My 2 cents

[lovell <lovell@drizzle.com>]

If it's not too late, I'd like to offer a vision of the contest, one
which seems to be very different from the creature that I see
developing.

I kind of expected that everyone could just digitally submit a few
pictures, maybe one shot of the whole tank and a couple of close-ups,
and that all entries would be presented at some Web site.  (The showcase
model.)  If people didn't want to submit, that's fine -- I don't think
we should have to bribe people to share their ideas with expensive
corporation-donated prizes.  Prizes, if any, should be token ones. 
Someone suggested donations of rare/expensive/unusual plants.  That
sounds great.  Maybe a certificate that could be hung next to the tank.

No entry fee necessary, and no corporate involvement.  Why do we need
them?  The only cost is donated time, right?

As for fakes, photoshop enhancements, or whatever, fine -- if you're
such a loser that you have to fake pictures of _your_aquarium_, you're a
sad case.  (This is also a reason not to offer prizes beyond token
ones.)  The vast majority of submissions would be legit, I'm sure.

If people didn't have a digital camera, or couldn't scan, they could
send photos (with an optional SASE for return) to a volunteer who would
scan them.  I think I could manage that.

Along with the photo you'd submit a list of plants and a one-paragraph
description to put below the photo as a caption.

A panel of judges -- people with an established track record -- would
judge and comment, but there would also be a forum for popular
judgment.  Again, more a showcase then Super Bowl XLVIII.

Finally, I don't want to step on toes or make anyone mad, and I guess
it's a little off topic, but I have to say this:  I'm surprised that
this is now being sponsored by the AGA.  Does the AGA even really
exist?  (That's a real question.) I was a member for a year recently,
and for my $12 (or whatever), I got a few stapled collections of
reprints of articles that I had already seen on the Web.  That wasn't
much, and there didn't seem to be anything more to it -- no social
component, no lectures... the APD list seems to me to be the real
"aquatic gardeners association".  Did I miss something?

Anyway, those are my comments, for what they're worth.  I still think
this is a fun idea.  I guess I'd just like to keep it in the realm of
fun, sharing, and sociability.
-- Sherman Lovell