so much rough emotions ?I do not understand!Explain
me please!


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

What rough emotions? We are trying to mesh with what is already out there not go against it. 

Carlos


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## user367 (Dec 15, 2004)

Dear tsunami !
Sorry if I wrote anything not well-I live in Ukraina and know English not wery well but I wanted to understand this discussion
Tamara


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## user367 (Dec 15, 2004)

I ask everybody who know good information about iwagumi,write me.where I found it.
Thanks!


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## russell (Dec 7, 2004)

carlos, i entered this year's aga too. i know i don't post on the forum much, but i spend a lot of time in the chat


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