Possible cheater spotted at 120-200L category. The first place winner is the same as IAPLC rank #14, but the tank size submitted for AGA is smaller. Tank size written on the IAPLC booklet, it is 120x55x50cm tank which is 300L or 87.177 US gallons. AGA entry details and it was written 100x45x40cm which is 180L or 47.551 US gallons.
I have reported this issue to AGA but they dont seem to be eager to disqualify it. So instead I post the matter to forums to let make others know
. It is not an AGA fault, how could they? No one will notice if that tank was not submitted to IAPLC.
He reduce the tank size so that he can compete on smaller category (maybe he want to be in different category as Cliff Hui) or to have better depth. Imagine 300L tank submited as 180L, reported almost half. The holy-grail of aquascaping is to make small tank look big. What the easy way to do that? Declare big tank as small tank
. Imagine what would hapeen if I declare my 90x45x45cm tank as 30x15x15cm tank? Every one will amaze on the depth that created on that tiny little tank.
There are other innocent possibilities that AGA official mention such as:
- IAPLC booklet wrongly print the tank size, which can be easily verify with ADA.
- AGA official also mention that maybe the submitted only guess the tank size when he submit it to IAPLC. Seriously, you must be kidding, 300L and 180L is big different. We are talking about aquascaper expert, no way to make such mistake
- Last comment from AGA official is the category only form last minutes due to the number of participants, thus the submitter would not have know which category he will be in. Sure the submitter did not know the category but based on previous years competition, there always been 70L-200L and 200L-400L. In fact it has been like that since 2002. In other word, regardless the submitter know or not, by reducing the size he sure will be at different category. Shame on you AGA, it is your own competition how could you did not know your own past year category.
The same tank on IAPLC 2011 booklet:
Detail of the same tank on AGA 2011 web site: