Trung Phan / Vietnam
Age/ 32 years old
Occupation/ Real estate
Aquarium Experience/ 10 years
Hobby / Reading
Past Achievements/
IAPLC 2017 18th place
IAPLC 2018 24th place

World Ranking 5
New chapter
Aquarium Size W120×D65×H50（cm）

I aimed to create an aquascape that evokes a sense of peace and tranquility by making the most of the materials on hand

AJ　Please tell us your thoughts on receiving the award?
I was very nervous when I was watching the countdown of the winning entries. When they started announcing the top 7, my work had not yet been announced and I thought my chances of winning were zero. But when the world ranking 5 was shown on the screen, it was beyond my imagination and I jumped up and down and screamed so loud that I lost myself. It was a memorable result and more significant in the sense that it left a new mark on my life.

AJ　Please tell us about the theme, motif, idea, etc. of this work.
Actually, I had no idea what to do. I created the layout based on the materials I had on hand, especially the stones. I think I was quite lucky that I was able to successfully create an aquascape expression in this piece that is peaceful to look at.

AJ　Please tell us about difficulties you encountered in creating and maintaining the work.
The most difficult part was finding materials and creating a perfect cave. I recreated the cave over and over again until I was satisfied with the result. In particular, I did not use any glue to attach the stones to each other or to attach the moss to the stones, but planted it naturally. The moss was allowed to grow for 15 days prior to planting. Since the plants do not require much care, it was not too difficult to maintain the layout.

AJ　What is it about planted aquariums that appeal to you?
Ten years ago, when I was a member of the Guppy & Betta Club in college, I happened to see a friend’s aquarium. I was fascinated by the greenery and environment of the aquarium with moss and shrimp. After that, I started researching aquariums and building my own, and one day a friend of mine suggested I enter a contest. IAPLC is full of attractions to improve my skills, to know where I stand, to gain a lot of knowledge, and to build friendships.