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Unofficial Pico Methodology Contest


Growerguy

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*Finalized Rules*

 

Welcome to the Unofficial Pico Methodology Contest

 

The goal of this contest is to see how well different methods of keeping

a pico aquarium work for a viable long term reef tank.

 

----- Basic Rules---------

Any size main display up to 5.5 gallons maximum empty water volume. Can not connect to existing system.

Any size or type of filtration/sump up to 3 gallons maximum empty water

volume.

No restrictions on equipment other then listed above.

Unlimited budget for hardware and livestock.

 

----- Contest Guidelines----------

Contest to start on Feb 1st with open enrollment through April 30th.

One official picture per month posted to the first post of your tank thread any time during the current month.

Contest ends Jan 31st 2011.

Must keep a detailed list of all corals, inverts, fish in the 1st post

of your tank thread. Any losses must be recorded.

 

7 month build and stock period and then 5 month grow out period.

No new livestock additions after Aug 31st (only exception is CUC, no replacements of other livestock)

No new equipment after Aug 31st (only exception is for hardware failure

in which case defective hardware can be replaced by like item of similar

specifications only)

 

Regular/periodic maintenance routines/additives/expendables OK any time

during the contest.

 

For voting purposes, 2 side by side pictures (official Aug 2010 and Jan

2011 submission photos). Hopefully this will get people voting not only

on final outcome and photography skills but they will also take into

account how well the system flourished in the grow out period.

 

Categories

*Best overall Pico Methodology

*Most innovative

 

 

Mods:

Growerguy

c_k_kuehne

Carnifex

 

-------------

 

On Jan 31st a common household item will be named. You initial

submission picture would need to be your basic setup in a dry tank with

that item in the tank. With open enrollment anyone can enroll with their

1st official picture submitted anytime in the months of Feb, March, and

April

 

Building/tweaking/livestocking until Aud 31st. No additions of hardware

or livestock from Sept 1st through the end of contest. This gives 5

months of static grow out time to see how well somebody's system works.

 

If you have any questions contact one of the Mods. If you have an emergency and cant get a FTS up for some reason one month talk to us. We are not going to disqualify anyone with out good reason to.

 

For some wonderful ideas and help check out

El Fab's Guide to Pico Tanks

Brandon429's Picos

FTS Submission Thread

 

 

Official Volume Calculator for the Unofficial Pico Methodology Contest

 

Current Contestants:

amnesiak

Amphitrite - Amphitrite's Mt. Wannahockaloogie

Angelynn - Angelynn's Picoquarium Experimental

Apoptosis' - Pico Method

1blackchicken - DIY 2.3 Gallon Pico

BigRok

bluefunelement

Bulldogpet - Bulldogpet's 4 gal Contest Pico Tank

Carnifex - Carn's Killer Pico

cdalmost - cdalmost's Overpowered Picotope

cdelicath - Baby Abby's Contest pico

c_k_kuehne - Hawke's Pico Lamp

chefcody86 - Chef's sealed pico

cloons411 - Cloon's contest pico

cuog - Cuog's Adopted Pico

danktank -Dank's unofficial Contest pico!

Deep Thief - Deep Thief's 5.45gal Flatback Hex

Fratitued - fratitude's attempt at a SPS tornado... Vortech style

Growerguy - Phantom of the NR

Gunbeaux - gunbeau's 2.5 Maybe contest tank

hemi - Hemi's Reef Ledge Hemi's .5 Gallon AIO Reef

herranton - Herranton's Blu Pico

Hypnotoad - All Glory to the Hypnotoad's Pico!

JoeD - JoeD's Pico Paludarium

Mustang Boy - Mustang Boy's 5g hex Contest Tank

mwartie - Arties Minimalist Pico

my93camaro - bowmpers 1.5 gallon pico

NewBostonConst

.Newman. - Newman's 3 Gal Pico

n0rk - n0rk's SPS Pico Experiment

omarelay17 - omarelay17's 5.5 pico

reef2.5 - my methodology contest build

Reggie Reggie's 3.8g SPS Pico

rickjg - curvilinear II

thesmallerthebetter - 1/4 Gallon Open Top SPS Cube

Turtle77 - Turtle's Pico 2.5

Weetabix7

yankeefan

 

Sponsors

 

National Coral Registry Association - A NCRA Registered Coral

 

For the complete sponsor thread Pico Methodology Contest -- Sponsor Thread

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so does that mean the contest will be starting 2 weeks from today(22nd) and if we are still in the other contest will we be allowed to compete in this one also(with a 3 day disadvantage of course) because i want as much competition as possible lol

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It seems to me there's quite a few contests going on at the moment, though if you'd like to call dibs on running this one in a few months you'll probably get more members to join in without stepping on toes.

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Seems to me that most contests are geared to who can build the cheapest reef regardless of how well the tanks can keep corals alive over the long haul.

 

I think contests should be more geared towards who can build the best system to keep corals alive (regardless of cost). This would be a reef methodology contest not a reef budgeting contest. Of course a contest like this would have to last 9 - 12 months and not many people seem to want that long of a contest or a no budget contest.

 

I think these rules are on the right track. If I was inclined to join I wouldn't even keep track of what I spent which would knock me out of the budget prize but that would be OK.

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i think a one year contest would be awesome but i would have to recommend one stipulation. you cant just keep replacing corals/inverts/fish that died, one or 2 here or there would be acceptable but if it became a regular thing they would be DQ'd

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I like your thinking. I just may do this.

I was thinking the same thing that all the contests I see are all about budget. Something different would defiantly be something to pursue.

Let me get back to this and think about it a bit. If only a few people joined it would still be fun and worth it in my mind.

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Ok changed some things in the first thread. My roomie and I are going to do this regardless, just seeing if anyone else would be curious.

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i am in but i want to do both contests if that is cool with you guys. so whichever contest starts second that is when i will put the water and live rock and sand in the tank

 

also will dry rock/fresh water/dry sand be allowed to go into the tank before the start to make sure everything is working fine and we can get the look we want?

 

 

and do i really have to measure my tank because i dont really want to look around for the tape measure lol. its an eclipse 5g hex tank

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If you run this later, I'd be interested assuming my income has recovered from holiday spending by then. Definitely like the longer running contest idea. My budget is always a shoestring, so that doesn't really add anything new for me.

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It seems to me there's quite a few contests going on at the moment, though if you'd like to call dibs on running this one in a few months you'll probably get more members to join in without stepping on toes.

 

Why would it be stepping on anyones toes? Maybe, some people don't like the rules in the other contests and thats why they aren't joining those contests (speaking for myself of course). As for too many, Join if you like, Don't if you don't want to. If there are enough people to support the contests, who cares how many there are?

 

 

As for interest in this one, I would possibly be in. It all comes down to, post the rules first and then ask who is interested.

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Ok changed some things in the first thread. My roomie and I are going to do this regardless, just seeing if anyone else would be curious.

 

I might be willing depending on when this thing starts --- I currently have a high end nano tank I'm building so a pico at the same time might be tough but I would consider it.

 

If you started it Feb or March 1st and had a one month open enrollment period that would get a lot of people ready to go with their tax return. Basically anyone could enter within the 1st month of the contest. With 1 FTS per month they just have to submit that begining pic before the end of 1st month.

 

 

i think a one year contest would be awesome but i would have to recommend one stipulation. you cant just keep replacing corals/inverts/fish that died, one or 2 here or there would be acceptable but if it became a regular thing they would be DQ'd

 

After the 7th month no livestock or equipment additions. If something dies then you should have built a better system -- that is what a methodology contest is all about.

 

As far as equipment goes -- no additions after the 7th month by then you should have your system fine tuned. The only exception if a piece of equipment dies (as some due) then they could be replaced by a like piece of equipment as long as it had the same basic specs.

 

Of course expendables like additives and bulbs don't count.

 

Well that's a few more ideas. I threw these out as possible guidelines to make things run smoother.

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i am in but i want to do both contests if that is cool with you guys. so whichever contest starts second that is when i will put the water and live rock and sand in the tank

 

also will dry rock/fresh water/dry sand be allowed to go into the tank before the start to make sure everything is working fine and we can get the look we want?

 

 

and do i really have to measure my tank because i dont really want to look around for the tape measure lol. its an eclipse 5g hex tank

 

Well dont know if this contest will start soon. If I start it soon I might drop out of the current pico contest. Dont know yet we will see how many people would be interested in this. Yes you would be able to put dry rock/water/dry sand in to test things. Basically you would have 7 months to tweak things and get the equipment you want, then the last 5 months you couldnt add anything or change anything. The 5g hex would work fine.

 

 

If you run this later, I'd be interested assuming my income has recovered from holiday spending by then. Definitely like the longer running contest idea. My budget is always a shoestring, so that doesn't really add anything new for me.

 

I understand haha my friends call me the ghetto reefer. My budget is a shoestring most times also and Ive dropped a chunk of change on my current project. Thinking making the start date Feb 1st and you would have till March to start a tank.

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I understand haha my friends call me the ghetto reefer. My budget is a shoestring most times also and Ive dropped a chunk of change on my current project. Thinking making the start date Feb 1st and you would have till March to start a tank.

 

ok so does this mean we can start our tank anytime between february 1st and march or only allowed to put SW in after march starts?

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Why would it be stepping on anyones toes? Maybe, some people don't like the rules in the other contests and thats why they aren't joining those contests (speaking for myself of course). As for too many, Join if you like, Don't if you don't want to. If there are enough people to support the contests, who cares how many there are?

 

 

As for interest in this one, I would possibly be in. It all comes down to, post the rules first and then ask who is interested.

 

Good point. -_- Guess there has been some local warfare in the local club here and Im being cautious. Rules will be finalized soon in the 1st post and wont change unless its something obvious.

 

Thanks for the input again c_k_kuehne! A lot of the credit goes to you for this idea and you'd be more then welcome to take this idea away or help run it. :lol:

 

ok so does this mean we can start our tank anytime between february 1st and march or only allowed to put SW in after march starts?

 

You would be able to start your tank anytime in the month of February. Only stipulation is not before the 1st and you would have to submit a FTS before March 1st.

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ok cool so i could delay the start of my tank 5 days so i can be in both contests lol. that way when i win both i will be the undisputed king of the pico section lol

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ok cool so i could delay the start of my tank 5 days so i can be in both contests lol. that way when i win both i will be the undisputed king of the pico section lol

 

I would say you are getting ahead of yourself with that win both BS. Could just be my opinion though. By the way, I too have a 5gal hex that I got from Walmart years ago, just sitting here. I am very interested, just waiting on the final rules, but it all is sounding good. Mark

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I would say you are getting ahead of yourself with that win both BS. Could just be my opinion though. By the way, I too have a 5gal hex that I got from Walmart years ago, just sitting here. I am very interested, just waiting on the final rules, but it all is sounding good. Mark

 

 

haha im just messing around i dont know if ill win either one much less both lol

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Thanks for the input again c_k_kuehne! A lot of the credit goes to you for this idea and you'd be more then welcome to take this idea away or help run it. :lol:

 

I would be willing to help run this.

 

With a Feb 1st start and open enrollment for the 1st month I would be more then willing to enter this.

 

Also I have a nice stable platform for picture hosting. I could setup everyone with their own picture gallery that is easily linked into the forums.

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haha im just messing around i dont know if ill win either one much less both lol

 

Its all good, I like the competition :D Can you see me now, I am shaking in my shoes :scarry: worried about you. Ha Ha!!!! Bring it on fellas. I am about to go clean out that 5 hex, its got a bunch of crap freshwater rocks in it right now. I need to see if I can clean it up, or do I need to go buy another one. Be back in a few. Mark

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clean it up and set it up i would love to see how different out ideas would be since we would both be using hex tanks

 

I just got it, its pretty grungy. Don't worry, I will set up a hex even if I have to go buy another one. I may need to anyway as my wife was going to claim this tank. So I may just start with a fresh tank. Nice and new and all. You know, its the new car smell syndrome.

 

I already have my ideas for my filtration and lighting. I have been thinking about that for a while now.

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nice. i already have my plans for filtration and lighting also although i may upgrade my lighting after the first competition ends(shorter competition) since i wont be able to during because i would have to buy that light now to stay under budget lol. i have everything planned so far except exactly how my rocks will look and what corals i am putting in although i have it narrowed down to 3 groups softies, LPS and MAYBE SPS lmao

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c_k_kuehne and I are going to come up with finalized rules soon. My room mate is in (tho he is to lazy to get online at the moment) so that makes 5 or 6 of us interested. Will let you know soon.

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