Re: A stab at a definition...

[krandall@world.std.com]

At 02:05 PM 7/17/99 -0500, James wrote:
>In the context of our purpose here, do we extend that to be taken as - it
>must include living plant material?
<snip>
>To hold an Aquascaping Showcase and fail to acknowledge what a majority of
>the hobby considers as acceptable threatens to cast us as a bunch of
>"elitist snobs" who look down our patrician noses on anything that is not
>living or acceptable in _our_ opinion.

>And I wish that Karen was in town to give HER take on this. How would the
>AGA, an organization devoted to the use of real, live, aquatic plants, feel
>about supporting a show which could be open to such things????? Is the AGA
>MC too elitist to be THIS inclusive???

I'm b-a-a-a-c-k!<g>

My personal feeling is that since we are judging this from photos, if the
_judges_ can't tell the difference, it probably doesn't matter. (assuming
that the judges know the difference bewtween a poinsettia and an
Anubias<g>)  The value of non-natuaral "decorations" like bubbling skin
divers as aquascaping elements can be decided by the judges.

I will tell you that the BAS BOD feels differently than I do, however, and
divides our Home Show entries into "Natural" and "Artificial" categories.
A tank is considered "natural" if all elements "appear" to be natural.  A
tank is not excluded from this category if pots are used for plants as long
as an attempt has been made to hide them.  (if that is done skillfully, of
course, the judge won't know that the pot is there)  OTOH, if a pot is used
as a spawning site in a tank, and is not hidden in some way, the tank would
be considered "Artificial".  The same is true, obviously, of tanks with
burping clams.  This decision was made because most BOD members felt that
the average "artificial" tank could not compete favorably with a well done
"natural" tank.  

There have been times that the judge has moved a tank from one category to
the other, when in his opinion, the tank was incorrectly classified by the
owner.  In most cases, that moves the tank into the less competitive
"Artificial" category, where the owner has a better chance of winning
anyway.  In all cases, the decision of the judge in terms of moving an
entry from one category to another is final.

I really don't care which way it's handled, as long as it is clearly stated.

Karen
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