A forest layout takes Best of Show
In All Begins to Nature, a pale sand path recedes between roots into a bright clearing. The judges highlighted how the branches pull in different directions without upsetting the balance of the layout. That sense of movement is worth a closer look: trace one branch across the frame, then see how another brings your eye back towards the centre.
The win comes less than a month after Yu topped the IAPLC 2026 world ranking. View the winning aquascape and read the judges’ comments, or explore Chuanwei Yu’s competition record on AquaRank.
AGA 2026 Aquatic Garden: Overall Top 10
Brazil placed three works in the top five. Marreira Júnior finished second with Várzea, the winner of the 90–220L class, while Luis Carlos Ardid Galarraga took third with The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The list below covers the first ten of 291 ranked Aquatic Garden entries, combining all four tank sizes. The other contest categories publish their results separately.
| Rank | Aquascape | Aquascaper | Country / area | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Begins to Nature (万物自然) | Chuanwei Yu (余传威) | China | 220L+ |
| 2 | Várzea | Marreira Júnior | Brazil | 90–220L |
| 3 | The Hanging Gardens of Babylon | Luis Carlos Ardid Galarraga | Brazil | 220L+ |
| 4 | The Creation Of Nature | Muhammad Yusuf | Indonesia | 220L+ |
| 5 | Rift Valley | Rubens Gadelha | Brazil | 90–220L |
| 6 | High Tide | Rahul Mukherjee | India | 220L+ |
| 7 | Magic Leaves | Nobphacha Yimyou | Thailand | 220L+ |
| 8 | Dandakaranya — The Forest of Exile | Rajan Bhaumik | India | 90–220L |
| 9 | 羁绊 | 梁劲 | China | 220L+ |
| 10 | Between Notes | Ryan Noel | United States | 220L+ |
Judges’ Choice and Seachem Choice
Judges’ Choice: Magic Leaves by Nobphacha Yimyou of Thailand. The first winner of this award finished 7th overall in Aquatic Garden. Red lotus leaves at the surface make the viewer feel as though they’re looking up through the water, a perspective singled out in the judges’ comments.
Seachem Choice: After the Storm by Eduardo Hidalgo of Brazil. The sponsor’s selection placed 68th overall in Aquatic Garden. Both awards are worth following beyond the podium: they point readers to layouts they might otherwise scroll past.
First place in each of the 10 contest classes
Classic made its debut in 2026, with South Korea’s Kim Na Hyon taking first place. The Classic guidelines put the emphasis on healthy planting, balance and a natural sense of scale. Germany’s Karsten Dünne won two separate categories, Paludarium and Riparium.
| Class | Winning aquascape | Aquascaper | Country / area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquatic Garden 0–45L | Blessed Nature | Angelo Roberto Colombo | Italy |
| Aquatic Garden 45–90L | Toruk Makto | Gustavo Pimenta do Nascimento | Brazil |
| Aquatic Garden 90–220L | Várzea | Marreira Júnior | Brazil |
| Aquatic Garden 220L+ | All Begins to Nature (万物自然) | Chuanwei Yu (余传威) | China |
| Classic | Learn From Nature | Kim Na Hyon | South Korea |
| Biotope | Wetlands along the mid-reaches of Licun River in Qingdao, Shandong, China | Xinyi Huang | China |
| Dutch | Three Kings | Timothy S. Gross | United States |
| Wabi Kusa | Soulmate | Sandunika Lakshani Thilakarathne | Sri Lanka |
| Paludarium | Liminal | Karsten Dünne | Germany |
| Riparium | Ancient Echo | Karsten Dünne | Germany |
Vietnam’s Aquatic Garden results
Five entries listed under Vietnam appear in the combined Aquatic Garden standings. Trần Anh Đức led the group at 22nd with Tectonic Memory. Pham Duc Manh’s Drift placed 76th, giving Vietnam two entries in the overall top 100.
Browse the full AGA 2026 results and galleries or explore more aquascaper profiles on AquaRank. Which layout has an idea you’d try in your own aquarium?
TOP 10 Aquatic Garden less than 45L
TOP 10 Aquatic Garden 45L - 90L
TOP 10 Aquatic Garden 90L - 220L
TOP 10 Aquatic Garden 220L +
TOP 3 Biotope
TOP 3 Dutch
TOP 3 Wabi Kusa
TOP 3 Paludarium
TOP 3 Riparium
TOP 3 Classic
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