Re: [AGA-Contest] biotope again

[Bailin Shaw <bailin_shaw@hotmail.com>]

I think we need to to really discuss this in earnest after this year's 
convention.  With how late we started promoting the contest, I think changes 
this year might hurt that class.  We should mention that new rules are upcoming 
and try to solicit some additional input on this category at the convention.  I 
know there are people who are interested and would like to have an accurate 
representation of this class versus what we've had in the past.  However, as a 
preamble to what we're going to do with this category, we should try and 
educate the judges this year on what we'd like to see and make sure they judge 
accordingly.

Bailin
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> Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:40:36 -0500
> From: cheryl@dustyuniverse.com
> To: aga-contest@thekrib.com
> Subject: [AGA-Contest] biotope again
> 
> Here are the Biotope Guidlines from the web site. What changes do we 
> need to make?
> 
> Cheryl
> 
> 
> 
> That Darn Biotope Category
> For years people have been confused about the so-called 
> "biotope/natural" category. Half the entrants actually submit things 
> that are clearly more appropriate for the "Aquatic Garden" category. To 
> help clarify things, we have clarified the category to "Biotope 
> Aquascape" and added this section:
> 
> A biotope is a region that has particular environmental conditions and a 
> 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.
> 
> Most biotope aquariums are not accurate. The aquarist does not need to 
> slavishly reproduce every feature of a biotope 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 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.
>     * Including specimens that are related to native plants or animals 
> but are hybrids, 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 Aquascape category is 
> reserved 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 whose aquariums exhibit 
> several of the inaccuracies above are encouraged to enter their 
> aquariums in the Aquatic Garden category.
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