[APD] Re: marine plant tank discussion ml?

["Steven Pituch" <spituch at ev1_net>]

I think discussing salt water plant propagation is a suitable subject for
this list.  Erik had mentioned a few days ago that salt water aquariums were
not allowed in the AGA contest, but that is because the intent of the
contest is to promote the use of, and advance the state of the art of
planted aquaria.  The usual marine aquarium does not contain plants.

However, if it is an aquatic plant I think most of us would like to hear
about it regardless of the specific gravity of the water the plants live in.

As far as salt water aquariums in the AGA contest I don't think they should
be allowed in the "Planted Aquaria Aquascape" categories.  For salt water
aquariums most of the design of the tank as far as aquascaping would involve
rocks, coral, but not plants.  With the current state of the art, and as I
think Tom Barr implies, keeping salt water plants alive is the main concern.

However, I think that a salt water tank like Tom Barr's would be a very nice
entry for the AGA contest's biotope category.  Yes, it is salt water, but in
this case it includes plants.  As long as entrants realize that the contest
is about planted aquaria, I think entries with plants which model a specific
biotope should be allowed in the biotope category regardless of the type of
water.   In a biotope the emphasis is on reproducing a slice of nature, and
not so much the art of aquascaping the plants.  Tom's tank should certainly
be allowed to qualify.  And it would be a great contribution to the biotope
category, and to biotope keeping in general.  The biotope category has not
had the success so far that the planted aquaria aquascape categories have
had in contributing to the state of the art.  People still need to realize
that a Lake Malawi biotope tank should have plants in it, otherwise it is
not a biotope in the planted aquaria concept of the contest, just like
marine tanks of coral formations and no plants are not allowed in the main
categories.

Please understand that I have great respect for the organizers of the AGA
contest, and the past judges.  This is just material for constructive
discussion.  Based on the great results and advances in the hobby from this
contest I have every confidence that the organizers can continue to manage
it successfully as they have done in the past.

Regards,

Steve Pituch

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