AGA 2007 - Top 15 Winners - Pictures! (Exclusive)

[RoseHawke]

What on earth . . . ? What is that, a "waterfall" of sand??? It's a cool effect however it's done!

[FacePlanted]

My votes are for #3 and #9. Those are crazy amazing layouts! I love how deep they are. They remind me of standing in the valley of a canyon and looking up to the hills/mountains/jungle. The mosses in them are incredible. Makes me quite unsatisfied with the simple layout of my own tank.

I'm not a huge fan of iwagumi layouts, but #2 does it quite well, in my opinion. The scale is impressive, and the whole thing has a very "old" look to it. I think the "grass" is well done.

The winners deserve the praise!

[styxx]

Originally Posted by FacePlanted

My votes are for #3 and #9. Those are crazy amazing layouts! I love how deep they are. They remind me of standing in the valley of a canyon and looking up to the hills/mountains/jungle. The mosses in them are incredible. Makes me quite unsatisfied with the simple layout of my own tank.

I'm not a huge fan of iwagumi layouts, but #2 does it quite well, in my opinion. The scale is impressive, and the whole thing has a very "old" look to it. I think the "grass" is well done.

The winners deserve the praise!

I tend to agree with you, both #2 and #3 are my favorites...it makes me want to look at them all now! lol. What great inspiration these are for me.

[Tdon1md]

Originally Posted by RoseHawke

What on earth . . . ? What is that on #9, a "waterfall" of sand??? It's a cool effect however it's done!

It looked to me like it might be a CO2 difuser but I've been wrong b4.

[CmLaracy]

Originally Posted by bgoodwins

Why dont you ever have anything positive to say? You're bringing the place down.

agreed, he's very negative

[mistergreen]

1,000,000 Japanese yen = 8,689 U.S. dollars

[frozenbarb]

Number 9 the tree THing i saw that before, Was it from APC i dont know but that one looks HOt. SO is the one that got delay the Co2 bubbles makes a pretty waterfall

#3 is Very nice and Weeped Down

[cah925]

Originally Posted by RoseHawke

What on earth . . . ? What is that on #9, a "waterfall" of sand??? It's a cool effect however it's done!

I saw a thread a few months ago (not sure if it was on this board or another) that explained the waterfall effect. I think it was basically pulled cotton fibers/strands carefully arranged to look like a waterfall.

All entries were impressive and put my tanks to shame. I liked #3 the best.

[Subotaj]

I think it was basically pulled cotton fibers/strands carefully arranged to look like a waterfall.

Almost
but no.
here is the answer

[AlGee]

I can't get into those terrestrial-imitation type of layouts like that tree one. Looks nice but just a bit too hokey.

[ikuzo]

if i may add, number 13 is some one from my country. a massive 6 m (20 feet) tank... really beautiful.

photo credit goes to the owner Mr Arif Hamsa.

[ringram]

Wow! That one that Subotaj posted is amazing, but I also really like #3. Beautiful layering effect. I wonder how this was accomplished. Do you think the person actually built the substrate up in the back, or do you think those are just really tall rocks of which you're only able to see the very tips?
Also, in #3, there seems to be a great deal of shadows and dark areas. I'm mainly talking about the reddish plants in the midground between the moss and HM. I wonder how these don't just rot at the bottom parts due to insufficient light.

[Subotaj]

446. yosi biton, Israel

[aquanut415]

all those tanks are beautiful... but what is really blowing my mind is the quality of photography (and editing) we are seeing... even if my tank looked that nice, getting the photo to look that good would be nearly impossible at this point.

amazing.

[plantbrain]

I liked 1st, 10 and the waterfall was well done for that theme.
I'm a bit torn with that type of method, a bit hokey, yet also well done.
10 had the best "new" theme with the rocks poking up and out.
11 has very good rock work.

Seems most of the tanks where well placed this year.

Take a look at tanks from the first ADA contest.
Now compare them to these.

Also, looking at the last 2-3 years, they have a very similar shape and sizing for the tanks for the winners.

Most are deeper style tanks or basic, most are larger sizes(70-200 gallon).
Something to ponder if you want to try and do this.

Also, look at plant choices used here.
Most are pretty easy to grow stems, Crypts and ferns etc.

No massive Tonia and Erio displays really.

What is being done is effective excellent hardscaping(both rocks and wood), excellent photography, heavy pruning and topping to get the nice rounded clumps of Pearl weed, Rotala green etc.

The plants used are not the eclectic, nor is the lighting that high.
Some thoughts to ponder when trying to achieve your own goals.

Good contest results this year.

Regards,
Tom Barr