The Chicago Aquatic Plant Society

 Wabi Kusa Contest Guide 2024

Submission Rules

Submit a single photo of your Wabi Kusa at www.chicagoaquaticplants.com/wabikusa-contest-2024/

Entrants must be a member of the CAPS Facebook group or a paid member of CAPS at the time of submission to be eligible for prizes

The submission period will be from July 1st, 2024 to October 31st, 2024

By entering your photo, you agree to the release policy on the CAPS website.  www.chicagoaquaticplants.com/photo-release

Each person is allowed only one submission.

There is no minimum age requirement to participate.

Entry photo may only be altered by color correction, brightness, and cropping.  No other edits to the photos are allowed.

Entries may be rejected for any reason deemed appropriate by the contest judges.

Entries may not be posted publicly prior to announcement of competition results at the December 2024 Holiday Party.

Results & Prizes

Scoring results and the submitted names of the entrants will be announced first on the Chicago Aquatic Plant Society Facebook page and then the chicagoaquaticplants.com website prior to the January, 2025 Meeting.

Winners will be awarded their prizes at the December 2024 Holiday Party.

1st Place:  $150.00 and Commemorative Award

2nd Place: $100.00 and Commemorative Award

3rd Place:  $50.00 and Commemorative Award

 Judges & Criteria

Three judges will be selected for the contest.

Judges will be members from the CAPS executive board or other persons with recognized expertise in aquatic gardening and aquascaping. 

Judges are not allowed to participate as contestants.

The Wabi Kusa Contest chairman is not allowed to participate as a contestant.

Judges’ comments will be provided to entrants upon request.

For the purposes of this contest, a Wabi Kusa is a ball of compressed substrate that has been developed into an artistic interpretation of aquatic plants that are not contained by their vessel, but by a substrate ball from where plants can freely grow.

Inability to follow the following three rules will result in immediate disqualification of the entry:

1. The photo must clearly show that a substrate ball was used.

2. The photo must clearly show a water portion.

3. The Wabi Kusa must not include any terrestrial plants. All plants used must be aquatic plants that can be normally grown submersed and used in an aquarium. Use of marginal pond plants or terrarium/vivarium plants will result in immediate disqualification of the entry.

Wabi Kusa Judging breakdown:

Health and Condition - maximum 100 points

• Is the layout healthy and free from any undesirable elements? (40 points)

• Are the aquatic plants healthy and appropriate for the aquascape? Aquascapes featuring any terrestrial-only plants will be summarily disqualified. (40 points)

• Is the water portion clean and clear? Layouts without a water feature will be summarily disqualified. (20 points)

Artistic Skill, Impression, and Creativity - maximum 100 points

• Does the layout demonstrate artistic skill through the use of arrangement, colors, textures, and hardscape? (40 points)

• Is the layout especially creative or impactful? (40 points)

• Do any other elements of the Wabi Kusa (such as the vessel and light chosen for display, etc.) add to or detract from the impression? (20 points)