[TheStoriesOfTop7] Evergreen - NgoTruongThinh / VietNam - IAPLC 2013

12 March 2024

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Grand Prize winning entry depicts rough rocky hills made of stones stucked in a panoramic aquarium tank, together with a mountain stream of white cosmetic sand that flows between them. Perspective is well expressed by outstanding composition. Despite its less colorful impression, moss attached to fine branch- like driftwood and also planted between stones helps express a unique natural landscape of rough rocky hills and valleys formed by longtime erosion.

[TheStoriesOfTop7] Evergreen - NgoTruongThinh / VietNam - IAPLC 2013

In such a landscape in nature, we often see some trees rooted in crevice to cling to the rock and grass and moss grown on a little soil in rock pockets. This work was rated high overall in terms of its skillful expression of actual natural landscape in a planted aquarium.

IAPLC 2013 - World Ranking 0001

Evergreen

Author: Ngo Truong Thinh / VietNam

Aquatic Plants

Fissidens fontanus sp.mini
Taxiphyllum sp.

Fish & Invertebrates

Hyphessobrycon amandae
Boraras urophthalmoides
Xiphophorus variatus var.
Neocaridina heteropoda var. red
Caridina multidentata

Comments

My layout of this year is expressed through the imagination of the spectacular caves which were discovered in Vietnam in recent years. Some rare pictures of these sceneries had stimulated me to make the layout, including forest, mountains and caves. I tried to collect a lot of the beautiful scen- ery pitures around the world to complement ideas during the process of creation. I hope that the layout "Evergreen" will give a natural and comfort- able feeling for everyone. I participated IAPLC for the first time in 2008 and have joined continuously till this year. IAPLC is always an attractive contest because there are so many beautiful and creative layouts. I am very happy to be a part of IAPLC, and Nature Aquarium is also a part of my life. I was very nervous while waiting and then got extremely excited when the result of IAPLC 2013 was announced. Winning the first place is always the dream of anyone who participates in this competi- tion, including myself. IAPLC 2013 is a great event that I can not forget, my dream has come true. Now and forever in my mind: Nature Aquarium is shimmeringly vivid picture of beautiful dreams. IAPLC is an opportunity to share my dream with friends everywhere. I would like to give sincere thank to the IAPLC Organization, all the Judges and everyone who participated IAPLC 2013

Judges' Comments

Mr. Truong Thinh Ngo (Viet Nam) won this year's Grand Prize with his layout work "Evergreen", out of 2,164 entries. Four juries selected this layout as their Best Aquarium of the year. This is an exceptional work in terms of the level of perfection as well as the impression it gives to viewers. Here are the comments from the

Comment of Mr. Huang Yu-Fa (TAIWAN)

I chose this work as my best aquarium because its well-designed stone composition demonstrates an overwhelming expression just like towering Mount Taishan in China. This layout created in a 120cm aquarium surprised me because it actually looks as if it sits in a 180cm tank. The skillful arrangement of stones and aquatic plants is filled with a pure, secluded natural feel. Use of mosses as the main plant produces the impression of fresh green of a moun- tain which can be appreciated just like a Chinese landscape paint- ing. I strongly feel the creator's dedication and passion from this work. I am sure that it is hard to maintain this layout. I give the highest marks to this work for its beauty and dynamic vibrancy.

Comment of Mr. Frantisek Kolin (CZECH REPUBLIC)

This year I found it's especially hard to determine a winner, as there were several first-class layouts. In the end I decided to vote for layout, "Evergreen". For me it truly expresses nature, and it is exactly what I expect to see when I hear the name Nature Aquarium. This layout depicts the true power of nature that con- quers everything, even rocks and stones. The creator of this layout has successfully combined rocks and plants to show this force of nature, invoking a picture of nature that looks convincingly real.

Comment of Mr. Johnson Wai (HONG KONG)

This is a very beautiful aquascape. I absolutely didn't believe this looked like natural scene in front of me. How much time did the creator spend his efforts to work for this 3D aquascape? He cre- ated a harmonious atmosphere, balance of rocks and a very good matching of fishes. Rocks were well selected and they were arranged in the best positions. Water condition is good. The work is impressive, very mild and comfortable. I like it very much.

As we see, this year's Grand Prix work has a motif of a mountain view and trees, and in a sense, it's a fusion of the layout styles that have been popularly practiced in the recent years. As for the grading result, a great expression of the trees, which were planted between rocks, scored a high "Impression" point.

Comment of Mr. Jeremy Gay (U.K.)

My first impressions were that the aquascape is larger than it actu- ally is, so it uses a good sense of scale, but that it also shows high skill levels demonstrated by the aquascaper because of the intri- cate rockwork and the creation of miniature trees. Terrestrial trees- capes aren't new in the IAPLC by any means, with just such an aquascape winning the competition in 2012, but with this scape I thought the hardscape would have scored highly on its own, as an Iwagumi, without the miniature trees added on top. As a whole I think the aquascape looks bright and inviting, and represents a miniature world, which I'd like to explore more of. The lighting and background colour makes the scape look naturally sunlit without being over the top, and I think the fish suit the scape in terms of composition, size, variety and colour. I think a sign of a good aquascape is when you can focus on specific areas and find that they are good, pleasing, mini aquascapes in their own right, espe- cially with the valley section and pathway, and you could cut a chunk off the length of this scape and it would still look good. When compared with other treescapes I've judged I found this one the easiest on the eye, and probably the one I would most want to own.

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