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[TheStoriesOfTop7] Forest

Mr. Yoyo Prayogi from Indonesia was ranked in 3rd place (Silver Prize) with his work, Forest "curug cipendok". The entry has a flavor of fantasy, and was selected as the Best Aquarium by Mr. Frantisek Kolin (Czech Republic) and Mr. Rolf Dennison (South Africa). Here are their comments on the entry.

IAPLC 2017 Gallery - Look back history - World Ranking 0003 - SilverPrize

Forest "curug cipendok"

Author: Yoyo Prayogi / Indonesia

Aquarium Size/W120×D50×H45(cm)

Aquatic Plants

Riccardia chamedryfolia

Fissidens fontanus

Vesicularia montagnei

Bucephalandra sp.

Najas sp. "Roraima"

Ammania sp. "Bonsai"

Ludwigia sp. "Super Red"

Hygrophila polysperma "Sunset"

Marsilea crenata

Fish & Invertebrates

Hemigrammus Ocellifer (albino head and tail light tetra)

AWARDS

World Ranking 0003 Silver Prize IAPLC 2017

Comments

When I visited the cipendok curug forest in Banyumas, Central Java, Indonesia, I was so inspired by the beauty of the surrounding nature. I tried to portray the image the beauty of natural rain forest into aquascape design by creating a scenery of a big tree and small rivers. The greatest difficulty was uniting small roots to make a big tree character/structure, cutting and placing the plants to cover the hardscape. Creating detail and coherence of the small roots to form a big tree was very challenging. As I was announced as the third rank in IAPLC 2017, I was very surprised and happy. All of the sudden I burst in tears, happy tears. I cannot believe that I have reached the third rank in this prestigious event. I cannot explain how happy and proud I am. I thank God, my families and friends

Comment of Mr. Frantisek Kolin (CZECH REPUBLIC)

After long consideration, I chose Forest "curug cipendok". In my opinion, Forest "curug cipendok" reflects the goal of the great master Takashi Amano the best to transfer the natural images under the water surface. At first glance, this work has a deep impression of the wild nature with all necessary resources. A viewer finds everything that reminds of the wild nature. The wood, the stones, the plants, the sand and the fishes form a harmony without disturbing the image. It is also very important that the selected fish has enough room to live and does not interfere with the overall picture

Comment of Mr. Rolf Dennison (SOUTH AFRICA)

It stood out for me above the rest and as I saw it, I knew it was going to be hard for another layout to beat this one. The space of this aquarium is completely occupied making it feel enormous. I like the use of the different species of plants in appropriate places as though they would have naturally found that position in this layout. The addition of the red plants near the surface just topped off this layout and added to its attractiveness. The roots are the main feature of this layout and they are placed very well. The roots look ancient as though they have been growing in this natural ecosystem over many of decades. They have an appearance as though the elements of nature have shaped them. The school of small fish freely swimming in the environment adds to the expression of this underwater environment and the small size and colour of the fish is appropriate for this aquascape. The layout of this aquarium is very well balance in my opinion with a main roots system in the centre and large similar size roots systems on either sides of the aquarium. The owner has balanced out the planting of the plants well and the ecosystem and the health of its inhabitants is immaculate. 

As Mr. Dennison points out that the entry presents stem plants in a very unique way, adding a distinctive touch and color effects to the aquascape. And indeed it was this aspect that determined the judges' evaluation for Mr. Prayogi's work

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