Gang Zhao
People’s Republic of China
Age/ 50 years old
Occupation/ Aquascape Creator
Aquarium Experience/ 6 years
Hobby / Art
Past Achievement/
IAPLC 2021　108th place

World Ranking 3
Unknown Hometown
Aquarium Size W120×D60×H45（cm）

I paid attention to the smallest detail to perfectly create my imaginary scene.

AJ Please tell us your thoughts on receiving the award?
In fact, I thought that participation was the most important thing of all, and after submitting my work, no one could predict the outcome. My feeling was high on the day of the result announcement. The two moderators were very dignified and graceful, and they announced the top 100 in order. Every work I saw was beautiful, and the 8th place was already an-nounced. As the announcement progressed, I found myself in a somber mood, but my friends encouraged me. The moment the screen switched to 3rd place, I felt the happiest I had ever felt in my life. Tears welled up and I could not contain my emotion. All the hard work I have put in over the past few years has not been in vain, and I would like to thank the organizer and judges of the IAPLC for recognizing my work. I hope that all of you who love planted aquariums will be able to achieve good results next year.

AJ Please tell us about the theme, motif, idea, etc. of this work.
Deciding on a theme can be very difficult. However, having a good theme means that you are as close as you can get to final completion. Even if you are looking for the material of your destiny, you will not always find it. I usually create planted aquariums with reference to what I can see in real life, and this aquascape was themed around the mysterious and profound nature of the forest. In fact, over the past few years, I have been exploring different styles to achieve good results, but I believe that planted aquariums are as simple as photography, painting, or even dance and art, expressing one’s own inner world and providing a space where the viewer can experience beauty.

AJ Please tell us about difficulties you encountered in creating and maintaining the work.

For example, the layout before and after the addition of water differed from the scene I had imagined in my mind, so I had to repeatedly make adjustments until I was satisfied.

AJ Please tell us the key points in selecting aquatic plant and fish species.
I think the choice of aquatic plant species is very important. For example, moss is used in forest landscapes, and Riccardia chamedryfolia in particular provides very fine detail. The color of the aquatic plants is also important. For example, moss, Glossostigma elantinoides, and Bucephalandra sp. are commonly used aquatic plants, but different shades of color create gradations. For fish, I chose Paracheirodon simulans, which are small and suitable for aquariums.

AJ Do you have any tips on how to win a prize in the contest?
Success or failure depends on how much attention to detail you pay.

AJ Please tell us which ADA products you recommend and why.
Aqua Soil – Amazonia, Power Sand, or the Brighty series, perhaps. They are all great products.

AJ What do you think about the IAPLC?
IAPLC is the world’s best-known and premier hall of fame for planted aquarium enthusiasts.