[TheStoriesOfTop7] A Hunting Ground - Josh Sim / Malaysia - IAPLC 2015

"A Hunting Ground" by Josh Sim from Malaysia won the 6th place. Mr. Rolf Dennison, a judge from South Africa chose this work as his Best Aquarium. The high marks were led from the flow of water seen with its entire aquascape and also from the attractiveness as a habi- tat environment for fish.

IAPLC 2015 Gallery - Look back history - World Ranking 0006 - Bronze Prize

A Hunting Ground

Author: Josh Sim / Malaysia

Aquarium Size/W120×D50×H50 (cm)

Aquatic Plants

Fissidens fontanus

Eleocharis parvula

Eleocharis sp. "Mini"

Hygrophila pinnatifida

Microsorium sp.

Vesicularia dubyana

Fantinalis antipyretica

Vallisneria sp.

Fish & Invertebrates

Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus

Caridina japonica

Otocinclus affinis

AWARDS

World Ranking 0006 Bronze Prize IAPLC 2015

Top ten AGA 2015 - Aquatic Garden 200~320L 

Comments

I love this hobby and IAPLC, but I hate waiting for the postman to deliver the result as the anxiety is torturing! However, when I saw the big EMS envelop arrived, I felt that all the torturing was worth it! My heart was racing so fast that I failed to calm it down even after a few (or many, I can't remember) deep breath. Although I was in top 7 before in the past, this is the first time I received the result through the Big EMS envelop from Japan. I was too nervous to open the envelope myself so I asked my wife to open it for me and the rest was history. People often asked me how I feel being ranked top 7 in the World? I said it is not about the number, but this hobby has given me a sense of belonging, a sense of recognition from a group of people around the world who share the same passion and it has also given me a purpose in my life. Ranking is just the icing on the cake. After a rather disappointing result in 2014, I would have been very happy just to be in top 100 again, so being able to get into top 7 this year is really something quite amazing - especially knowing that this is the last year Master Amano was still our judge. Although he has left us, we should celebrate his life by continuing his dream in Nature Aquarium.

Comment of Mr. Rolf Dennison (SOUTH AFRICA)

What a challenge! To choose my "Best Aquarium" out of these top 100 masterpieces was no easy task. This year I was inspired by the layouts and aquascapes that closely resembled a naturalistic aquatic habitat. I was pleased to see a lot of the contestants inspired to recreate these natural habitats which made my decision even harder. I had three aquariums, which I felt were worthy of the title and in the end there was one that just stood out to me. I chose "A Hunting Ground" as my Best Aquarium. This layout to me scored the highest when it came to the recreation of the natural habitat for fish. I could just imagine this layout in a natural pristine envabitat for where the plants and fish are living in perfect balance as they were intended to. This aquascape came across as a healthy habitat and the condition of the aquatic plants and fish looks excellent. The school of small fish seem to blend into the aquascape and match the layout perfectly. The long-term maintenance of this layout is good and I don't feel that this layout is temporary. The technical skill level is high in this aquarium as he has created the impression of the roots and branches of trees growing underwater into a stream. With an overgrown path fading away towards to the back of the aquarium like the natural flow of a stream giving a great interpretation of nature. Amongst the branches and "roots" there are stones and rocks, which add the attractiveness to this natural layout. The way the plants have been allowed to grow over and around the branches has great effect and gives us a presentation of a sense of time's pas- sage. The tall upright branches on side balance out this layout as the small branches fade out towards the back of the aquascape further adding to the composition and balance of this layout. For these rea- sons this aquarium scored the highest points in my grading.

Details of background and water surface reflection are very beautiful.
— Long Tran Hoang

A superb work!! It combines perfectly many different techniques to obtain a deep and natural underwater scene. I really like how you have used Fissidens fontanus above branches. It seems at the rear on the right side you need a bit more time to obtain a more mature aspect.
— Juan Puchades Rufino

Strong and detailed work!
The work with mosses is impressive. Good balance and open space. One small negative point is the excessive shadow on the left side.
Congratulations in my TOP10!
— Luca Galarraga

Good use of few plants to emphasize the aquascape and excellent use of the wood and rocks to create the layout. You have created nice depth in the tank and the Fissidens and moss really soften the aquascape. Great job!
— Bailin Shaw