Thank you very much for again sending us all of your wonderful submissions to the International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest from all over the world this year. The total number of participant countries was not quite as diverse as last year’s, however we received submissions from new participant countries this year. The number of participants totaled 1,170 submissions from 47 countries. Each year the quality of the submitted layouts increases and this year’s submissions were no exception. Most notably submissions made by Asian aquarists from Hong Kong and Taiwan stood out in particular. This year and last year’s winners were from Hong Kong exhibiting their passion and dedication to the hobby of aquatic plant layout. Just like last year, the top 112 layouts received exemplary marks from each judge. It can be seen that these high ranked layouts make skillful use of driftwood and stone in their arrangement. We can also say that the aquascapes recreating a natural aquatic scene within the layout were highly graded this year again. All of our judges are looking forward to the passionate submissions to next year’s contest displaying wonderful aquascapes from all over the world.

Grand Prize (World Ranking No.1)

Mr. Cheng Siu Wai (Hong Kong)

Title: Mount.Donha

Evaluation: This year’s Grand Prize Winner is an Iwagumi layout, which uses hair grass and willow moss tactfully and expresses a unique world view. The color and texture of the stone is quite tasteful. The layout is highlighted by the arrangement of the materials with a fine attention to detail. The limiting of the variety of aquatic plants gives the layout a monotone green appearance which aids in the success of this layout. The choice of fish – Cardinal tetra swimming around a large 3 meter panoramic tank, matches the entire composition well. Many judges graded this composition highly, deducting few points allowing this composition to win the first prize.

Aquarium Tank: W300xD66xH84(cm)

Aquatic Plants: Anubias barteri var. nana”Petite”, Pellia endiviifolia, Vesicularia sp., Eleocharis acicularis

Fish & Invertebrates: Paracheirodon axelrodi, Hyphessobrycon haraldschultzi, Otocinclus sp., Crossocheilus siamensis, Neocaridina sp.a sp.

Gold Prize (World Ranking No.2)

Mr. Yutaka Kanno (Japan)

Title: Beyond the Silence

Evaluation: The creator tactfully arranges slender pieces of driftwood and makes use of them within the layout. The present of Eleocharis vivipara in the background is visually effective and balanced well. We observe the highlights of the layout in the limited use of colors through stemmed plants and the dynamic application of slender driftwood. The use of moss in the layout contrasts the mossy wood with the barren wood nicely.

Aquarium Tank: W120xD45xH45 (cm)

Aquatic Plants: Fantinalis antipyretica, Eleochalis vivipara, Glossostigma elatinoides, Hemianthus calltrichoides”cuba”, Vesicularia sp., Microsorium pteropus var.,

Fish & Invertebrates: Paracheirodon axelrodi, Crossocheilus siamensis, Genus Neocaridina, Caridina japonica

Silver Prize (World Ranking No.3)

Mr. Hsu Yung Lin (Taiwan)

Title: Passing Season

Evaluation: The imagery of driftwood covered with moss resembling a pine tree demonstrates originality makes this layout quite unique. Not only is this layout impressive due to original and unique imagery, it also displays distinct angle and positioning of driftwood within the aquascape. The creator brings out his highly skilled layout technique with a dynamic quality of the composition and detailed use and positioning of the moss. We see a unique quality within the layout influenced by Taiwanese culture.

Aquarium Tank: W127xD60xH60(cm)

Aquatic Plants: Cratoneuron filicinum, Vesicularia sp., Sasaokaea aomoriensis, Eleocharis minima kunth., Echinodorus tenellus, Juncus repens Michx., Glossostigma Elatinoides, Eleochalis acicularis, Ludwigia repens J.R.Forst.

Fish & Invertebrates: Nematobrycon palmeri var., Paracheirodon simulans

Silver Prize (World Ranking No.4)

Mr. Cliff Hui (Hong Kong)

Title: Destiny

Evaluation: In this layout, the creator’s layout technique is notable. The combination of dynamic driftwood and stone on both sides is exquisite, and the opening in the center is very effective and successfully promotes perspective created between the foreground and background. Exposing the skin of the driftwood stretching out from Glossostigma is also visually striking. The layout composition as a whole is well balanced.

Aquarium Tank: W90xD45xH45(cm)

Aquatic Plants: Elatine triandra Schk., Glossostigma elatinoides, Hemiathus micranthemoides, Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis minima Kunth, Liaeopsis novae zelandiae, Microsoienium tenerum Griff, Vesicularia sp., Hypnum plumaeforme Wils

Fish & Invertebrates: Petitella georgiae, Nannostomus nitidus, Otocinclus macrospilus, Caridina japonica, Caridina cf. serrata “blue tiger”a sp.

Bronze Prize (World Ranking No.5)

Mr. Long Tran Hoang (Viet Nam)

Title: Tranquility Place

Evaluation: Simplicity of the composition is highly recognized in this layout. The creator has organized the layout well, even though composing a panoramic layout is challenging. Yet, he could achieve better compositional balance if the stemmed plants on the left grow a little more and add volume to the layout. What we see in this layout is a sense of sincerity without distraction.

Aquarium Tank: W220×D60×H65(cm)

Aquatic Plants: Hemianthus micranthemoides, Rotala sp. ‘Colorata’, Micranthemum umbrosum, Glossostigma elatinoides, Eleocharis parvula, Didiplis diandra, Ranunculus Inundatus, Fissidens sp., Java fern sp.

Fish & Invertebrates: Sawbwa resplendens, Parambassis ranga, Neocaridina heteropoda var. red

Bronze Prize (World Ranking No.6)

Mr. Lee Do Jae (Korea)

Title: A Stony Mountain

Evaluation: A very energetic layout with a dynamic stone arrangement and distinctive plant application. The silhouette and texture of the stone could be more appreciated if the form of the stone is a little more exposed. The way the creator uses stemmed plants is very unique. But, it also makes the evaluation toward this aquascape difficult because the balance of the layout might be ruined once the plants start growing.

Aquarium Tank: W100×D50×H50(cm)

Aquatic Plants: Bolbitis heudelotii, Microsorium narrow sp., Rudwigia brevipes, Rudwigia repens, Vesicularia sp..

Fish & Invertebrates: Hemigrammus erythrozonus, Gyrinocheilus aymonier, Neocaridina sp., Crossocheilus siamensis

Bronze Prize (World Ranking No.7)

Mr. A.J. Judy Prajitno Putra (Indonesia)

Title: Naked Hills: The Passion of The Forest

Evaluation: It is never easy to create a very wide aquascape. The creator, however, nicely arranges the layout composition with Anubias and ferns. On the other hand, its tone of color may look rather flat. The layout could be more exciting by taking advantage of its unique panoramic space: for example, bringing more colors in with stemmed plants and making some open spaces and densely planted sections intentionally in the composition.

Aquarium Tank: W600×D85×H75(cm)

Aquatic Plants: Anubias barteri var. nana”Golden”, Anubias barteri var. angustifolia, Anubias barteri var. coffefolia, Bolbitis heudelotii, Eleocharis acicularis, Microsorum pteropus”narrow”, Microsorum pteropus”windelov”, Vesicularia sp “Christmas”, Riccardia chamedryfolia

Fish & Invertebrates: Botia macracantha, Corydoras similis, Hemigrammus Bleheri, Inpaichthys kerri, Nomorhamphus liemi, Otocinclus sp., Pseudemugil signifer, Paracheirodon axelrodi, Paracheirodon innesi var., Sawbaw resplendens, Goby sp., Sicyopus jongkasi, Stipodon sp., Trigonostigma heteromorpha, Xiphophorus variatus var.

Lee Chun Ho (KOREA), Word Ranking 8

Yuji Yoshinaga (JAPAN), World Ranking 9

Hiroyuki Yamabe (JAPAN), World Ranking 10

Fumio Hara (JAPAN), World Ranking 11

Weerayut Soemphomphoemsuk (THAILAND), World Ranking 12

Toshiharu Ishiwata (JAPAN), World Ranking 13

Masashi Ono (JAPAN), World Ranking 14

Peter Kirwan (IRELAND), World Ranking 15

Ichiro Hamano (JAPAN), World Ranking 16

Wong Wai Hung (HONG KONG), World Ranking 17

Huu Lan Nguyen (VIET NAM), World Ranking 18

Su Kun Cheng (TAIWAN), World Ranking 19

George Lo (U.S.A.), World Ranking 20

Junichi Itakura (JAPAN), World Ranking 21

Xuanthuy Nguyenthi (VIET NAM), World Ranking 22

Koji Nakamura (JAPAN), World Ranking 23

Takehiko Honoki (JAPAN), World Ranking 24

Truong Think Ngo (VIET NAM), World Ranking 25

Takeshi Kato (JAPAN), World Ranking 26

Chen Tse Hsin (TAIWAN), World Ranking 27

Grand Prize, World Ranking 1
Chow Wai Sun, Hong Kong

The judges said: “The Grand Prize winner’s layout has a panoramic view with a deep perspective, and stones and driftwood are used in an excellent combination. The driftwood placed diagonally from the back left corner to the front gives the layout boldness. The stones placed on the left foreground and the right background provides a strong perspective to this layout. In addition, the balance between the density of plants on the left side and the open space on the right is excellent. The overall composition is also well produced. The gravel spreading from the front right to the stones on the mid ground and aquatic plants meticulously placed among the stones are effectively making up a natural atmosphere. The boldness and grandeur of Mother Nature is evident in this layout.”

Gold Prize, World Ranking 2
Chan Shih Hsien, Taiwan

The judges said: “This is a bold Iwagumi layout using unique stones. The banking technique and the plant arrangement are excellent, and the layout design is well organized. The layout finishes with a strong impression. The texture of stones and Willow Moss (Fantinalis) which is partially covering the stones, and several species of plants arranged around the stones make up a natural feeling and display a unique taste. ”

Silver Prize, World Ranking 3
Cliff Hui, Hong Kong

The judges said: “The “flow” of plants, like a running waterfall, is very impressive. Several kinds of species are skillfully arranged, and they make up a sense of unity in the layout. The colors of plants, stones, and decorative sand match well. The contrast between the densely planted left and right sides and the open space in the upper center is also excellent. ”

Silver Prize, World Ranking 4
Lee Dojae, Korea

The judges said: “The combination of driftwood with Bolbitis and river stones gives the layout a tranquil impression. The color balance of reddish stemmed plants, decorative sand and the meticulous aquatic plants between the stones make this layout impressive. A sense of nature is expressed skillfully through a unique method. ”

Bronze Prize, World Ranking 5
Hironori Handa, Japan

The judges said: “The use of Seiryu Stones with stemmed plants is very impressive. Aquatic plants in the foreground form a gently sloping hill. Stones in the mid ground and a thicket of stemmed plants in the background form a unity in composition. Overlapping bright tiny leaves of stemmed plants and the combination of plants in the foreground create a sensitive impression. ”

Bronze Prize, World Ranking 6
Koji Nakamura, Japan

The judges said: “The composition, making the most of the characteristics of driftwood, and bright stemmed plants are harmonized in this layout. Thick black driftwood gives a heavy impression, but pure-white decorative sand and bright plants in the background redress the balance. Ferns and mosses attached to the driftwood present a natural look. ”

Bronze Prize, World Ranking 7
Chen Huang Jen, Taiwan