AGA 2012 World Ranking Announcement

14 May 2025

1870

Once again we arrive at the close of the AGA's Annual International Aquascaping Contest with an oustanding number and quality of aquascapes having been submitted. Our team of esteemed judges have tabulated the scores and prepared the rankings for everyone to see. As in years past, there were many stunning aquascapes making the work of the judges especially difficult in choosing this year's best of show.

AGA 2012 World Ranking Announcement

Aquatic Garden, <28L

Aquatic Garden, 28~60L

Aquatic Garden, 60~120L

Aquatic Garden, 120~200L

Aquatic Garden, 220~320L

Aquatic Garden, >320L

Biotope Aquascape

Paludarium

For 2012, we again had a large number of entries from all around the world and each category was well represented, especially the smaller and medium sized aquascapes. In addition to choosing the best three aquascapes for each category and the Best of Show, we again chose the Larry Lampert Most Innovative award in memory of our friend and former AGA President.

This year's judges had to work especially hard to get the results finished on time due to the number of entries entered again in this year's contest. We had another awesome panel of judges who had their work cut out for them: Karen Randall (USA), Kris Weinhold (USA), Luis Navarro (USA), Troels Andersen (Denmark), and help from Phil Edwards (USA) [and Bailin Shaw (USA) - EO]. Without their efforts, the contest wouldn't be the success that it is each year.

Before we open up the entries for viewing, we have to acknowledge the volunteers and sponsors who helped or supported this contest. Our contest has always been dependent on the efforts of people who volunteer year after year to get the word out worldwide about the contest. For this year's contest, our beautiful graphics were again provided by Jen Williams, who bailed us out at the last second. Thank you so much Jen! And as in year's past, our tech guru, Erik Olson, made things a breeze for both entry and judging of aquascapes and kept everyone on time and out of trouble. If I have missed anyone, thank you everyone for your hard work and we hope to be able to count on your help for next year's contest.

Finally, I would also like to extend our thanks to our sponsors Seachem, Florida Aquatic Nursery, Fluval, and Amazonas. Their generosity is greatly appreciated by the AGA!

Without the efforts of the volunteers and the sponsorship, this contest would not be the success it has been from year to year.

TOP 5 AGA 2012 Aquatic Garden, < 28L

Some beauts in this category. Tough job!!
— Bailin Shaw

Click to enlarge image 1 - Spring - Hong Te Syu - Taiwan — 1 - Spring - Hong Te Syu - Taiwan

Click to enlarge image 2 - Canyon and Falls - Wongsawan Wetchasit - Thailand — 2 - Canyon and Falls - Wongsawan Wetchasit - Thailand

Click to enlarge image 3 - Perspective - Soeharto - Indonesia — 3 - Perspective - Soeharto - Indonesia

Click to enlarge image 4 - Snow in summer - Jirawong Laopiyasakul -Thailand — 4 - Snow in summer - Jirawong Laopiyasakul -Thailand

Click to enlarge image 5 - The Colors - Pukthorn Kayungarnnawee - Thailand — 5 - The Colors - Pukthorn Kayungarnnawee - Thailand

TOP 3 AGA 2012 Aquatic Garden, 28L ~ 60L

Another tough category to judge! Some many impressive tanks!
— Bailin Shaw

Click to enlarge image 1 - Unknown way - Leandro Artioli - Brazil — 1 - Unknown way - Leandro Artioli - Brazil

Click to enlarge image 2 - RIU SEC - Bernat Hosta Rovira - Spain — 2 - RIU SEC - Bernat Hosta Rovira - Spain

Click to enlarge image 3 - Forest - Hong Te Syu - Taiwan — 3 - Forest - Hong Te Syu - Taiwan

TOP 5 AGA 2012 Aquatic Garden, 60L ~ 120L

Click to enlarge image 1 - On the adge of the world - Prociuk Mikola - Ukraine — 1 - On the adge of the world - Prociuk Mikola - Ukraine

Click to enlarge image 2 - Whispering winds - Georg Werner Just - Germany — 2 - Whispering winds - Georg Werner Just - Germany

Click to enlarge image 3 - Ordinary Course of nature - Jirawong Laopiyasakul - Thailand — 3 - Ordinary Course of nature - Jirawong Laopiyasakul - Thailand

Click to enlarge image 4 - ADA style low-tech iwagumi - Csilla Varanyecki - Hungary — 4 - ADA style low-tech iwagumi - Csilla Varanyecki - Hungary

Click to enlarge image 5 - Plateau - Mustafa Erdogar - Turkey — 5 - Plateau - Mustafa Erdogar - Turkey

TOP 7 AGA 2012 Aquatic Garden, 120L ~ 200L

Great job by all of the aquascapers!!!
— Bailin Shaw

Click to enlarge image 1 - Crimson Tide - Sim Kian Hong - Malaysia — 1 - Crimson Tide - Sim Kian Hong - Malaysia

Click to enlarge image 2 - Reaching - Robertus Hartono - Singapore — 2 - Reaching - Robertus Hartono - Singapore

Click to enlarge image 3 - Apalala Shore - Stu Worrall - UK — 3 - Apalala Shore - Stu Worrall - UK

TOP 3 AGA 2013 Aquatic Garden, 200L ~ 320L

Click to enlarge image 1 - Overland - Andre Luiz Longarco - Brazil — 1 - Overland - Andre Luiz Longarco - Brazil

Click to enlarge image 10 - Friendly Moutain - Pablo de Amorim Gвes - Brazil — 10 - Friendly Moutain - Pablo de Amorim Gвes - Brazil

Click to enlarge image 2 - Charm of light - Timucin Sagel - Turkey — 2 - Charm of light - Timucin Sagel - Turkey

Click to enlarge image 3 - Stepping Out into the Valley - Zanda Sejane - Latvia — 3 - Stepping Out into the Valley - Zanda Sejane - Latvia

Click to enlarge image 4 - VERDANT HILLS AND GREEN WATERS - Wong Chung Ming - Macau — 4 - VERDANT HILLS AND GREEN WATERS - Wong Chung Ming - Macau

Click to enlarge image 5 - Summer In Borneo - M Saidi Arif - Indonesia — 5 - Summer In Borneo - M Saidi Arif - Indonesia

Click to enlarge image 6 - Picnic in the Jungle - Karl Titze - Germany — 6 - Picnic in the Jungle - Karl Titze - Germany

Click to enlarge image 7 - A drowned forest - Piotr Stoszek - Poland — 7 - A drowned forest - Piotr Stoszek - Poland

Click to enlarge image 8 - Red in wildness - Jean-Michel Barre - France — 8 - Red in wildness - Jean-Michel Barre - France

Click to enlarge image 9 - Beyound the black rocks - Roberto Luiz LongarЗo - Brazil — 9 - Beyound the black rocks - Roberto Luiz LongarЗo - Brazil

TOP 5 AGA 2012 Aquatic Garden, > 320L

As usual this is a very difficult category to judge. The quality of all the entries is generally quite high. Scoring came down to minute technical details.
— Phil Edwards

Click to enlarge image 1 - The Virgin Stream - Piotr Dymowski - Poland — 1 - The Virgin Stream - Piotr Dymowski - Poland

Click to enlarge image 2 - Gratefulness - Yeo Siak Wee - Malaysia — 2 - Gratefulness - Yeo Siak Wee - Malaysia

Click to enlarge image 3 - Competition - Lao Chan Fei - China — 3 - Competition - Lao Chan Fei - China

Click to enlarge image 4 - Where the sind blows - Pasquale Buonpane - Italy — 4 - Where the sind blows - Pasquale Buonpane - Italy

Click to enlarge image 5 - Morning mapping - Chen Song Pin - Taiwan — 5 - Morning mapping - Chen Song Pin - Taiwan

TOP 3 AGA 2013 Biotope Aquascape

Wow there are some incredible entries this year! As in years past some entries are pushing the line between natural habitat and conventional artistic/aquatic garden design. Please take the time to consider whether design and/or species selection would make a different category a more appropriate place for future entries.
— Phil Edwards

Click to enlarge image 1 - Lake PetВn Shallows - Lee nuttall - UK — 1 - Lake PetВn Shallows - Lee nuttall - UK

Click to enlarge image 2 - Summer in Ticino River - Andrea Perotti - Italy — 2 - Summer in Ticino River - Andrea Perotti - Italy

Click to enlarge image 3 - North Mekong River - Bonetti Pascal - France — 3 - North Mekong River - Bonetti Pascal - France

TOP 03 AGA 2013 Paludarium

There are some truly excellent entries this year! As with the biotopes the entries in the Paludarium category are blurring lines. The distinction between vivarium paludarium and aquarium with some emergent growth can be difficult to make. I've enjoyed scoring this category and am interested in seeing what the future holds for paludarium design.
— Phil Edwards

Click to enlarge image 1 - Butterfly life - Luidi Rafael de Souza Doim - Brazil — 1 - Butterfly life - Luidi Rafael de Souza Doim - Brazil

Click to enlarge image 2 - Flower Paradise - MAK SHEA ON - HongKong — 2 - Flower Paradise - MAK SHEA ON - HongKong

Click to enlarge image 3 - Creeperland 2 - Armands Koncus - Latvia — 3 - Creeperland 2 - Armands Koncus - Latvia

From aquatic-gardeners.org

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