Mr. Masashi Ono (Japan)

Title: Relaxed Time

Evaluation: The driftwood composition and plants arrangement are in high-quality finished forms. The layout and maintenance technique, using a limited number of species, and growing those species in good forms, and maintaining impeccably even the single leaf, is amazing. But it is unfortunate the layout lacks impact.

His Comment: I was very surprised to see the result. I thought my layout was too common, and I did not expect to receive such a high prize. I tried to express a scene of aging driftwood, and its surrounding newborn plants and slow moving time flow by driftwood combination, using open space in luxury. I think this is an orthodox aquarium layout, but I am very glad such a layout was highly scored.

Aquarium Tank: W114xD52xH52 (cm)

Aquatic Plants:
Vallisneria nana
Microsorum sp.
Eleocharis xingua
Fantinalis antipyretica

Fish & Invertebrates:
Puntius sp.cf.denisoni
Crossocheilus siamensis
Caridina multidentata

Ms. Olga Baranovskaya (Ukraine)

Title: Rain is coming

Evaluation: This layout has a unique atmosphere. Many species of aquatic plants are well-organized as a whole. From the use of the driftwood, or the arrangement of the aquatic plants, as well as the whole composition with perspective, we could feel the creator?s unique artistic sense. This is a very interesting layout, and every time we see it, we find something new.

Her Comment: I was very delighted to have received such a high ranking! It is so great that there exists such a prestigious Contest where it is possible to share ideas, emotions and skills in the most beautiful and original field of art - aquascape -  which thanks to its universal language is uniting the whole world! The highest level of this Contest makes it very important for me and my studio as professionals. I wanted to show mood and feelings rather than technical methods. I am glad that the impartial judges understood and appreciated my work.

Aquarium Tank: W125xD45xH45(cm)

Aquatic Plants:
Cladophora aegagrophira
Echinodorus tenellus 'red'
Eleocharis acicularis
E. pusilla
Glossostigma elatinoides
Hydrocotyle verticillata
Lilaeopsis brasiliensis
Lindernia rotundifolia
Ludwigia sp.
Micranthenum micranthemoides
Microsorum sp.
Nymphaea sp.
Didiplis diandra
Rotala macrandra
Rotala macrandra var.
Rotala rotundifolia
Rotala rotundifolia 'green'
Vesicularia dubyana
Riccia fluitans

Fish & Invertebrates:
Trigonostigma heteromorpha
Naocaridina denticulata

Mr. Chen Ze Xin (Taiwan)

Title: Old Tree

Evaluation: The use driftwood is distinctive and powerful. The texture is unique, and the way the moss covers the driftwood is natural. Not only is the impact of the driftwood good, but the balance of the open space and aquatic plants is well-organized, and the layout has an attractive finish, making use of the panoramic ratio aquarium tank.

His Comment: This time I considered the design of "God Tree Country" from last August, and started production from that layout. In order to find the best driftwood, I climbed a mountain several times. Even though I encountered the difficulty of sudden algae appearance, I finally realized the idealistic composition in my mind perfectly, by spending 8 months' time. When I received the Contest results, it is very hard to describe my feelings in words. The ADA layout contest is now trusted by hobbyists, and I really appreciate the organizer, judges who made a difficult grading, and all the planted aquarium hobbyists around the world.

Aquarium Tank: W105xD58xH45 (cm)

Aquatic Plants:
Hemiantbus callitrichoides "Cuba"
Blyxa japonica
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Elatine triandra
Hottonia inflate
Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae
Microsorum sp.
Vesicularia sp.
Riccia fluitans

Fish & Invertebrates:
Paracheirodon axelrodi
Hemigrammus erythrozonus
Pterophyllum altum
Pterophyllum scalare
Ancistrus temmincki
Apistogramma cacatuoides
Corydoras sterbai
Hemimyzon formosanus