Contest Rules and Guidelines Thread.
 

Current contestants are:

5.5G:

scholar: Dropped out.

Chaloupa:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45542

AndyL: Dropped out.

10G:

JDigital: Dropped Out

rocketlily:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45294

ElGuappo:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45219

Stab_Master_Arson: Dropped out.

Der_Iron_Chef: Dropped out.

Scythanith:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45676

sphelps:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45285

noirsphynx:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45566

Ryan_Lap: Disqualified (Did not post mandatory updates)

superduperwesman:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=46197



I will continue to update this list as new people join.


PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CLOSELY

2008 Nano Contest

2 categories
-5.5g AGA
-10g AGA

Prizes awarded for:

- Best Tank
- Most innovative

Sponsored Prize:

- Best Theme (Donated by Red Coral Aquarium)

http://www.canreef.com/images/ads/redcoralaquarium.jpg


RULES:

Spending limits:
- 5.5g AGA= $250 CDN
- 10g AGA= $300 CDN

Not covered in budget (i.e. considered "free")

- Contest Display Tank
- Building supplies (eggcrate, stand/canopy materials, plumbing, acrylic/glass scraps, etc)
- Sand
- Live Rock
- Water and salt
- Food
- Supplements
- Accessories less than $15 (mag floats, tongs, thermometers, etc)


GENERAL GUIDELINES & RULES:

- All used equipment utilized in contest will be deducted from your budget at 75% of the lowest advertised price from J&L Aquatics.
For equipment purchased online, only deduct the actual price of the equipment from the budget, don't deduct shipping costs.

- All live stock can come from anywhere, CR Vendors, LFS, online, whatever. If you use something from a current tank, you deduct it's fair market value.
If you purchase livestock online, you deduct the actual price paid for the livestock from the budget, but don't count shipping costs.

- Tank can be purchased locally and will not count against budget. (Sump tank will count against your budget, should you choose to incorporate one)

- You can mod your tank as much as you want, as long as you start with a STOCK tank and deduct costs from your budget.

- Budget is done on the honor system since we all know what its all worth (for most things).

- There is an entry fee of $20.00, which must be received by 10/15 to lock you into the contest. These fees will be used for the prizes at the end of the contest. Entry fees are non-refundable after 10/15.

- Contest begins Oct 15, 2008 and ends April 15, 2009.

In short, you've got 6 months to make a sweet tank on a limited budget. Lighting fixtures, filters, skimmers, and livestock all count towards budget, so manage wisely.


- Start a tank thread for your contest tank by Oct 15, so we can see it's progression as it goes along. It wouldn't hurt to put a link to your contest tank thread in your sig, but I don't know that we should require it. You don't have to start your tank thread immediately, as long as you do it by Oct 15.

- On the 15th of every month, post a FTS of your tank on your thread.

- When we reach the end of the contest, Myself (or Christy) will start a thread showing all of the tanks and their specs, with an attached poll for ALL of Canreef to vote on the winners.

- The winners will receive a gift certificate to the Canreef sponsor/vendor of their choice, taken from the entry fees.

- Basically, we'll take all the $$ contributed for the entry fee and divide it up into 3 equal portions for the winning gift certificates.



michika and I will be running the contest, so if you have any questions or concerns that cannot be addressed on this thread, PM one of us.

On a final note, the goal of this contest is to HAVE FUN and just see how many CREATIVE IDEAS we can all come up with and inspire each other with.

I've done the best I can to alter this contest for fit into our forum here on Canreef, but the fact is that not everyone will be happy with the contest rules as they've been established. If you don't think that you can participate under the established guidelines, then your time and $$ is probably best spent on a tank that you truly will enjoy and keep in the long run.
We want to keep this a positive and enjoyable experience for everyone, so...


ADDENDUM A:
Calculating "cost" for livestock/coral that was free (fragged from an existing tank, etc), received in trade, or purchased at wholesale prices, etc.
-Items received free-- an amount will be deducted from your budget equivalent to what that livestock/coral would commonly be sold for in Livestock Classified Forum of Canreef.com or J&L Aquatics if it can not be found in the Buy/Sell Section. If you can not determine a "fair market value" please PM michika or JDigital a pic, along with common name, and we will do our best to give you a "price".
If you don't feel this is satisfactory, you would probably be better off not competing in this contest. :)
-Items received in trade - Same as above.
-Items purchased at wholesale prices - Same as above.
-Items on which you scored a "good deal"- If you can provide proof of the price you got, cost will be figured at the actual price you paid. If it was a transaction with a private individual, have them hand-write you a receipt, scan it, and post it on your thread.


Addendum A.1

If you purchase something at a steal of a deal from a Canreef.com vendors you do not have to deal with 'fair market value' etc. Example: Sponsor X regularly has 50% off or buy one get one specials that are available to Canreef.com members, so if you pay $10 and get 2 pieces that normally would cost $20, you only pay the $10. This is in hopes that some vendors will want to have specials aimed specifically at this contest.

When you get a moment could you please update the registered list. Seem like theres a few people on te list that have dropped out.

^^ Updated.

scholar is now competing with a 5.5 in the 10G Category since the other 5.5'ers have either switched to 10 or dropped out.

Cheers.

:mrgreen: guess im going to have to step this tank build up some more

What I don't understand though is why the limit for a 5.5G is $250 and the limit for a 10G is $300 if they are now competing against each other in the same category? Should be the same unless they were separate contests.

How does a sump play into things? As for extra water volume? Just curious :)

Well there isn't going to be a 5.5 really anymore, unless I get a bunch of interest from 3-4 people in the next week or so. As for budget, I have discussed a fair medium for scholar.

You can have a sump... just deduct the tank, pump, skimmer etc from the budget. :)

Sounds great...and thanks for all the work you've put into this. I think we should all remember to HAVE FUN with this. Let's not get our panties in a bunch over this or that perceived unfairness, etc.... :)

sorry if im causeing trouble in the contest. I will keep my 250 budget if every one wants me to really its no trouble

Don't worry about it... Just stick to the budget I pm'd you about. :)

k thanks

Looks like Chaloupa wanted to switch back to the 5.5 Category, which is fine.

I'm in for a 10g :biggrin:

Oh I know, its all just for fun! I was just curious about why the difference in budget between the two tank sizes if the contest is now between all tanks. I was going to go with 5.5G just to have less space to have to stock because my idea is kind of expensive. But I may as well just do a 10G then :)

There are 2 people now doing the 5.5... you would make it 3...

OK, well I think Im going to do the 10G but I haven't bought the tank yet, so if the 5.5G contest opens up again I would maybe go for that. I guess I will decide in the next week or so.

Well 5.5 is back... only take 2 to make a contest.. haha.. so its definitely open.. I was only bumping scholar into the 10 category before as there was no one else doing 5.5s. :)

is the contest still open to join or closed?

^

no late entry fee eh!

Let him in, what's the difference? Many people in the contest haven't even started yet.

AS long as they are up and running by first pic day and get the fee in asap im ok with it.

I agree. There should always be room for one more. Right?

You knew about the contest back in sept... there really shouldn't be any reason to need to join late...

If you get your entry fee to me 10pm Monday Oct 20, I'll let it slide.

you should be able to buy into the contest later for more money :)

They gotta pay for my time too then... keeping track of everyone the first time was enough.. I don't want to be doing it for the next couple months. :)

Ok Ok I get it you're afraid of the competition :D ahah

Next time I guess :(

If Wesman wants in you gotta let him in, just for the pure entertainment :razz:
I say if someone can get water in their tank by Nov 15th and have the entry fee submitted let them in, the more the better.

Yeah I agree with him^ :puppydog:

Just to play devil's advocate here (because it really doesn't affect me in any way!), would you let people submit photo contest entries well after the closing date? What's the point in having a cut-off? What if someone wanted to join in December?

Well obviously not if voting had already begun, if voting had not already started I would for sure so yes. I would even let people submit after voting had started if I had the power to edit polls which I don't.

I understand the need for cut offs but there are still other members who haven't really setup their tanks yet and since the 15th of Nov is the deadline to have water in the tank I see that date as more of a cut off. Plus who does it really hurt?

What does the photo contest have to do with a tank contest?? ahah. No entry fee... and if you miss out there's another one next month... not a minimum of 6 months later.

But if we are going to use parallels... People love it when you buy back into poker games... a chance for them to win more money when I'm rolling in with half the chips.

The way I see it... I'd be at a disadvantage so I thought others might prefer it... especially if there is a late entry fee :) but no worries if it's gonna cause even more trouble.

Well, it doesn't have anything to do with the photo contest, except for the parallel it creates. Contests have rules and deadlines, and I guess that's the point. I don't really care either way, to be honest, but I think the fun of the contest has already been compromised to a certain degree, and I'd hate to see yet ANOTHER topic of debate, disagreement, panties-in-a-bunch-edness.

So when DO we draw the line? Can anyone enter at any time? Simply because they bring an entry fee and are at a disadvantage?

True which is why I made another one... that seemed to be just as valid

Also true... but being the first contest it seems like some of these rules and deadlines are getting kinks sorted out which is why I thought I would check if the deadline to enter was possible another "kink" that might need changing if requested??

Obviously you do

The contest does look fun which is why I want to enter... and being the first go around I thought some people might understand others being hesitant to enter at first... and possible change the entry date once we had a clear idea of how things would go.

And I do like that amidst all the confusion / debate things seem to be working out, becoming more organized, and people are having fun. The contest is something that looks like it will be very good for everyone on the site... and I guess I was just hoping to get a piece now that I can clearly see that.

My panties are very unbunched :)

I guess that is exactly what I was asking... and trying to figure out... if the answer is no then like I already said no it's big deal and I guess I'll miss out, but if yes good :)... and next time we know we have a early entry fee of $20 and a late entry fee of ___

Miss Cleo? Is that you?

Anyway, I was just trying to play devil's advocate here. It doesn't directly affect me in any real way (unlike the huge amount of PVC cement I spilled on my carpet this weekend).

ahah I love it when that happens... I generally tend to get it on my cloths and the little bit of hair that I do have

:confused: Are you fantasizing again? Oh.. burn!

I'm just saying since the deadline for water is Nov 15th that's kind of the real deadline here. After that we can't let more people in. Let's keep true to the "it's all for fun" spirit for once and let Wes in, provided he can meet the deadline.

So I gotta chase entry fees down for another 2 weeks for anyone that wants to enter before Nov 15, just because they weren't sure what to do 2 weeks ago?

None of us knew what to expect, because this is the first one, and yet 12 of us still jumped on board and took the chance. It's pretty easy to say let others in when you don't have to give up some of your personal time organizing monies collection/transfers/cheque cashing...

I have paypal or can send an email money transfer... with a little extra for your time ;) ahah

Come on have a little more confidence in yourself... you should just see it as another $20 in your pocket (or tank) when you win... right? :D

Next time I guess :cry:

My mom said it's just because you're all scared so I'll try to keep the tears to a minimal... I guess in a way it's kinda flattering ahaha

ahah But Seriously...that's cool. I just thought I'd check... but don't want to make work for anyone.

Haha.. I gotta throw up the counter-arguement... It might not seem like it for everyone, but keeping track of everyones payments originally was not enjoyable, and it's not fair if I only let you in the next 2 weeks before the 15th.

I think I'll regret this.............:lol:

If anyone wants to join late, these are the stipulations:

- $20 Entry
- $5 Late Fee
- $1.50 Paypal Fee (if I don't make you cover paypal fees, we will loose more (because of the $5 late fee, pp fees go up more) than we already did in the first batch of contestants, however I do have to thank Ryan Lap for covering the PP fees on his entry:mrgreen:)

$26.50 Total.

- PAYPAL ONLY. (Checks/Money Orders/EMT's take too long to process)
- Do Not miss the Nov 15th Deadline. (ie: Tank must be up and running wet)

Unfortunately you guys might not be the hard ones to convince...now I need to convince the fiance... I'll keep you posted ahah

Kidding... I do what I like... as long as she says it's ok