Three Italian podium finishes at EAPLC 2026, the European aquascaping contest that attracted 293 layouts this year. Bruno Fiorenza took second place in the Large category, while Salvatore Scifo and Francesco Giampaolo finished third in their respective categories. In total, fifteen Italian layouts by twelve aquascapers made the rankings. Let’s look at all the winners, the Italian results and what’s new in this edition.
If IAPLC is the World Cup, EAPLC (European Aquatic Plants Layout Contest) is the European Championship: same discipline, fewer entrants and a field designed for the European scene. It was founded in 2013 and this year it is supported by European Aquaristics and ADA, the same Aqua Design Amano behind IAPLC.
We have already covered the world contest in a separate article on the IAPLC 2026 global aquascaping rankings.
A layout is the composition created in an aquarium using plants, rocks and wood. At EAPLC, tanks are divided into categories according to water volume, a bit like boxing, where a featherweight never steps into the ring against a heavyweight.
EAPLC 2026: the category winners
Let’s start with the best aquascapes in each category, then take a closer look at all the Italian placings.
X-Large category (201–300 litres)
Country: Austria
Category: X-Large
Award: European Aquascaping Champion 2026
Tank: 120 × 50 × 50 cm
Aquascape: Presentation
Country: Germany
Tank: 120 × 50 × 50 cm
Aquascape: Whispers of the Undergrowth
Country: Poland
Tank: 100 × 50 × 50 cm
How categories are decided at EAPLC 2026
HOW IS THE CATEGORY CALCULATED?
What counts is the actual water volume, not simply the nominal volume of the tank. It is calculated by multiplying length × width × water height ÷ 1000, with measurements in centimetres.
For example, a 60 × 30 × 36 cm aquarium filled to the brim theoretically holds 64.8 litres and falls into the Medium category. With a water height of 32 cm, however, the volume drops to 57.6 litres and it falls into the Small category.
The categories are Nano, Small, Medium, Large, X-Large and 2X-Large. For the exact thresholds and how measurements are taken, the official EAPLC rules apply.
Large category (101–200 litres)
Aquascape: Gravity
Country: Romania
Tank: 100 × 50 × 40 cm
Aquascape: Ithilien
Country: Italy
Tank: 100 × 50 × 40 cm
Aquascape: Afterfall
Country: Poland
Tank: 90 × 45 × 45 cm
Medium category (61–100 litres)
Aquascape: Out of the Darkness
Country: Romania
Tank: 75 × 35 × 34 cm
Aquascape: Primordial
Country: Hungary
Tank: 60 × 35 × 35 cm
Aquascape: Rebirth after the earthquake
Country: Italy
Tank: 60 × 30 × 36 cm
Small category (31–60 litres)
Aquascape: Edge of Collaps
Country: Czech Republic
Tank: 60 × 30 × 30 cm
Aquascape: Dreams of the Xúquer River
Country: Spain
Tank: 49 × 27 × 29 cm
Aquascape: Genesis
Country: Italy
Tank: 45 × 27 × 30 cm
Nano category (up to 30 litres)
Aquascape: Where the Stone Opens
Country: Slovakia
Tank: 40 × 20 × 25 cm
Aquascape: Neverland
Country: Romania
Tank: 30 × 30 × 30 cm
Aquascape: Hide and Seek
Country: Romania
Tank: 30 × 30 × 30 cm
EAPLC 2026 in numbers and what’s new
Entries were open from 1 June to 31 July 2026 and the results were announced on 24 October. There are 293 ranked works. In 2025 there were 227: 66 more, an increase of about 29%.
DID YOU KNOW?
The EAPLC record still dates back to 2020: 364 works from 26 countries, with Germany alone submitting 123. 2026 is still below that figure, but shows significant growth compared with 2025.
New in this edition is the title of European Aquascaping Champion, awarded for the first time to the best layout across all categories. The Wabikusa and Paludarium categories have been dropped.
The top three in each category receive an acrylic trophy, while the top ten receive a printed certificate. Oliver Knott, Ryan Noel, Tobias Coring and Tereza Lazar have joined the jury. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Vienna, hosted by Liquid Nature.
The scoring system includes a first part worth 95 points, covering plant health and growth, hardscape composition, how long the layout has been running, photographic presentation and the use of fish.
The second part awards up to 5 extra points: 2 for the plants, 2 for the photography and 1 for creativity. Photography therefore counts in both parts of the judging: a good aquascape must not only be properly designed and maintained, but also presented through an image that does it justice.
EAPLC 2026 rankings: the Italians category by category
The Italian results include 15 layouts by 12 aquascapers. There are no Italian entrants in the 2X-Large category.
| Category | Pos. | Aquascaper | Layout | Size (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nano | 5th | Cristian Macovei | Shizuka | 43×26×22 |
| Small | 3rd | Salvatore Scifo | Genesis | 45×27×30 |
| Small | 10th | William Fantini | The Secret Cove | 45×27×30 |
| Medium | 3rd | Francesco Giampaolo | Rebirth after the earthquake | 60×30×36 |
| Medium | 5th | Giuseppe Schiros | Sunny Garden | 75×35×40 |
| Medium | 7th | Cristian Macovei | Clemens | 60×30×36 |
| Medium | 17th | Bruno Fiorenza | Roccia Spaccata | 60×30×36 |
| Large | 2nd | Bruno Fiorenza | Ithilien | 100×50×40 |
| Large | 15th | Claudio Sartor | The hidden hollow | 60×45×45 |
| Large | 24th | Fabio Sclocco | Red horizon | 60×43×43 |
| Large | 39th | Nicola Parrella | Confusion. | 101×41×50 |
| Large | 45th | Cristian Macovei | Sunshine | 80×35×40 |
| X-Large | 5th | Angelo Roberto Colombo | Luce | 100×50×45 |
| X-Large | 23rd | Nicola Da Lio | The Loving Bones | 90×60×45 |
| X-Large | 44th | Silvia Patrizi | Dreaming of Celesta | 120×50×50 |
Rows highlighted in orange show the Italian podium finishes. Positions refer to the ranking within each category.
What the Italian results tell us
A few takeaways from the numbers. Cristian Macovei is the only Italian entrant to place three tanks in three different categories: 5th in Nano with Shizuka, 7th in Medium with Clemens and 45th in Large with Sunshine.
Bruno Fiorenza entered two layouts, Ithilien and Roccia Spaccata, finishing second in Large and seventeenth in Medium respectively.
In the Medium category, three Italians made the top seven: Francesco Giampaolo, Giuseppe Schiros and Cristian Macovei. In addition, three of the four Italians in this category used the same tank size, the classic 60 × 30 × 36 cm.
In Small, Salvatore Scifo and William Fantini worked with the same dimensions, 45 × 27 × 30 cm, finishing third and tenth respectively. Same glass, different composition.
The Italian podium at EAPLC 2026
Three Italian aquascapers earned a podium place in their category. Let’s take a look at their work.
Ithilien – Tank 100 × 50 × 40 cm
Genesis – Tank 45 × 27 × 30 cm
Rebirth after the earthquake – Tank 60 × 30 × 36 cm
THREE ITALIAN PODIUMS
Bruno Fiorenza, 2nd in Large with Ithilien (100 × 50 × 40 cm).
Salvatore Scifo, 3rd in Small with Genesis (45 × 27 × 30 cm).
Francesco Giampaolo, 3rd in Medium with Rebirth after the earthquake (60 × 30 × 36 cm).
For Tolkien fans, Ithilien is a region of Gondor known for its lush landscapes: a particularly evocative name for a planted layout.
In total, eight Italian layouts by seven aquascapers made the top ten of their category. These results earn the contest certificate, while the three podium finishes are also awarded a trophy.
Who did well at both EAPLC and IAPLC
Comparing the two competitions calls for some caution: IAPLC uses a single world ranking, while EAPLC divides entrants into categories. The placings are therefore not directly comparable, but it is interesting to look at how the same aquascapers performed.
Angelo Roberto Colombo is 47th in the world at IAPLC 2026 and 5th in X-Large at EAPLC with Luce.
Bruno Fiorenza is 101st in the world ranking and 2nd in the European Large category with Ithilien.
Fabio Sclocco is 225th at IAPLC and 24th in Large at EAPLC. Nicola Da Lio is 433rd and 23rd in X-Large respectively, while Silvia Patrizi is 448th in the world and 44th in the European X-Large category.
Nicola Parrella is 1173rd at IAPLC and 39th in Large at EAPLC.
Claudio Sartor and Francesco Giampaolo also appeared in the IAPLC 2025 rankings, in 364th and 535th place respectively. Both are present at EAPLC 2026, with Giampaolo taking third place in the Medium category.
Key takeaways from EAPLC 2026
The two categories with the most Italians are Large, with five layouts, and Medium, with four.
If you want to start competing, there is a concrete starting point: a 60 cm tank, a size that earned three Italian placings in the Medium top 17 in this edition.
The next step is to choose your category before designing and setting up the tank, taking into account the actual water volume and the contest rules.
MY TIP
In a contest aquascape, fish also contribute to the visual balance of the composition. Choose species suited to the size of the tank and to the conditions they need, considering their natural behaviour and their scale relative to the layout. A well-chosen group can enhance the scene without drawing attention away from the layout.
FAQ: frequently asked questions about EAPLC 2026
What is EAPLC?
It is the European Aquatic Plants Layout Contest, the European aquascaping contest founded in 2013 and supported by European Aquaristics and ADA.
What is the difference between EAPLC and IAPLC?
IAPLC is a worldwide competition organised by ADA with a single overall ranking. EAPLC is a European competition that divides layouts into categories according to aquarium volume.
When were the EAPLC 2026 results announced?
On 24 October 2026.
How many works took part?
293. In 2025 there were 227, while the record still belongs to 2020, with 364 works.
What are the categories?
Nano, Small, Medium, Large, X-Large and 2X-Large, divided according to the actual water volume.
What is the best Italian result?
Bruno Fiorenza is second in Large with Ithilien. Salvatore Scifo, in Small, and Francesco Giampaolo, in Medium, both take third place.
How is a layout judged?
Judging considers plants, hardscape, how long the layout has been running, photography, fish and creativity. The system described for 2026 has 95 points in the main assessment and up to 5 extra points.
Can I enter in 2027?
Dates change every year. In 2026, entries were open from 1 June to 31 July. For the next contest, check the official EAPLC website.
ALSO ON DANIREEF
If you’re thinking of entering next year, let us know in the comments! You can also follow us on Telegram, Instagram, YouTube and on the DaniReef forum.
Sources: official EAPLC website and data on the Italian entrants compiled by DaniReef.
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