That's sort of what I was trying to do with the $25 per coral thing. Why can't we use stuff we have on hand? As long as we put a value on it, 10-20 bucks whatever we think? We don't have to spend a bunch of $$$$ to set up a little tank do we? Not just for kicks. POINT IS TO SET UP ANOTHER TANK AND HAVE SOME FUN WITH OUR E-BUDDIES!!!!!
That was the point, no? No real need to involve the sponsors for this now is there?

M eye wrong ear??

Of course NOW you decide to do a 5.5 gal contest, AFTER I start my tank...

Of course I think I've probably spent more than the budgetary allowance I saw floating around earlier.

Yeah, I think the rules could be relaxed for a Weeties Lounge version...the "level playing field" isn't so much an issue with this group.



Sorry to hear about your horrible day Don...hope that knee feels better, and if you need anything in regards to tank help, LMK.

I think we could do that if we only count the cost of coral we order minus the shipping. That would still make it fair.

You might be right.
The cool thing if we did it here with each other is that we know all of the people here are responsible enough to operate on the honor system, and they are also responsible enough that they probably wouldn't flake halfway through the contest either.
Like you, I just wanted to do it for the fun of it.
I think it would be nice to find a way to come up with a really cool prize, but that wasn't the point of it, at least for me.
It would be neat to see the ideas we could come up with and inspire each other with.
What if we just allowed the use of livestock on hand, we can get stuff wherever we want, used equipment valued at 75% of new price and taken out of budget, use same budget we already set...
Anyone else?

Soundcrd, I'm sorry!!!
(rushes off to look for his tank thread...)




That was already one of the rules.

And would you actually join in???
(and spend some time in the doghouse...)

ready set go??

where'd kmitch go? she needs to get in on this as well. (hopefully she's not mad at us quitters??)

I'm thinking. I do have that 10g ATO tank. I could use something else for the ATO. Will you have extra LR? I might be able to get by with it if I do some light swapping. I have an idea I might want to try.

She probably is.
Kristen???
Forgive us???
PRETTY PWEASE WITH COOKIES ON TOP???

Soundcrd, that tank might actually work. Why don't you add up what you've spent on the lighting, filtration, and corals/fish and see what it comes to?
It's a cool little tank.

Off topic. This is the Lounge you know!

Can anyone go here & give me some hope?

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...p;#entry1805835

we'll let you sit in the fortune cookie chair for the night...

(just dont eat too many...you might fall through)

Ok so whats are limit again?

I might have some extra LR, yeah.
I think it would be a blast if you did this with us, but I'm really afraid you'd get in trouble.
If you do it, don't tell me your idea, surprise me.

Hey guys, BibleSue's birthday is Thurs btw!!!
Got any ideas for a Birfday celebration here??



5.5g-- $250 budget
10g-- $300 budget

LR, sand, building supplies like eggcrate or wood for stand are not included in budget. Neither are items that would be under $15 like a Mag-float, or stuff like salt, food, supplements, etc.
The value of used equipment is calculated at 75% of it's new cost. We could use Marine Depot or Dr's Foster & Smith as the standard for those prices.

We are allow to use equipment we have like say a light but deduct 15% off the retail price?

amber's question....how much modding of the tank are we allowed?

If you have enough or almost enough LR I think I can swing it. LMK I think hubby will be OK with it or I wouldn't do it.

+1

Yes, but deduct 25% off.



Mod to your hearts content, as long as you start with a stock tank and stay within the budget.



I'll check on that and get back to you, but it might be sometime tomorrow. I need some recovery time after today.
Hubby's off tomorrow instead of Thurs, btw, and says it's looking good for Memphis although not a TOTAL lock-in yet. Looks good though.

OK, So

5.5 you get $250 to "spend"
10 you get $300 to "spend"

Yes? any used / on hand items are deducted from the budget at 75% of new cost.

And corals and livestock?? doesn't matter? if we have them, use 'em , if we gotta buy 'em the costs count against the budget shipping not included, yes? Honor system all the way!

We use, say, Marine Depot as a guide. ( if we even want to go that far, but it would be better for each of us to use the same guide methinks )

Did I get it all right? Add, delete, as we see fit.

Dassit? write?? K? Beuller?

dang, attic stairs are creaky and the girls have gone to bed already!
I can't go dig out the tank tonight

Kristen, Sorry, we really did try.....

I guess I've spent in that neighborhood on my tank. I did get the LR and sand, plus the rock with the palys and shrooms and the buttons in a trade, and I got the BN frags for free, so I don't know how that counts against the limit.

My goodness you folks posted a lot while I was trying to type that!!

And it looks like I did get most of it right too!

Only thing I'm not sure on is whether we should be able to use frags we already have w/no budget penalty, or whether we should deduct for them.
Guys?
Truthfully, most of us stuff we could use as far as frags go.
BibleSue has a TON of stuff!!!

Soundcrd, we might have to initiate you 'n stuff.
Do you have a good sense of humor?
Say something funny!!

(Oh Kristen...^^^)

Awww

I'm not mad at you guys. I actually * WALKED AWAY FROM MY COMPUTER FOR 3 HOURS!* and was busy trying to master Dave Matthews songs on my new guitar

Of course I'm in, don't be silly.

I have some goodies from the sexy contest that Tashayr sent me that I can toss in as prizes too.

Since its just us guys should we restrict the size so we either all do a 5.5 or a 10 gal? I don't own either currently so it doesnt matter to me.

Lets lay out some rules!

(PS Kristen is going to bed, early morning meeting.... argh) but I'll check back when I get to work in the AM.

I think you should have to use all new stuff, no frags from an existing tank. Now: if you trade something in your existing tank for something new for the contest tank I think thats fair game.

When will the contest end?

YAY, she's back, and she still wuvs us!!!
I was kinda thinking we should do a 5.5 or a 10, whatever we felt like, as long as we kept to the budgetary restrictions for either size.

Fair enough. I hope you all plan to LOOSE!

So when are we going to put an end to the contest?

i'd have to say some amount of penalty for using frags we already have, but nothing major...a few bucks a frag or something. just cause like kristen, for example, doesnt have as many frags to stick in a new tank yet since her Solana is still relatively new.

g'night for me as well...teaching the early lab sucks...

nite nite, sweet dreams

no way...my fish will eat your fish

6 months?

Psh.... ***queue Vanilla Ice, 'cant touch this'

6 months is good with me, everyone else?

fixed

You guyz R silly.

six months sounds good.

Don, feel better dude.

Keep working out the details.

Kristen, what prizes will I win, er, um, I mean...

G'nite all, and have a great day! ( try ).

This IS gonna be fun.

If we have to get new corals, I probably won't be able to get it past hubby. I am still in the hole with the prop tank. LMK K?

If we can't use frags we already have, I honestly won't be able to do it either.
Surely we could come up with some kind of realistic way of assessing value for frags on hand, like we did w/used equipment.
Could we value it at the price we would sell it for? You can trust Susan and I to be honest on that one.
Can we bribe you w/free coral Kristen? Pretty Please???
We has Nuclear Green Palys...

I'm gonna do this 5.5g whether I can accomodate the rules or not, but it would be fun to be able to be a part of the contest with you guys.

And yeah, I think 6 months is good.

Don, I'm so sorry you're feeling bad.
Were you able to get some sleep last night or did the knee keep you up?

Ok I had two other people PM me saying they would want to play..... Can we make the officially unofficial contest to the masses? We could start a thread outside of this one (so as to not jam up the lounge here) with the rules and then like the other contests, anyone can join, they make a build thread which is linked out of the main thread?

Sue- why not sell some of the stuff you have and put that towards this tank? Or trade what you have for something else for this tank?

Weetie posting while I am is a big PITA! lol.... yeah I guess if you deduct it from the value thats fair, its just like using equipment laying around.

PS I am going to whoop all of you, I have the best idea

Since we are all on the honor system here I see no problem with us using ANYTHING already on hand.
As long as is value is counted against the budget I see no real advantage over others who may be just starting up. If you already have it, deduct it from your budget. No need for unnecessary spending
That way more peeps can play.

We know what its worth. Its not all about the livestock anyway, is it?

I mean if someone puts a $245 micro in a 5.5 with a sponge filter are we gonna ooo and aaah?

( well, maybe at first........)

just me .02

Its just for fun

Wow, I thought I'd be the only one of you guys on this early!!
Kmitch, BibleSue IS trying to sell as much as she can from the Prop Tank. Speaking of which, you guys might be able to use some for the contest. She has some pretty nice zoas and palys.
As far as the people who PM'ed you about joining this, do you think they'd be okay with our slightly looser set of rules?

Man we really need to get our second computer on line so I can participate in all of the loungeness.

Ok so to catch up, I need to answer last nights question....hmmm well my parents owned an archery shop when I was growing up, I own my own bow and arrow, I have my orange card, and I can claim rights to a 5 point buck.

As for the contest I might have to convince Daniel to let me have my own tank now since we don't necessarily have to use sponsers (this is still correct right?). I have a great idea. And with the budget limits we might be able to afford to do both tanks. And we need another couple of 5.5g tanks to our collection.

Don-- I hope your knee is feeling better and you didn't hurt it too badly.

^^^Wow, that's actually really interesting!

Anyway, I'm gonna think on the whole contest thing and the best way to refine everything while still keeping it simple and fun. I have some ideas on prizes that I'll run by you guys later.
Right now I'm really tired, which makes me cranky.
So I'm gonna go take a nap and when I come maybe I'll feel good enough to change my avatar and come up with some good new contest stuff.
Thanks for all the interest and input in this guys!

Its cause we're all on the east coast, it'll be several hours before our West side friends wake up (lazy bums...)

Glennr was one of the ones who PMed me, he'd probably be good with it, I sent both of them over here to get the scoop.

Ok lets make some final rules--

I say:
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 USD
-10g AGA= $300 USD

Not covered in budget:
-building supplies (eggcrate, stand/canopy materials, plumbing)
-sand
-LR
-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 least advertised price from Marine Depot (levels the value of all used gear and their prices are good?- If they don't sell it then the going rate from another sponsor?)
-All live stock can come from anywhere, sponsors, LFS, whatever. If you use something from a current tank, you deduct it's value
-Tank can be purchased locally and will not count against budget.
-Budget is done on the honor system since we all know what its all worth
-Contest begins 15 Sept and ends 15 March 09

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.

Whatca think?

Sounds good, idk if ill be in or not with trying to stock a 15L right now.

I'm also down with a contest here. I'm pretty new to reefing, so you'll have to promise to be nice.

We might be Doofuses, but we're NICE Doofuses!!!
Besides, the last I saw of the tank you currently have, it was looking pretty good!

Okay, for prizes I was thinking that all those who enter the contest should contribute $25. Then at the end, the winner/s will receive a gift certificate to the sponsor of their choice to be taken from the accumulated entry fees.

I think we can assess stuff we already have at a fair value to knock off the price. Still fair for everyone, whether they already own frags or not and obviously more accessible to those with frag tanks

As for BibleSue's prop tank..I'll likely be pillaging from it as well


If Amber's doing her own, I may have to make my twin office tanks anyway (already have one at the office...montis only)

Hey guys!

I was able to sneek on at lunch real quick.

Sounds like this is really going to happen.

I'm in if we decide to do a prize fund, or not, either way it should be a blast and something else to keep us busy through the winter ( yea, like we all really needed that huh lol ).

OK, catcha later!

yay! more company! prize fund doesnt matter to me either. i just wanna kick kmitch's butt with my AWESOME TANK IDEA

**strolls off to find a ton of rubble**

Rubble, Rubble!

I want to work on coming up with a final, workable approach to this with you guys during the day today, and then I will try to start a thread for it tonight.
'Kay?
Everyone good with contributing $25 toward the prize pot?
Also, is everyone okay with getting stuff for our tank from wherever as long as we stick to the budget?
And using frags on hand and deducting them from the budget at fair market value?

I came to look at weeties tank and found the new contest thread! ha ha...I might be interested in doing this also since I am currently breaking down my 5.5 to fill up my 15....all of my frags come from our sponsor YourReef.com....all of my equipment for the most part too! If this becomes official I might have to get in on it...

I need to set up a display only reef dang it !
All I have now are frag tanks

Hmm, would I be able to enter my 10g Sexy tank that I started a couple of weeks ago? (just added LR over the weekend, still cycling)

Not sure if I can scare up the money for another tank right now. The livestock in the 10g Sexy tank would eat most of the $300 budget up too...hmm >_<

Wish I could start a contest tank, but I have no time/money/patience right now.