Aquascaping Contests

[ayman.roshdy]

I suggest having this thread to list the aquascaping contests world wide, perhaps this can be used as a reference in the future:

1- IAPLC - The International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest
IAPLC (The International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest) is the worlds largest aquarium contest with the most total number of
applications and participating countries.

1 JPY = 0.0070 USD so the first prize of JPY 1,000,000 equals to ~USD 7,000

 

[Art]

Great idea, @ayman.roshdy!

I'll add another one from the USA.

2. The AGA Aquascaping Contest - It's been going on for 23 years (hard to believe because I remember the first one) and had 17 judges this year from around the world. It's also free to enter.

 

[ayman.roshdy]

3- IIAC (ISTA International Aquascaping Contest) - Tawian

Quoted from their website "ISTA is one of the most well-known Taiwanese brands in the world, and we consider ourselves as the leader in the aquascaping field. Promoting aquascaping is always one of our missions. Taiwanese hobbyists have won many awards in several world-class competitions, so we feel the need of hosting an international aquascaping contest in Taiwan. ISTA International Aquascaping Contest is the very first time Taiwan launching a worldwide contest, which opens to everyone and free of charge."

The grand prize is 10,000 USD

1st place winner from the past year contest
Taiwan – Harry Chen – Eternal – 200L ~ 320L

 

[ayman.roshdy]

4- ITAC 2022 - Italy
This is ITaly's first aquascaing contest, no announced awards; only recognition on website and social media

 

[Bolbi]

5- EAPLC - European Aquatic Plant Layout Contest

EAPLC is officially approved as an ADA-Authorized local contest.

"EAPLC stands for European Aquatic Plants Layout Contest. For this reason only entries from geographical Europe are allowed. To foster the trend of Nature Aquariums and Aquascaping the EAPLC contest has evolved since its first launch in 2013. Every year we receive a variety of skillful layouts from all over Europe. Starting from 2023 EAPLC offers a wider selection of categories for better classification and fair judging process."

EAPLC Winners 2023​

 

[Bolbi]

6- RFLAC - Reeflowers Aquascaping Contest

Turkish International aquascaping contest.

 

[Bolbi]

7- KIAC - Korea International Aquascaping Contest

KIAC (Korea International Aquascaping Contest) is an aquascaping contest organized by KAA (Korea Aquascape Association) since 2018. It was a Korean-only event until 2021 and has expanded to an international event from 2022.
KIAC pursues a purely contest consisting of only Aquascapers for all managements, judges, and participants.
We hope it will be a festival that recognizes it as a field of art beyond a hobby and grows together by enjoying each other's works rather than competing. Please enjoy the work of the artist's philosophy and visual beauty with other participants.
Please share your works with other participants and enjoy them, including visual beauty and the artist's philosophy. Thank you.

 

[Bolbi]

8- IADC - International Aquatic Design Contest

Chihiros first international aquascaping contest!

To register: "Update to the latest app version My Chihiros, or scan the QR code on the poster to register. You can enter the IADC through Tank page, Ideas page or Settings page."

 

[Art]

Thanks for listing these @Bolbi!

Do we have any contestants to any of these contests on ScapeCrunch? Man, $6,400 grand prize is a nice chunk of change.

 

[Koan]

9 - Dutch Association Aqua Terra (NBAT) National Vivarium Inspection Awards​

Annual national roll-up of Dutch local, district, and national in-person aquascape "inspection" evaluations, by the national College of Federal Inspectors:



(Historic overview of national competition as told by Dutch judge Marco Aukes, here)

 

[BigWave]

Concurso Brasileiro de Aquapaisagismo [CBAP] The Brazilian Aquascaping Contest.

Brazilian Aquascaping Contest [CBAP] – Join!

www.cbap.com.br

 

[Pepere]

Speaking of Aquascaping contests…..


AGA just released results.

AGA International Aquascaping Contest

AGA International Aquascaping Contest, showcasing global aquascaping talent since 2000

agaiac.org

Shout out to @Unexpected capturing 2nd place with his submission.

1371: Unexpected by Michael Miller - 2025 AGA International Aquascaping Contest

Michael Miller's 2025 AGAIAC 354.29 liter Dutch entry titled "Unexpected"

agaiac.org

And I was pleased with judges comments on my submission as well.

1364: It’s Miller Time by Raymond Frechette Jr - 2025 AGA International Aquascaping Contest

Raymond Frechette Jr's 2025 AGAIAC 109.78 liter Dutch entry titled "It’s Miller Time"

agaiac.org

There critiques largely mirrored what I was feeling as well….

It is a pretty big learning curve and I was hesitant to make further changes in the last 3-4 weeks before the deadline, but had made changes the week after the submission….

 

[gjcarew]

Congrats! Great attempt, it only goes up from here

 

[Unexpected]

Agree, only gets better here on out. Keep Dutch alive!

 

[Burr740]

@Unexpected @gjcarew @Pepere @OmidNiav and @Kwyet and Luke and Raj (dont know yalls names here) all you guys did great work! This was the strongest field Ive seen yet. Made me glad I was a judge not competing!! lol

ScapeCrunch Representing!!

@gjcarew and @OmidNiav and Raj - I want to apologize for not giving comments on you guys tanks. I thought we were gonna have more time to do them but it was cut off before I expected it. You three were the only ones I lacked!

 

[Kwyet]

Hey, I was looking through the other categories and saw that @Jeff Miotke placed 9th with Maelstrom in the Aquatic Garden category 45-90L.

 

[techman81]

I absolutely love Luca Galarraga's work.

 

[techman81]

I absolutely love Luca Galarraga's work.

Luca's scape also answers a question I brought up in another thread. "Do scapes with black backgrounds ever place high in competitions?"

 

[Koan]

@Unexpected @gjcarew @Pepere @OmidNiav and @Kwyet and Luke and Raj

1371: Unexpected by Michael Miller - 2025 AGA International Aquascaping Contest

Michael Miller's 2025 AGAIAC 354.29 liter Dutch entry titled "Unexpected"

agaiac.org

1426: Coffey, Like the drink, only not spelled the same. by Omid Niavarani - 2025 AGA International Aquascaping Contest

Omid Niavarani's 2025 AGAIAC 300.0 liter Dutch entry titled "Coffey, Like the drink, only not spelled the same."

agaiac.org

1418: Harmony by Tracy Ruhlman - 2025 AGA International Aquascaping Contest

Tracy Ruhlman's 2025 AGAIAC 231.84 liter Dutch entry titled "Harmony"

agaiac.org

1434: Viridescent daydream by GavinCarew - 2025 AGA International Aquascaping Contest

GavinCarew's 2025 AGAIAC 276.48 liter Dutch entry titled "Viridescent daydream"

agaiac.org

1293: 24 x 18 x 18 by Luke Jones - 2025 AGA International Aquascaping Contest

Luke Jones's 2025 AGAIAC 121.13 liter Dutch entry titled "24 x 18 x 18"

agaiac.org

1425: The Stillness After by Raj Mahakul - 2025 AGA International Aquascaping Contest

Raj Mahakul's 2025 AGAIAC 300.0 liter Dutch entry titled "The Stillness After"

agaiac.org

1364: It’s Miller Time by Raymond Frechette Jr - 2025 AGA International Aquascaping Contest

Raymond Frechette Jr's 2025 AGAIAC 109.78 liter Dutch entry titled "It’s Miller Time"

agaiac.org

@Jeff Miotke placed 9th with Maelstrom in the Aquatic Garden category 45-90L.

1220: Maelstrom by Jeffrey Miotke - 2025 AGA International Aquascaping Contest

Jeffrey Miotke's 2025 AGAIAC 73.5 liter Aquatic Garden entry titled "Maelstrom"

agaiac.org

Well done everybody!!

 

[Kwyet]

It’s nice to have them all laid out like that. Thanks!