The factors to be considered by the International Jury in order to assess the winners in the BIOTOPE AQUARIUM Contest
BIOTOPE IN NATURE (BIN) – 20 points
Quality and reliability of the information about the original biotope
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Description of the location: environment, terrestrial vegetation, surrounding area, threats to ecology, including photos/videos.
Note: photos and videos of the natural biotope serve as important visual support to better understand the environment. However, their quality does not affect the score, especially in cases where the participant relies solely on Internet resources rather than conducting personal field research in the original biotope. – 5 points -
Variety of fish, invertebrates, and plants corresponds to the specified category and biotope type. – 5 points
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Description of the aquatic habitat: water chemistry, substrate, riparian zone, underwater landscape. – 5 points
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Bibliography/Sitography: quality and reliability of the referenced resources. – 5 points
BIOTOPE AQUARIUM MODEL (BAM) – 60 points
Variety and system viability – 20 points
- Fish, plants, and decorations are appropriately selected to coexist long-term in the aquarium: the tank size corresponds to the chosen species, their number, and their size.
Conformity to the BIOTOPE IN NATURE – 20 points
- The aquarium décor closely resembles natural elements such as stones, driftwood, soil, and other components found in the biotope. The aquarium space is used efficiently, with each species having its own niche. Décor elements and plants are arranged according to the biotope.
Natural beauty – 10 points
- The composition of the aquarium is balanced. The natural beauty of the biotope is successfully represented, with accents placed appropriately.
Quality and accuracy of the aquarium data – 10 points
- The tank description, including external resources, is accurate and can serve as a guide for other aquarists to recreate similar BIOTOPE AQUARIUM Models (BAMs).
Visual support – 20 points
Quality of the visual support
- Photo – clear, in focus, unedited, not overexposed; clean front glass; equipment hidden from view.
Video – clear, in focus, ideally showing characteristic behavior of the aquarium’s inhabitants.
Graphic material – layout of the aquarium, and other relevant visual diagrams or illustrations.
Note: The Jury evaluates only the underwater part of the aquarium. The above-water section must not be considered in the scoring, as it may influence the result and affect the fairness of the evaluation.
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