Canreef 6 Month Nano Tank Contest....

[ElGuappo]

ok so this time i am going to tank my time on this post and try to post more than one question.

are things such as these free?
heater
replacement bulbs?
Plastic canopy w/ light? stock.
better bulbs? for stock light? (guessing NO)

can i use an exhisting 10G with LR / LS? (guessing has to be dry first?)

do the tanks have to remain dry until the 15th or can we add rock sand and water heater filters now?

[JDigital]

Originally Posted by ElGuappo

ok so this time i am going to tank my time on this post and try to post more than one question.

are things such as these free?
heater
Plastic canopy w/ light? stock.
better bulbs? for stock light? (guessing NO)

can i use an exhisting 10G with LR / LS? (guessing has to be dry first?)

do the tanks have to remain dry until the 15th or can we add rock sand and water heater filters now?

You can use the tank you have, but you are correct, you have to start dry, and it has to remain dry till the start date. (this give everyone an equal playing field) This isn't to say that you HAVE to have water in it on the start date, if you are DIYer, and spend 3 weeks rigging up some crazy overflow or something and add water one week before the first "checkpoint" (1st FTS must be posted by Nov 15th with water) That's fine too... Just remember you have 6 months (Oct 15/08-Apr15/09) for your tank to grow out.

Items considered "Free":

- Contest Tank (Stock AGA 5.5G or 10G) Free (sump tanks come out of budget)
- building supplies (eggcrate, stand/canopy materials, plumbing, scrap acrylic)
- Sand
- Live Rock
- Water and Salt
- Food
- Supplements
- Accessories less than $15 (mag floats, tongs, thermometers, etc)

This $15 rule is to allow folks to buy the equipment that makes reef keeping enjoyable without having to deduct it from the budget-- things like a thermometer, glass cleaners, hydrometer, etc, etc, etc. Its not designed so you can wheel and deal and cut corners to get stuff under $15. (not implying anyone is going to do that... Just stating.)

In my mind I think your lighting, filtration (depending what you use), and livestock will be the bulk of most people's budgets and that is the goal since those three things all directly influence each other more than the kind of heater you have in there. We want people to get creative and demonstrate their ability to build a beautiful reef on a limited budget.

Things that come out of your budget:
- Lighting, Bulbs, reflectors, ballasts.. etc
- Livestock / Corals
- Filters/Skimmers/Powerheads
- Sump tanks (should you choose to incorporate one)

Do try and keep receipts for proof of prices in the event that winners are questioned about their budget. Also, its not required, but would be nice to include a tally in your tank journals of what you have spent.

An example of what I mean

THE LIST
Tank-------------------------------------------free
Delphin 25w ultra compact heater-------------------21.99--(LFS and that's what I paid)
18" Nove xtreme --T5 fixture-----------------------62.99
Subcurrent filter system----------------------------26.19
Coralife digi thermometer ( 6.99 ) -------------------free

If you have any questions feel free to ask.. Better to ask now and be safe, than to not ask and risk being DQ'd at the end. (I am trying to follow N-Rs model as best as possible and am constantly reffering to their thread).

[Nevin]

One month to get water in the tank doesn't allow much time for diy on the hardware. Would it be permissible to use other equipment (eg. lights) temporarily that won't be part of the final build?

Thanks,
Nevin

[JDigital]

Originally Posted by Nevin

One month to get water in the tank doesn't allow much time for diy on the hardware. Would it be permissible to use other equipment (eg. lights) temporarily that won't be part of the final build?

Thanks,
Nevin

I'm not sure I know what you are asking regarding the lights

I think one month is fair for DIY work... there is some exciting DIY work from the NR version, and I am following their guidelines as they have worked out most of the bugs...


EDIT: Anyone who wants to participate and does not yet see their name on the first post of this thread, please PM me, and let me know which category you want to be in.

[michika]

Since the tank is free is it cool if I just use some left over glass I have kicking around to make my own?

[Stab_Master_Arson]

Are people willing to go higher than 10 gallons? maybe 1 5, 10, 20 or something.


Secondly, there are some bias in the rules. Those who have a lot of extra equipment lying around which can be deducted for 75 percent. There really shouldn't be any reduction in equipment. If people choose to go with used, it should still be valued at new pricing.

another, instead of setting medians for cheap livestock, why not just set a median for ALL livestock. Some people have to pay higher prices than others, depending where they live. So if John Doe can get a 3 head hammer for 20, Jane doe has to pay 50, why not just pic a cheap place like www.liveaquaria.com to use as a price guide for ALL livestock. A place like LA has almost every thing we can find here, so it is pretty complete. This way, everybody can add the same livestock for the exact same price deduction from their budget. Some people might have to to spend 600 bucks for their livestock, but it is valued at 300 while others can spend a dollar fiddy (if they can) on the same livestock from their "sources" and it will be valued as the same. SO saving money might benefit your wallet, but it won't give you any sort of advantage. People that have to pay more can go over their limit, so they can stalk an adequate tank and not be on ma disadvantage. regardless, socking costs will be evenly represented.

[Stab_Master_Arson]

Another thing to note is the "freedie" items. Some people own this stuff already. Even though it's not included n the budget, it does make it more costly and difficult for people to compete. Saying this, a person with the freebies might have to spend 300, but a person without it will have to spend 500 plus making a larger economic burden on the people that have to buy the extra items which might force them to skimp on their livestock. Wouldn't it be better to include the freebies in the budget. That way, people can be frugal and increase their budget for livestock if they save mney elsewhere. This will add more financial planning into creating the system.

[JDigital]

1. Tank sizes are not changing. It's going to be close enough to get enough ppl for the two categories as it is, let alone to add a 3rd one.

2. Pricing, Used equipment is discounted at 25% off... which is 75% of the new cost. I personally don't have alot of used gear laying around, so there isn't really any bias in the rules on my part. This rule is in place for people buying used equipment and those who already have it. 25% is a fair discount to take off of used equipment IMO.

As for livestock, I will leave open for discussion for now, and speak with michika as well.


****Please remember****
I've done the best I can to alter this contest to 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.