Contest #2

[lorenz0]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Also volume wise, total system volume 20 gallons or less. Any tank, custom or stock. A large percentage dropped out because of tank failure, cheap 10gallons with thin glass are bad news, I'm surprised mine is still holding. No connecting other systems, that is an unfair advantage as stability is main challenge for a nano.

I think as long as the volume is the same in the contest its all good. who cares about the shape.

As for the money factor, its a contest. the whole point is to challange yourself in creating something gorgous with a budget. imo i would up the budget a bit and only have it for livestock. I think $500 on livestock should be good. Also the whole point in the 6 month deal is to let the tank mature. I know in 3 months a tank can look good, but thats from buying AAA coral.

sphelps, your tank is gorgous but at my LFS that stuff would add up really fast.

[Ron99]

Originally Posted by lorenz0

I think as long as the volume is the same in the contest its all good. who cares about the shape.

As for the money factor, its a contest. the whole point is to challange yourself in creating something gorgous with a budget. imo i would up the budget a bit and only have it for livestock. I think $500 on livestock should be good. Also the whole point in the 6 month deal is to let the tank mature. I know in 3 months a tank can look good, but thats from buying AAA coral.

sphelps, your tank is gorgous but at my LFS that stuff would add up really fast.

I think if the contest set specific volumes or tanks like the last one I would be less likely to participate (not that my participation is a deal breaker for the contest ). I think it might be fun to run it more open and set a maximum volume like 20 gallons or 24 gallons etc. and see what people come up with. I have a couple pico builds in mind (have just begun one in fact) that I could enter but they are not standard tanks.

[lorenz0]

lol see the last issue with the previous contest was adjusting your volume of the tank (not total including sump). Say if it was set at 20 gals, you could do any diamention that you can as long as it was 20gals instead of a standerd 10gal.

I guess we will just have to see how everything turns out. My next set of days off i am going to clean up my 20 tall. it has been iching for a softy tank for a while now.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by Ron99

I think if the contest set specific volumes or tanks like the last one I would be less likely to participate (not that my participation is a deal breaker for the contest ). I think it might be fun to run it more open and set a maximum volume like 20 gallons or 24 gallons etc. and see what people come up with. I have a couple pico builds in mind (have just begun one in fact) that I could enter but they are not standard tanks.

I agree.

IMO keep it simple then this time. I had all kinds of idea earlier but forget it...

Just set a max tank size, max budget (one for equipment and one for livestock) and a deadline. Keep with the monthly photos or just let people fly with their builds and post how they want like the regular build threads.

[StirCrazy]

Ok, here are my thoughts. don't even start till fall first of all, its not about keeping a tank going during the summer, but rather lots of people who would probably compete would maybe like to have holidays and maybe move across the Provence before starting a new tank build.

I think size limitations should be on display tank only, other wise you have to add sumps, skimmers, refuge, ect.. If your going to build a tank make it big enough to want it.. say a 30 gal or less. I consider anything under 30 a nano personally.

It does need a budget, but something may not need to be included. I think the cost of the tanks, should be included personally. also plumbing parts, live rock, sand, corals (actual paid price, not a generic price) fish, lights, ect...

but if some one needs a chiller maybe not have that included in the budget. this is a environmental thing, I know in my old house I needed a chiller with just PC lights, because it was insulated like junk and the front room would heat up over 18 degrees on a warm summer evening, but if you have central air you wouldn't need it.

I would like to see a very long build time, say 6 months to put water in from the start. this will allow some one to take the time and build a stand with out rushing it, or even just to figure out what there going to build and how.

I found with the current contest the short build time went buy to fast, then there were a bunch of instant tanks. with not much progression after two months with water in them. I would rather see also a two or three month cycle period. after that who knows.

now I know all the impatient people are going to hate this, but I don't want to see a bunch of instant tanks for the sake of a contest, but would rather see well thought out additions to the hobby.

Steve

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

Ok, here are my thoughts. don't even start till fall first of all, its not about keeping a tank going during the summer, but rather lots of people who would probably compete would maybe like to have holidays and maybe move across the Provence before starting a new tank build.

I think size limitations should be on display tank only, other wise you have to add sumps, skimmers, refuge, ect.. If your going to build a tank make it big enough to want it.. say a 30 gal or less. I consider anything under 30 a nano personally.

It does need a budget, but something may not need to be included. I think the cost of the tanks, should be included personally. also plumbing parts, live rock, sand, corals (actual paid price, not a generic price) fish, lights, ect...

but if some one needs a chiller maybe not have that included in the budget. this is a environmental thing, I know in my old house I needed a chiller with just PC lights, because it was insulated like junk and the front room would heat up over 18 degrees on a warm summer evening, but if you have central air you wouldn't need it.

I would like to see a very long build time, say 6 months to put water in from the start. this will allow some one to take the time and build a stand with out rushing it, or even just to figure out what there going to build and how.

I found with the current contest the short build time went buy to fast, then there were a bunch of instant tanks. with not much progression after two months with water in them. I would rather see also a two or three month cycle period. after that who knows.

now I know all the impatient people are going to hate this, but I don't want to see a bunch of instant tanks for the sake of a contest, but would rather see well thought out additions to the hobby.

Steve

I like these ideas.

Maybe a list of 'exempt' equipment like chillers, heaters, or anything else that is as you said 'environmental'. I think that even the playing field but is still very fair.

I also agree about additions to the hobby instead of a bunch of temp tanks.

[sphelps]

The problem with a livestock budget is who decides on pricing? Actual paid price, fair enough but some will pay much less than others and I for one have gotten many corals for basically nothing and on the other hand have also overpaid on occasion. I remember having to measure coral and post pics of this being done because of anonymous complaints and I know for sure having people make up whatever price they feel like will cause problems. The standard price list probably maintained the sanity to the best degree possible but as you all now it wasn't even close to real so in the end it was pretty pointless and limited people to what they can do with their tanks. For example not many people found it inefficient to use frags as it was too expensive on the budget, going with larger corals was essentially the only way to fill the tank on budget. In addition the same type of coral can vary with price dependent on coral or variation not just location. Simply too complicated and I honestly see no point.

Hardware on the other hand is pretty easy, a budget could be applied.

Restrictions are needed for the contest but apply it to something that can easily be monitored and controlled. Tank volume for sure and limit total volume, the most challenging part of a nano is the limited volume. A 100 gallon sump wold defeat the purpose.

Perhaps another restriction could be power consumption, limit the total allowable "rated" wattage of the system.

I'm not sure I get the chiller idea, a nano shouldn't need one as a fan should accommodate any heat problems. The smaller volume will also not hold in heat like a larger tank.

And 6 months just to build a nano, come on that's just a little much don't you think? One month should be plenty.

[Myka]

I agree that one month is plenty of time to build. Or give people the option of 6 weeks if they want? But 6 months? Wow...

[StirCrazy]

na, 6 months is good, it should be the minimum time for any tank from what I have seen happen in local LFS.

The only way a large sump will have is increasing stability and success for longevity for the tank and inhabitants. anything smaller than a 33 is a nano to a lot of people, and with a 33 or smaller MH is a very real possibility for lighting.
heck I would put MH on a 15, if I could find a small enough set up

the only problem with a under/over 300 is that once you buy lights you are over

an idea might be to have a under / over 1000 on hardware, then do your preset price list with a limit on live stock but bring into account live rock and sand also. skimp on the rock and get nicer and bigger corals or fish, go heavy on the rock and you will limit the coral or fish, makes you decide and really think of what a good balance would be.

Steve