Canreef 6 Month Nano Tank Contest....
 

I came across a contest on another forum (nano-reef.com) and thought that it was a great idea, however I found the thread after the contest had already started and was unable to join. This prompted me to make this thread and see if you canreefers would be interested in putting together our own little Canadian version. :mrgreen:

Let me know guys! :biggrin:

EDIT:

Current contestants are:

5.5G:

scholar:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45280

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

10G:

JDigital: ***
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45253

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

michika:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45221

phillybean:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45222

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

Stab_Master_Arson:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45226

Midknight:

Der_Iron_Chef:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45343

Scythanith:**

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

GreenSpottedPuffer:**
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=45560

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

Ryan_Lap:



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 5.5
- Best 10
- Most innovative


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)
- Sand
- Live Rock
- Water and salt
- Food
- Supplements
- Accessories less than $15 (mag floats, tongs, thermometers, etc)

GENERAL GUIDELINES:
-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, sponsors, LFS, 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 all 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.
-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.
-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.

Everyone who wants to enter post on here and post a pic of your tank with something in it (teddy bear, soda can, LR, g/f, wife whatever) by Oct 15.
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 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. We're still kinda waiting to see how many people enter to determine the final entry fee.

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.

Christy has offered to help setup a special subsection for the contest tank journals, but I'm going to have her wait until we get enough people. I'd like a minimum of 15 members (between the 2 categories) for this contest to happen.

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...


READY, SET, GO!!!




ADDENDUM A:
Calculating "cost" for livestock that was free, 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 would commonly be sold for in Livestock Classified Forum of Canreef.com. Please PM michika a pic, along with common name, and she will give you a "price".
If you don't feel this is satisfactory, you would probably be better off not competing in this contest. :)
-Items rec'd 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.

I really think this is cool!

I've been watching the same thread and think that it is such a cool idea! I may be in if we do it!

How would you factor in trading? E.g I buy some awesome zoas, then 3 months in trade with someone else for a piece of SPS, etc.

I hope we can get enough interested people. For anyone interested, perhaps post what tank size you would prefer to do, and that way we can determine if we even need both categories.

Taken from NR. :) Im sure we could change this around if need be. (I probably haven't been around long enough to know what everything goes for in the B&S area, so would be nice to have a 2nd member with some background knowledge to help out organizing)

I can help out if it we can get some interest and some mod. support.

ahhh, what about 30g "nanos". In some circles those are still considered nanos. :biggrin:

I like the idea of 30g too. I'd be more inclined to participate in a 30g build.

This contest is starting from scratch... not a tank you currently have running.. ;)

The idea is to keep it at a low budget, 30G would get too expensive..

I would like to join in on this. I also think the 20 - 30 gal is too easy. I think the 5.5 or the 10 gal would be more of a challenge.

I'm in, what do you need?:biggrin:

Edit: I mean "I'm in" as in I'll help. I'd love to participate but my husband will kill me if I set up another tank :razz:

Just tell him its a small one this time... :lol: If we get enough people interested, it would be great to have a mod willing to organize threads, maybe create a sub-sub section for the contest build threads instead of adding 10-20 new threads to the already busy tank journal subsection. etc...

We will have to see how many are interested though.

I can do the forum/organization thing, just let me know when you have everyone organized and I can start a forum with threads and such.

I guess you will be living vicariously through someone!

Alright so shall we set the limit at say 20g display or 20g total volume?

Next up I suppose we need a head count on participants

If there is an overwhelming number of people who don't want to go as small as I originally posted, we will have to come up with something else. I'd really like to keep it at 5.5G & 10G Stock AGA tank (I personally don't have room for another 20G lol) . Remember this is for FUN and meant to be done on a budget.. :wink:

My google-fu is super weak tonight, I need some image links please to the AGA tanks.

All Glass Aquarium. :mrgreen:

http://www.danoreef.com/images/5.5_aga_tank.JPG.gif


BTW, here is the link to the Original Nano Reef thread... has links to everyones tank builds, etc so you have a better idea what I'm trying to go for with our version. :)

I gotta say my little 2.5g was totally fun, a challenge and it was really pretty...I like the idea of a 5g...it is supposed to be on the cheap side to do, and hard to maintain. I don't have room either for a 10g build...but a 2.5-5.g or so would be easy!

Shall I mark you down for a 5.5G then? :wink:

If that ends up being the size...then it's something I would be "interested" in...if there was enough competition....but not if there are a bunch of different sized tanks...it's not the same

count me in, jdigital just told me about this

i will do a 5.5gal, 10gal will be to easy

once there is a go i will run out and pick up the tank

There will only be 2 categories... 5.5 & 10.

I will add members to the two categories on the first page... I will give ppl a week to see this thread and decide which category to compete with, names for now with just be to keep track of those interested.

I'd be interested. I have an Oceanic 14gal nano and a Current USA 24gal pod system already running. I like the low budget thing. Even though they are small tanks they still are money pits. How would you regulate it? I.E. Everyone get the same size tank and lighting and then the rest is up to the reefer?

Anyhow sounds cool to me.

Cheers

Depending which category you want to build... either compete with the 5.5s or the 10... after that lighting, livestock, all DIY costs etc come out of the spending limit for each category. It is up to the member to keep track and post what they spend in their build threads... (I also just double checked my original post, and its fairly clear I think how its regulated regarding costs and stuff. Please take a couple mins to read it thoroughly. :) )

See the link i posted above to the original Nano Reef "rules" thread.

Count Red Coral in to sponsor one of the prizes.
Kevin

Please add me to the 10 gal. I'm looking forward to this:biggrin:

[quote=JDigital;347106]All Glass Aquarium. :mrgreen:QUOTE]

:redface: my own stupid hurts sometimes...:redface:

I'll do the biggest option available. Assuming that is 10g, does that mean total volume, or just display volume?

What do you want me to do to help with the organizational side of things?

I'm in for the 10 gallon. Just don't tell my wife it's for a contest...

[quote=michika;347166]10G display, if you want to run a sump you are more than welcome to, just remember that the cost of the sump tank (or whatever you use) does come out of the budget (plumbing is exempt as per first page, which I will change around for the CR version).

I'm in for a 10g then.

First page has been updated to cover Canreef specifics. Contest will start Oct 15,2008. Currently the entry fee is $20CDN, the more people we get the lower this can go. Payments can be sent to michika,via paypal (unless you have arranged otherwise with myself or her), upto and on Oct 15, 2008.

so...equipment that was purchased used....at a wicked deal is J&L cost x.75%?

whether purchased used or if it's something we have laying around the house.. If it's used, yes, J&L x .75%.

Forum is ready to go. JDigital can you PM me to let me know how you want things setup, what you need from me etc?

This is going to be so awesome :biggrin:

Could I run it inline with my 75 gallon? Shared sump basically...

PM'd! :D

No, you can't plumb the contest tank into a larger system, I'm sorry.

I think this is a great idea. I look forward to seeing the tanks invlolved! :biggrin:

This is a great Idea! Hopefully I can scrounge up some cash for this.

im in where can i find rules/guidelines. what is the start up date the 15? or is that entry deadline.