Having read my copy of PFK (May Isue) it apears a great opportunity to advertise UKAPS.

The show is giving the opportunity societies called "society furnished aquaria". The scoieties can display two aquariums and can be furnished from either their own materials or from the materials provided ( which only consist of a complimentary bag of plants . Each society will have their own partioned area. The public will judge the displays on the basis of which one they would want to see in their own homes. How cool is that?

We could get intouch with Richard at aquaessentials to see if he would sponser our tanks for furnishing in exchange for an advert on each display. (??)

I know UKAPS hasnt realy form as such but by october we could be well on the move.

Thoughts guys?
Graeme.

PS: No Divers, sunken castles or crockadile bubble heads allowd!!!!! Im NOT joking

Great idea.

It would be a great opportunity to showcase UKAPS and the "proper" planted tank, from an equipment and aquascaping perspective.

I was at the festival last year (part of the PFK team) and the display tanks were mediocre at best.

I can get "free" plants direct from Tropica and Greenline.

AE may well be interested in loaning some hardware. If not then I'm sure I can blag some stuff from elsewhere. PFK tends to have stuff left over from reviews etc. I'll have a word with Jeremy Gay.

Paul Fox could supply some CO2 gear, he does quality regs etc.

The tricky part would be to create an instant aquascape that looks mature. If my ferns on wood and anubias on stones are still going then I don't mind using them, they're pretty big now, enough to fill a 60cm. Tropica do a good selection of XL plants too, so that would work. Greenline also large mature plants. I'm sure we could come up with something effective.

Imagine an ADA-style 90cm with glassware and overtank lighting etc. Give the punters something to admire, even though the vast majority are fish-only.

Anyway, great idea. Can't believe I didn't think of it myself!

Excellent idea, would think that between us we should be able to sort kit, etc out. Not that my tanks would be up to it looks wise but I would think it'd be relatively easy to empty and move some of the many nano tanks that people have, easy to empty and transport, unlike bigger tanks.

Would certainly make the trip myself.

Sam

I've just read the info that Graeme refers too.

New this year is a competition of Society Furnished Aquaria....judged by visitors to the show. Societies can build up to two furnished displays....24x15x12" tanks will be provided with light, filter and heater (if required)....gravel, rocks, livestock and ornaments will need to be supplied....a complimentary pack of plants for each entry....but we're allowed to bring more plants.

It's an excellent opportunity for societies to promote themselves as each entry will have a partitioned section with the three walls available for soceity info....

Sounds good eh?

It does. It shouldn't be to difficult to creat two scapes that look mature. Two styles would be cool, one jungle type ( old school Amano say ) and the other an Sonzo Iwagumi ( perhaps like Amanos new designs) . Matured moss on stones will work well for grownd cover, and will be easy to transport and can look instantly mature, or go for the brighty sand look. Carful planning will hide any possible spots that would ordinaraly look imature.

On the partion wall, there could be pictures of members scapes etc.

Reading my mind, Graeme. Now we just need to get hold of someone that knows how to aquascape.....

Equipment wise I'm not sure if we can provide our own tanks or we have to use there's. I know we can use out own lighting, filter etc. so glassware and overtank lighting will look the most impressive. That alone will impress the visitors. 99% won't have seen a lily pipe before, let alone an ADA-style NA in the flesh.

I'll e-mail the organiser this week.

Just a thought, but would it be worth contacting ADA Europe (possibly through AE) and other manufacturers to see if they would be prepared to sponsor a scape? This could open up the opportunity for them to show case their equipment along with UKAPS displaying a quality scape. I do not know if there are rules to what equipment has to be used or where is comes from but we could use this as an opportunity grab some sponsorship and show what can be acheived with some of the best resources available ie Tropica plants, ADA hardware, Eheim filters, Giesmann luminaires etc

If they are generous enough to donate the equipment we could possibly give it away in some form of competition, maybe via PFK. Just imagine a full page spread in PFK 'Win this scape , as seen at the Festival of Fishkeeping'

That would be great, im a little skeptical about ADA and other big companies donating some of their high end brands, they may see it as a group trying to get quids in if you know what i mean, don't know. It is a really neat idea, but i would be gutted to see it go home in someone else's boot, that would be a bummer .

Do we think high tech is the way to show these tanks, like i said, on e jungle type and one iwagumi, or should it be a mix of one high tech and one low tech.

Going full high tech will be gob smacking,but may put off allot of newbies just looking at the cost alone.

It would be great to show off some pico and nanos too!


Regards,
Graeme.

All sounds very promising, cant say Id be able to help much with the scape, but happy to offer my services wherever needed even if its just keeping the tea flowing during the day

Sam

I will sort a decent discount for UKAPS members with regards to the c02 items George has mentioned

Means I could be working on three stands at the show... the Uk discus association, catfish study group and now this one

I know a top tank builder, so I could get the tank supplied I think(?)