Re: [AGA Contest] Re:Biotopes, Naturals, & Thematic tanks and things up in the air

["S. Hieber" <shieber@yahoo.com>]

There is a lot to comment on here. Some very thoghtful
remarks but acouple things jsut jump out at me.


--- Steven Pituch <spituch@ev1.net> wrote:
> . . . Most of these tanks are planted and need
> to be entered in one
> of the planted aquaria categories.

I just don't understand why having a plant in tank means it
can't be a biotope or thematic tank?  Why does the category
under discussion need to be plantless tanks? Is the point
that pure ideal biotopes rarely have submerged plants so
this category cannot have plants? If so, that seem like too
big jump to make in restricting entries and not one that
the contest can easily bear given the number of pure
biotope entries so far -- maybe a half dozen over 4 years?


> . . . if aquascaping is the chief concern
> put the entry in
> an aquascaping category.  

This just seems wrong in the context ( or should I say
"contest"). They were *all* aquascaping categories. If
there is a recommendation that the category under
discussion not be an aquascaping category then let's also
drop it from the aquascaping contest. And I think this is
the dichotomy that Roger was originally driving at. But it
seemed to me that Roger was presenting somewhat as a
dilemma and Steve very much so -- choose a horn but only
one.

But the only reason to treat this as a dilemma (biotope or
aquascape) is simply if we decide to do so -- it's not as
if biotypical tanks are inherently ugly. 

The aesthetic design and layout is different with these
tanks than with free form tanks -- there is an additonal
layer of goals and "requirements" that the
representationalism brings. Thus, the reason to treat them
in a separate category. But if aquascaping is not going to
be a major concern, drop the category from the
*aquascaping* contest. However, there is no need to avoid
treating these tanks as aquascapes.

Thematic designs aren't worthy of aesthetic consideration
as thematic designs -- biotypcal designs are worthy of
aesthetic consideration as "biotopes", however, tightly or
loosely one one wishes to focus the term.

Now, I'll admit paludariums might be another matter, after
all, only about half of a paludarium is an aquascape ;-)
But I'd like that cat to stay inthe contest too. I believe
we will get more and better entries over time.

sh 

=====
-  -   -   -   -   -   -   -
Erik Olson annouces AGA 2004 Annual Aquascaping Awards
at the annual Convention Nov 12, 13 & 14; 
Details & Registration at www.aquatic-gardeners.org  & www.gwapa.org


        
                
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