The Spring Aquascaping competition is back for the second year! See last year's entries for inspiration.
Last year was a big hit with eleven entries. The freshwater planted competition was intense with eight entries. We once again followed the Aquatic Gardeners Association's guidelines for categories and the judging criteria. A panel of 3 independent judges will score the entries.
All MCAS members in good standing are eligible to compete. You cannot re-enter a tank you entered last year.
Winners will be announced at the September meeting.
The categories are:
- Freshwater planted
Self explanatory. The most wide open and competitive group. - Biotope
Recreates a specific native environment. - Dutch
Planted tank crafted with specific design rules - HARD! - Paludarium
Features above the water and below, fits in the tank. - Wabi-kusa
A unique artform with a planted ball in a bowl. - Riparium
Features above the water and below, extends outside the tank.
This Spring's Amazing Entries!
(in no particular order)
Freshwater Planted
The Red Honey Galaxy
Size: Fluval Flex 9gallon 14x13x13
Setup: Its a fluval all in one with all the hardware hidden. Tank is setup as it would be for everyday viewing with the programmable light and fluval heater
Inhabitants: This tank features a Red Honey Gourami, 10 CPD’s or Galaxy Rasbora’s as well as some cherry shrimp and small assortment of snails. I am very proud of how beautiful these fish have become in this tank. The honey has lovely color and the Rasbora’s have a beautiful pattern and color.
Description: The substrate is a sand and gravel base with lava rock and small stones on top. Mixed in are curved and twisted pieces of spider wood and a mixture of crypts, carpeting grasses and various stem plants to add volume and color.
Fun fact: This is my very first attempt at a competitive aquascape and the goal was to give this tank a flowing form while keeping it simple for ease of maintenance.
The Rockpile
Title: The Rockpile
Size: 75g
Setup: pool filter sand, sponge filter, and heater.
Inhabitants: Betta, avacado puffer, angels, neon tetras, rasboras, corydoras, mystery snails, and gouramis.
Description: backyard rocks/sticks, amazon sword, jungle val, tiger lotus, anubias, javafern, water sprite, Bacopa, ludiwgia repens, and probably more.
Fun fact: I think it contains magic water.
Thank you MCAS for all the plants
Size: 9 gallon
Setup: Blasting sand substrate, no heater
Inhabitants: Ember Tetras and mystery snails
Description: Moss wall, Susswassertang ropes, beach rocks, all plants from the meetings
Mridul Singh Memorial Tank
Size: 16 gallon rimless
Setup: Tidal 35 HOB, sand/gravel mix substrate, hygger led light
Inhabitants: Panda Garra Garra flavatra, Neon Green Kubotai Microdevario kubotai, Snakeskin Barb Desmopuntius rhomboocellatus
Description: Seiryu stone, spider wood, anubias nana, anubias nana petite, Dwarf Hairgrass (Eleocharis parvula), Hairgrass (Eleocharis Montevidensis), Ludwigia repens thin leaf, cryptocoryne undulata, Cryptocoryne Petchii, cryptocoryne spiralis, Java Fern Narrow Leaf (Microsorium Pteropus), Rotala wallichii
Forgotten Garden
Size: 36x18x16
Setup: The tank is a 40 breeder with a 30 gallon sump below for filtration. The substrate is a layered system with crushed lava rock, ecocomplete, reused aquasoil, and pool filter sand. Lighting is a Chihiros WRGB II. Pressurized CO2 is used on a timer.
Inhabitants: Fish: Haludaria fasciata (Panda Barb), Jordanella floridae (Florida Flagfish), Danio rerio (Zebra Danio). Snails: Malaysian Trumpet Snails, Nerites, Mystery Snail
Description: Hardscape: A few seiryu stone and pieces of Malaysian driftwood
Plants: Foreground: Monte Carlo, Pogostemon helferi, Starougyne repens, Crypt pink flamingo, Crypt nurii rosen maiden, marsilea hirsuta,
Midground: Bacopa monnieri, Java fern narrow leaf, Eriocaulon vietnam, lagenandra meeboldii, Crypt dewitti, rotala rotundifolia red
Background: Hygrophila siamensis 53b, Crypt spiralis 'tiger', Hygrophila triflora, Ludwigia acruata, Lindernia rotundifolia
A Piece of my Zen
Size: 39 tall
Setup: Bio cycled Sponge filter, adjustable heater set to 75-80. Sand for the substrate.
Inhabitants: Mostly high quality guppies, a bristle nose (lemon blue eyed Pleco) and two mystery snails
Description: I have a single crystal hidden among the plants, the black stones in the tank are potting stones. My plants vary from frog bit, water sprites, Rotala red, corkscrew val, among a few others.
Fun fact: It is a tank I created based off the idea of a zen garden. Because fish are so calming, i figured a tank dedicated to that would be perfect. It gives a peace among the chaos and i could stare at it for hours.
Rediscovery
Size: 24x12x24, 30 extra high
Setup: Play sand, Fluval 207 canister filter, tetra 10-30G preset heater, airstone, painted back black, glass lid, 2 x 24" Seaoura planted tank lights, dose with easygreen once or twice a week
Inhabitants:12 Candy Cane tetras, 1 opaline gourami, pair of apistogramma cacatuoides (orange flash), 1 bristlenose pleco, 1 long fin lemon bristlenose pleco
Description: Jungle val in the back, "super red" rotala on the left, crypt wentii (green) in front, java fern and christmas moss attached to the wood, large piece of driftwood
Planted Discus Aquascape
Size: 47.2"×23.7"×35.4“
Setup: Waterbox sump, BRS heater + InkBird controller, Vectra pumps/wavemaker, Crystal River sand, Kessil Tuna Sun lights, Pentair UV sterilizer, CO2 injection via reactor
Inhabitants: ~15 Cardinal Tetras, ~10 Harlequin Rasboras, ~10 Amano Shrimp, 2 Plecostomatus, 1 Mystery Snail, and 10 Discus
Description: Appalachian mountain stone, Java fern, assortment of swords, anubias, saggitaria, hornwort, and cryptocoryne
Fun fact: The aquascape is a nice retreat from a hectic workweek.
Biotype
Jalisco, Mexico
Size: 10 Gallon
Setup: HOB, mixed gravel/sand substrate, hygger light
Inhabitants: Xenotoca doadrioi (San Marcos Redtail Splitfin)
Description: Round river rocks, tree branches, Guppy Grass (Najas guadalupensis), Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum), Bacopa caroliniana
St John river basin
Size: 20 long
Setup: HOB, Hygger light
Inhabitants: Fundulus lineolatus (Lined Topminnow), Electric Blue Crayfish (Procambarus alleni)
Description: sand and light gravel, rounded river rocks
Fun fact: The lined topminnow is wild caught
Riparium
Betta Buddy Bowl
Size: 3G bowl
Setup: Pebbles, heater, nicrew light
Inhabitants: Koi betta
Description: A little bit of everything allowed to overgrow and cut back periodically. Peace lilly arrow plant, and pothos growing out