There are two pages of Pictures at the end.
| Today Ricky and I were a little lazy. We were dead from yesterday. Once we got up, I took a taxi to the Tokyo Harley-Davidson shop. I had to buy a shirt to pay the friend that is feeding my fish while I am away. When I returned, Ricky and I got ready and went to the Nature Aquarium Party. So much went on. It was lots of fun and we met some great people. I'll never be able to convey it all. People who had done well in the ADA contest and past winners were there.
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| First, one of the aquascaping judges discussed the judging this year. For the first time there was an "overall impression" criteria. This judge also pointed out the importance of an aquascape's title. Something that some in the US disagree with or think is out-right silly. In the ADA, if two aquascapes were judged equal, the one with the most fitting title would be placed higher. |
| Second there was an Iwagumi challenge. There were six empty aquariums set up in the back of the room, a large pile of rocks, aquascaping tools, and sand. Six contestants were chosen to do the aquascaping. Three were Japanese and three foreign. Ricky represented the US. The guy next to Ricky had come in 6th in last years ADA Layout contest. |
| While the Iwagumi challenge was going on, the top 25 entries from the International Layout Competition were presented. The judges commented on what they did and didn't like about each entry. The aquariums from this year were amazing. |
| After that, the Iwagumi challenge tanks were judged. The four judges held up paddles with numbers (1-10) to score the tanks. I'm proud to say, Ricky won second. He did us proud. The guy (Sugai) that won was the guy that came in 6th in he International Layout Contest two years ago. The quality of rocks was amazing. Really helps the effort. |
| Then Mr. Amano presented some aquascapes from the past that did not make the top 25 but had interesting points and unique features. He described why these tanks did not do better. Which was great because there are aquascapes I have seen in the ADA book which I have always wondered why they didn't do better, and he covered several of them. By-the-way, thanks to Eishi for translating this part and the presentaion of the layout contest winners. The perspective of what were good or bad features was invaluable. I can't remember everything, but here are the high points. |
1. Most dark spots are not good. It depended if it was from bad lighting/aquascape versus aquascaping effect. (Major emphasis)
2. Balance, balance, balance. If you have a dense planting on the left, it should be dense on the right in a concave type aquascape. Big mounds of rocks don't balance with a couple small ones somewhere else or driftwood. If you have a soft aquscape with fluffy plants in most places, don't have stem plants sticking straight up in a harsh fashion in other places. (Received the most empahsis)
3. Use similar rocks. Not different kinds
4. No funky backgrounds with wrinkles. Weird colors.
5. Plants should not be overgrown and no floating plants.
6. No straight lines.
I know this is hard to understand what I am talking about, but if I could show you the aquqscapes he used as examples, you would see easily. |
| After that there was a short break and then the second half of the party was really more like party or banquet. There was food, awards were given for the Layout Contest winners, and all the internation people such as Ricky and I had to introduce ourselves. Towards the end Mr. Amano took pictures of an aquascape they had brought with them. It was only about 12 inches by 8 inches, but it was amazing. Just like in the magazines. Beautiful with no algae, etc. The pics were Polaroid and you know Amano, he gave them all to the women :-) It was interesting though to see how he set up for his pictures. No wonder they all come out so great. |
| It was an awesome day and we met some really nice people. As I type this, Ricky has gone out to hang out with Oliver Knott and a few other people and I stayed behind. I have a headache from hell and wasn't up to the Ginza district of town. Trying to talk in English, my bad Japanese, and German about killed me. Tomorrow we go on a tour of Tokyo arranged by ADA with all their staff and other international visitors |