Re: [AGA Contest] A straw dog

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

A very bgood start at a simpler guidance on biotopotypical
entries.

You are proposing that regionally thematic entries be
allowed but discouraged in this category?

What about inbetweeners?

sh
--- roger <roger@spinn.net> wrote:
> 
> The letter includes at the end a few paragraphs that
> could be used or modified
> and used as guidance for entrants in the biotope
> category.  I try to explain
> what a biotope is, what a biotope aquarium is and where
> common inaccuracies
> lie.  I also try to resolve the relative importance of
> accuracy and aquascaping.
> 
> Please comment, edit, rant, discard or abuse as you see
> fit.  Just don't
> ignore it.  In particular, it might be good to include
> some of Steve's
> discussion.  Simplifications to syntax and vocabulary are
> welcome.  I would
> like it to stay as short as it can be and still cover the
> necessary material.
> 
> I think entrants in the biotope category should include a
> description of the
> biotope represented on their entry form.  That
> instruction probably belongs on
> the instructions for entering or on the entry form itself
> rather than in this
> guidance.
> 
> If the Biotope/Natural Aquarium category is really
> intended for biotope tanks
> then I would like to see the name changed to "Biotope
> Aquascapes" or something
> similar.  That will avoid confusion with "Nature
> Aquariums".  It might also
> discourage entries that are partly self-sustaining
> ecosystems (my concept of
> "Natural Aquarium") but which are not biotopes.
> 
> 
> Roger
> 
> On to the promised text...
> 
> A biotope is a region that has homogeneous environmental
> conditions and which
> is populated by a homogeneous native population of plants
> and animals.  A
> single stream or lake may include numerous biotopes.  For
> instance, a stony
> riffle in a stream may be one biotope while a nearby
> silt-bottomed pool on the
> same stream may be a different biotope.  On the other
> hand, the same biotope
> may occur in numerous streams in a region where all stony
> riffles or
> silt-bottomed pools support the same community of plants
> and animals.
> 
> A biotope aquarium models the physical conditions in a
> biotope and is
> populated by plants and animals that are found together
> in that biotope.  In
> an accurate biotope aquarium the water temperature, water
> movement, water
> chemistry, color and turbidity mimic the natural habitat.
>  Stones, wood and
> debris if present in the biotope are also present in the
> biotope aquarium. 
> The substrate in the biotope aquarium is similar to the
> natural substrate. 
> The aquarium would probably not include all of the plants
> and animals native
> to the biotope but the only plants and animals in a
> biotope aquarium are
> plants and animals found living together in the natural
> biotope.
> 
> Most biotope aquariums are not accurate.  The aquarist
> does not need to
> slavishly reproduce every feature of a biotope in order
> to provide a natural
> home for the inhabitants of a biotope aquarium.  Many
> features of natural
> biotopes may be undesirable in an aquarium.  On the other
> hand, features that
> distinguish a particular biotope from other biotopes
> should be represented in
> the biotope aquarium.
> 
> Some typical inaccuracies are:
>       Failing to represent the physical conditions of the
> biotope (for example,
> water color in a blackwater stream biotope aquarium).
>       Including species from different habitats in order to
> fulfill an aquaristic
> need, such as algae eaters or plants that grow well in
> low light.
>       Including species from a common region that do not
> inhabit the same biotope.
>  These are regional theme tanks.
>       Including specimens that are related to native plants or
> animals but
> arehybrids, inbred strains or horicultural varieties not
> found in nature.
> 
> The AGA Aquascaping Contest is concerned with the design
> of the aquascape
> shown in the biotope aquarium and much less with the
> accuracy of the
> representation. However, the biotope category is for
> those aquascapers who
> accept the challenges and limitations of a biotope
> aquarium.  
> 
> No entries will be disqualifed based on inaccuracies. 
> However, judges are
> encouraged to give less accurate entries a lower score
> for selection and use
> of materials.  An entry needs to score well on all
> judging criteria to place
> well in the competition.  Aquascapers who are concerned
> with their placement
> in the competition and who's aquariums show regional
> themes rather than
> biotopes or who's aquariums may include species that are
> not native to the
> same biotope are encouraged to enter their aquariums in
> one of the aquatic
> garden categories.
> 
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=====
-  -   -   -   -   -   -   -
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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