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IAPLC 2023
- Thread starter Geoffrey Rea
- Start date
For me it's really the number 4 and 15 (classement wise ) that do the trick.
I'm always amazed by the level of perfection in those competion scapes but I can say i'm a bit disapointed by the contest these year.
Majority of the scapes are really well done but feels like i have seen them a hundred times or feels unnatural.
Don't get me wrong i love the contest and i incline myself in front of all the participant for doing what i'm unable to do but i feel like novelty should be more rewarded.
on the sidenote the KIAC 2023 contest ranking number 2 is probably the best scape i've seen this year so far.
I'm always amazed by the level of perfection in those competion scapes but I can say i'm a bit disapointed by the contest these year.
Majority of the scapes are really well done but feels like i have seen them a hundred times or feels unnatural.
Don't get me wrong i love the contest and i incline myself in front of all the participant for doing what i'm unable to do but i feel like novelty should be more rewarded.
on the sidenote the KIAC 2023 contest ranking number 2 is probably the best scape i've seen this year so far.
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finniche
Member
This year’s rankings have created more than the usual amount of controversy and critique. Has someone else on here been following the discussion on social media platforms? Quite a few big names in aquascaping are calling out for transparency and consistency to judging process and criteria. Participation numbers have been falling since 20 year celebration year. Could IAPLC be in decline?
It's nice when Nature Aquarium scapes do well, and I like the spectacle of the competition, but since Takashi passed away it's kind of lost direction and momentum. Also, the controversy of a few years back didn't do it any favours, and I know a lot of fellow aquascapers have been disillusioned with the judging for a few years, and the dominance of the South East Asian diorama style.
Wookii
Member
+1 to this - Pos 4 looks decent with the lillies, but the rest of the top 10 is dominated with the usual diorama nonsense!
Sadly their doesn't appear to have been a Biotope Aquarium contest this year to balance the scales of sensibility ☹️
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_Maq_
Member
This was my first experience with this contest. It has told me a lot on why so many people are trying to do exactly the same. It looks like there's some set of fixed rules and anything looking differently is discarded. Just imagine if true artists/painters were restricted in their creative efforts in this vein. That would be an end of the Art.
As for ADA, I fully admit it's a smart marketing policy, though. I bet the profits are sky-high. Exporting soil, rocks and rotten wood for premium price worldwide - who would believe that thirty years ago???
If every year you have the same judges, every year you will have the same results 
Like Art it's all about personal preference when it comes to this, I am also not sure about some of the judges in the panel!
Like Art it's all about personal preference when it comes to this, I am also not sure about some of the judges in the panel!
It's interesting, these debates seem to happen every year to a greater or lesser extent. As mentioned above, I think transparency is key. I'd also have different categories.
I really enjoy the competition, its fascinating and the quality is immense. I think my biggest surprise is the number of amazing scapes that are outside the top 100.
For me, specifically compared to last year, the top 27 or so we're much better. Last year there were a couple in the top 27 that didn't even belong in the top 200 let alone top 100 or 27...
I really enjoy the competition, its fascinating and the quality is immense. I think my biggest surprise is the number of amazing scapes that are outside the top 100.
For me, specifically compared to last year, the top 27 or so we're much better. Last year there were a couple in the top 27 that didn't even belong in the top 200 let alone top 100 or 27...
Luciën
Member
Ive seen alot good scapes on Instagram and youtube that are alot nicer then some I've seen that made it in to the top 100.
That's disappointing no BADC, any idea why it didn't transpire?
PARAGUAY
Member
I think what we have is different regions and countries styles of planted aquariums, as far as judging the ones l have known about here are well respected. Some never heard of so can't comment on .End of the day if you revamped the judges ,you would get similar critique,as in a competition your never going to please everybody. I guess on UKAPS only a very small percentage of members enter, . In Japan it's huge so the judging can only go off what's entered, l never really get to bothered about whether l agree or disagree with rankings it's just a competition a bit of fun and interest to see world wide Aquascaping
There are judging criteria, so I guess the way that’s weighted will have a large bearing on which scapes make it through, and the final ranking. I know the criteria were altered a while back to supposedly favour Nature Aquarium scapes, but I don’t think it worked very well.
new IAPLC judging criteria.. your thoughts please ?
I presume most folk have seen this, but I wondered how this might change things for us next year and planning your next scape ? The new criteria would seem to indicate that mimicking or replicating non underwater scenes or let's call it terrestrial landscapes is not encouraged.. or is it ...
www.ukaps.org
Actually there is the AGA contest which contain a biotope category !
_Maq_
Member
If this is the case, and "recreation of natural habitat for fish" were the pivotal criterion, then I believe those tanks could not look like that.
To be sure, recreation of natural habitat often leads to something uninformed people would rate as "ugly", or "uninspiring" at best. Still, I find it better than pretending that elaborate creations winning such competitions aim to create "nature aquarium". It's just pieces of popular art, and as such, they make money but hardly enhance human spirit.
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I really agree with this.
I like the style of Nature aquarium.
But I don't like all the narrative that it tends to recreate natural habitat.
In nature you hardly find places where there is more than 3 sp. of plant ( if there is any at all ). And plants grow chaotically, not always looking their best plus there is algae generally on rocks and plants. Not talking about the general composition of nature aquarium which is totally unnatural.
In the end if you take the judging criteria to the letter, they should overwhelmingly favor biotope aquarium, which is pretty funny.
And I just saw that there gonna be the BAC 2023 from the biotope aquarium project too.
I don't want to see another picture postcard Tolkein-esque 'walk through the enchanted forest', they need to find another aesthetic. This one is tired, boring and cliched. Shame they ditched the 'biotope' category, that was way more creative even if it's as much artifice as any other strand of the hobby.
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Wookii
Member
Not sure, I have messaged them to find out, but no reply so far!
Yep, and also there is the BAC:
BIOTOPE AQUARIUM Contest – BAP
Show your aquatic explorer and biotope aquarist skills! Take part in the BIOTOPE AQUARIUM Contest and win top prizes! Today with BIOTOPE AQUARIUM Project!
biotopeaquariumproject.com
BADC always seemed to have some of the best tanks though.
EDIT: Sorry, didn't see @Heelllooo post above
