Aquarama 2007 - Event coverage

[Jungle-mania]

I thought the one with the red combobas was awesone, sadly it did not win. It gave a very full image top to bottom with giving the sense of it being cramp. I like it so much, I am going to rescape my tank again.

Also does anyone noticed that colourful aquarium's tank looked alot like the bonsai garden downstairs at Suntec City?

[Betta Almighty]

is it this one? the one look like glue

yeah thats one. What exaclty is that?

[leeruisheng]

Looks like aquascaping in heaven.

[coryfav]

yeah thats one. What exaclty is that?

Isn't that like super-fine white sand?

Anyway, yeah, I've to say that the setups turned out pretty decent, given that they're given only a couple of days before they're shown to everybody to see.

[Shadow]

Isn't that like super-fine white sand?

It is look like gel to me

[genes]

Saw that too, its like some slimy stuff. Wierd tank, like ying and yang combine together.

[XnSdVd]

cos the one that won the first prize- looks kelong to me.

It appears someone spotted my voodoo ritual... tsk. Should be more careful next time.

But seriously, i think PT6 did a pretty good job with the scape. PT4 might appear fuller, but it lacks any sort of composition, the stainless steel mesh is exposed, the choice of substrate was too coarse, there were dead fish in the tank and it looked exactly the same as PT1 by that guy from colourful.

I'm not sure if he was trying to blend the dutch and japanese styles of aquascaping with the neat rows in the front and moss covered DW in the back. But i believe the reason it looks more presentable is because of the use of background paper which really helped give it a focal point unlike PT6 where the large rock on the left got drowned out by the exposed back.

But my point is that as a scape it loses out on the aesthetic elements like contrast, composition and lighting(black paper made it look too dark).

[StanChung]

IMHO judges are so blasé seeing a moss tank with cardinals it that probably automatically gets creativity points deduction!!!

IMHO Yin Yang tank was probably too far out for the judges taste although it was the most creative of the whole lot. Halving the tank in two makes for two pictures that may have split the judges decision.

Little was said of the criteria for judging so whoever that won probably feels very lucky and sleeps well for the fact he did not do the 'kelong' and pockets back his expenses and has some spare to buy his friends a meal and some drinks. Roland - what you ask is out budget!

[lorba]

Stan, I already spent a third buying beers yesterday night! Waiting for the big bottle from you!

[luenny]

IMHO judges are so blasé seeing a moss tank with cardinals it that probably automatically gets creativity points deduction!!!

IMHO Yin Yang tank was probably too far out for the judges taste although it was the most creative of the whole lot. Halving the tank in two makes for two pictures that may have split the judges decision.

Little was said of the criteria for judging so whoever that won probably feels very lucky and sleeps well for the fact he did not do the 'kelong' and pockets back his expenses and has some spare to buy his friends a meal and some drinks. Roland - what you ask is out budget!

Ok, won't comment about the kelong part. In my opinion, the judges did a very good job. For the moss tank with cardinals, to me, a bit to common. Plus, front part, the grass and lawn arrangement, a bit too artificial if you ask me.

For the Yin Yang tank, yes, very creative. Even got something that looks like a moon over the so call white colored lake. Very nice but too bad the split is right down the middle. Maybe if the split it somewhere to the side it'll be nicer. Also, the part where the black and white stuff meet, needs to add something, feels like something is missing. Just feels like the change is too abrupt. Needs something to soften it a bit.

Ok, don't flame me, you guys can think whatever you want but this is how I feel.

- Luenny

[StanChung]

Stan, I already spent a third buying beers yesterday night! Waiting for the big bottle from you!

Roland you have expensive taste-over budget la,

Luenny, I think the common aim is to avoid repetition- there are safe designs and for tankPT06 i think everybody agrees the plants look half dead. If they can see beyond that and look at the design itself then perhaps it may be more palatable. lol.

My hipothesis is the judges cannot bring themselves to rate the nicely planted ones highly if it did not have the illusion of depth & perspective, flow, creativity etc.

They also look beyond the planting of emersed plants as they know it's the design that counts , the plant health is a bonus IMHO for competition tanks. Everybody was smart enough not to put Cryptocorynes...

[luenny]

Hi Stan,
Agree that it's the design that counts, that's why I say the judges make a good call. The top three all look very nice IMHO. I think if the 3 place winner were to use grass instead of moss, it'll be even nicer. But then that'll mean they have to plant the whole tank with grass on 1 day. And yeah, some of the design are a bit on the safe side - I shall not mention which one - and sometimes get a bit too common if you ask me. Other setups may have nice design too. But I feel that they didn't win because the overall setup didn't click. I saw a few which have a very nice background but the foreground is a bit blank.

As for the plants looking half dead, it can't be avoided. I think the fishes will die too because basically you have to set the tank up and throw everything in on the same day. But hey, as long as they're not half dead during judging, it's all that counts right?

Some of the award winning discus also look half dead by the time I see them too. And the winner for marine tank got algae all over the glass by the time I see it. Lol!!

- Luenny

Moderator edit: Split the crypt discussion to this thread http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=29731

[Justikanz]

I took some pictures of Aquarama 2007 too...

Some behind the scenes photos...

The AQ staff preparing to work on Thursday morning...


Queueing for registration...




All peace and quiet...




Preparing to take pictures!...




Making sure all things run smoothly for the weekend...


Now, this one is really behind the scenes...


AQ staff hard at work...




Dr Kenny Yap giving a talk...




Lunch time!

[wynx]

The competition for planted only 10 tanks..... standard so so... also i dun know how they judge... cos the one that won the first prize- looks kelong to me.

disappointing show this show nothing much happening... just bought a few plant books.

To each his own....Why not you keep your opinion to yourself. If you think it is kelong, show proof..else keep quiet! It is not an easy scape to built in 2 days.

[valice]

Thanks to wks for informing us on the off tracking of discussion.
I have split the discusion on the crypt melt to this thread.

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=29731

[ecoculturesg]

Guess there is nothing wrong with opinion.. a matter of how you say or write it.

[XnSdVd]

To each his own....Why not you keep your opinion to yourself. If you think it is kelong, show proof..else keep quiet! It is not an easy scape to built in 2 days.

Now to be completely fair there's nothing wrong with speculation. Besides, he only said it once, his other posts were about the ugly scape.

[StanChung]

Thanks Thomas for the pictures of the AQ team! Love those pics!

[barmby]

The VP of PlecoClub Singapore asked me "how they judge? " I said, I dont know!! It is difficult to judge planted tanks. And that Amano judging graph came to my mind. haha..

[lorba]

It is extremely difficult to put up a beautiful scape with nice, matured, opening plants in 1 short day. This is also made worse with possibly highly chlorinated or treated water at the suntec city. Plants like moss/fissiden sp can turn blackish and meltish overnight.

I think we should look beyond the health of plant and into the potential and details the contestants put in. Having said that, we actually have two broad classes of people, 1 pro-amano, and the other pro-oldist-taiwanese style scape. And I believe we have both classes in the judging panel this round.