Summary Coments

["Jose Correa Lohmann" <jcl@pol.com.pe>]

Right now I don´t now if is better to comment or stay silent. I'm afraid that 
my comments make the discussion more complicated or generate more disorder. But 
here they come.

James wrote:
> 3. Only aquatic gardens (Olga's "planted aquascape contest") are legible to 
> be Judged in the >Contest portion of the event.

This is the problem issue right now. Things are varying from limiting the 
contest entrance from the beginning (how we define the limit?) to let everyone 
enter and the judges decide (how they will evaluate the different setups?, will 
it be fair to give low points to the not planted aquascapes?).

For  "planted aquascape" or "aquatic gardens" I understand some aquarium which 
contains an arrangement with live plants among other things (rocks, driftwood, 
etc.). It doesn't matter if it is a "forest" as Dutch or a "plain" as Amano or 
some live plants with plastic decorations or only one single gorgeous plant in 
the middle of the tank or only rocks with some algae. The important thing is 
that it contains at least some _live plants_ (algae are plants, I think?). If 
the plants are "real aquatic" can be let to the experience of the judges.

I think this issue have to be solved by setting some limit initially (live 
plants) and from that the judges will decide. Maybe something like: Only 
aquariums containing live aquatic plants are legible to be in the contest and 
from that as James said "get a group of FAIR, COMPETENT Judges to decide what 
looks best". All judges proposed or mentioned are highly backgrounded on live 
aquatic plants, I think they will follow the path of live aquatic plants and 
favor this.

Maybe we are giving this thing to much discussion. How many empty oscar tanks 
or color gravel plastic plants combination we expect to receive. Aquascape have 
always been related to some combination or arrangement with live plants. If we 
want support from AGA this has to be a contest with live aquatic plants. The 
name is AGA (_Aquatic Gardeners_  Association) International Aquascaping 
(arrangement containing live aquatic plants) Showcase (everybody) & Competition 
(optionally for the planted tanks).

Wish something of this help.

Jose



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