Re: [AGA-Contest] reasons for marine exemption (fwd)

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

Imo, if it's a planted tank (not just a tank with aplant or
two in it but an aquatic plantscape), it's in. At this
point, biotope is probably the best place for. I agree with
Ricky's comment and I think maybe would should make a note
on the website that says something like what I said in the
first sentence.

Any agree?

sh

--- Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com> wrote:

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Sun, 05 Jun 2005 17:09:45 +0000
> From: S. Lardizabal <slardizabal@comcast.net>
> To: showcase@aquatic-gardeners.org
> Subject: reasons for marine exemption
> 
> I have been keeping a small seagrass tank for months now
> with the 
> intention of keeping it in the style of traditional
> freshwater planted 
> tanks, veritably creating a saltwater planted tank.  Its
> still a very 
> small and obscure part of marine aquaria, but its got a
> little momentum at 
> the moment.  I had planned to enter it either later this
> year when it 
> looks settled and well-grown, or next year when the tank
> is far and away 
> mature.
> 
> I was just wondering if the AGA would reconsider its
> standing on the point 
> of exempting marine aquaria from submission.  I very much
> agree with 
> keeping reef tanks out of the picture as they are rarely
> designed 
> artistically enough to meet this challenge.  I also agree
> with keeping out 
> most marine aquaria as a rule.  However, this seagrass
> tank, built and 
> designed from the perspective of a former freshwater
> planted keeper, might 
> be a really interesting entry in the showcase and might
> prompt a little 
> extension of what we consider to be a planted tank.
> 
> The tank is planted with only vascular plants at the
> moment, as I cannot 
> find many macroalgae's that fit into my biotope plans. 
> Also, this tank 
> was built in the tradition that Steven Pituch started
> with his Texas 
> watershed tank back in the 2001 contest.  The substrate,
> the inhabitants 
> and all the plants were collected out of the Indian River
> Lagoon system on 
> the Space Coast of eastern Florida.  The intention was
> for it to be a true 
> recreation of a seagrass meadow, with some simple
> artistic enhancements. 
> There are currently four species of seagrass, grass
> shrimp (Palaemonetes 
> vulgaris) and a small fighting conch (Strombus sp.). 
> Future inhabitants 
> are to include either Hippocampus erectus or Hippocampus
> zosterae, lined 
> and dwarf seahorses, depending on what I can find that is
> captive bred. 
> These are the only elements of the tank that will
> actually be purchased.
> 
> In my opinion the tank is approximating the seagrass
> biotope as found off 
> of the Florida Keys as best as can be had in a confined
> environment.  The 
> seagrass do not have epiphyte covering their leaves which
> is the only 
> major detractor I can find at the moment for the
> authenticity of this 
> setup.
> 
> So, please let me know your thoughts on considering a
> slight extension on 
> the brackish water category to include a full blown
> marine tank.  I 
> noticed that several years ago one of the biotope entries
> was a mangrove 
> tank, and this is literally just a few feet off the beach
> from here to a 
> seagrass tank.  I, of course, respect your decision if
> you ultimately 
> decide to not extend the category, but I would like to
> know if there is 
> anything I can do to change your mind over the next year
> or so.  I had 
> really hoped to share this tank through the contest.
> 
> To see the evolution of the tanks (the first was a 10
> gallon test tank and 
> NOT an aquascaped design, built mostly for propagation to
> fill a 20 gallon 
> for aquascaping) please visit my website at 
> http://home.comcast.net/~slardizabal/home.html and go
> marine.  The only 
> species not included in the test tank was Thalassia
> testudinum, turtle 
> grass, due to bed size requirements.  It now appears in
> the aquascaped 
> twenty gallon - an update for this tank will be appearing
> soon.
> 
> Thank you very much for your time!  I appreciate all the
> work that goes 
> into the AGA contest and have a lot of respect for all
> the work the 
> entrants put into their tanks each year and of course the
> judging 
> committee of the AGA as well as all the work that goes
> into creating and 
> hosting the website.  Its a great inspiration to
> aquarists in many places.
> 
> Sincerely -
> >Sarah
> 
> --
> Sarah M. Lardizabal
> Wildlife Conservation
> Green Lab/DBI x4642 rm. 289
> University of Delaware
> (302) 690 - 7131
> slardizabal@comcast.net
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> AGA-Contest@thekrib.com
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> 


The AGA's Sixth Annual International Aquascaping Contest is open! 

Enter more than once. Enter entirely electronically! 

So, get some fresh alkalines for the camera, clean the glass front, back and 
sides, remove the filter tubes and burping clam, and start snapping the 
shutter. 

Not ready for picture taking yet? There's still plenty of time for planning, 
planting, pruning before the Septbember 15, 2005, closing date for entries.

All the info is here:

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org
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