Nano-Reef.com - Pico Contest! - General Contest Discussion

[Gilman]

First off, thanks to the community here at Nano-Reef.com for coming up with the idea for this contest, and thank you to our sponsors who donated prizes to give this contest more purpose than simply bragging rights for best Pico Reef in the land (well at least in the contest).

 

After the sucess and growth of the NanoCube6 contest here at Nano-Reef.com....We are pleased to announce a contest based on one of two AGA 2.5 Gallon Tanks! The challenge is to demonstrate your skills as a Nano Reefer by creating a Pico Reef (of course some will say it's nano over 2gallons, but lets not argue the semantics mkay?) using either the 2.5 Mini-Bow or the Standard 2.5 AGA. With the small size and the fact that the 2.5 AGA only costs about $10, this contest will be accessible to most all reefers who may find themselves the least bit interested in participating! Prizes will be awarded to the top reefs in two categories - stock and open. Basic information follows. Complete rules will be posted sometime soon here on Nano-Reef.com Watch the Pico forum for the official rules thread.

 

Q. What are the contest dates?

A. The contest will begin Saturday October 8, 2005 and run through March 31, 2006, which is a run of approximately 6 months.

This is preliminary estimate and may be debated and changed before the contest has actually begun.

 

Q. What are the categories?

A. There are two categories:

 

BASIC CATEGORY: *The tank (AGA 2.5 Standard or any brand standard 2.5 gal glass aquarium with trim) must run with just a HOB, as is from the box (although the sponges and other non Reef-friendly items don't have to be used).

 

Other allowed equipment in this category will be a small Powerhead, a Heater, Thermometer, and a moderate amount of PC lighting. The lighting is sure to be the most contested issue in this category, but it needs to fit in "simple", so powercompacts only. There may be a cap on watts per gallon, but this will more than likely be debated in the coming week while official rules are being put together

 

CUSTOM CATEGORY: *The rules in this category will allow entrants to excercise their imagination with tank modifications (AGA 2.5 Standard, AGA 2.5 Minibow, or any 2.5 gal Custom glass or acrylic). Feel free to hack, drill, melt the tank till you get too many headaches and decide its enough.

 

Many of you will want to use a sump with your custom tank. While your tank can be any shape 2.5 gal monstrosity, the sump will be standard 5.5 gallon tank. You will be able to do anything you wish with the sump space. Having the same sump dimensions will keep the backend of all tanks on a more even playing field. This will help ALOT with judging in the end.

 

Any external plumbing must not bring the complete system volume above 8 gallons (this will be put into more detail when the official rules are posted).

 

Lighting options are open in the custom category, so bust out the sunscreen and feel free to hook up that 1000watt MH system. Kidding.....sorta.

 

Q. So.......What are the prizes?

A. Prizes you ask? Well, thanks to some ridiculously generous and community supportive sponsors here at Nano-Reef.com, this contest has in the neighborhood of $400 in prizes available for the taking. On to the prize list......

 

 

Stock Grand Prize:

 

Sea Crop - $100 Livestock Gift Certificate!

You also receive a ridiculously hip Nano-Reef.com Tshirt!

 

 

Open Grand Prize:

 

Aqua Buys - TSS Digi Lab $125 value (includes continental US shipping)

 

Fraggle Reef- $75 Gift Certificate

 

 

Second Prizes (each category):

Marine Depot - $50 Gift Certicate!

You also get a super snazzy Nano-Reef.com TShirt!

 

 

Q. Ok....So where can I get one of these AGA tanks?

A. The Standard 2.5 AGA is available at most larger pet stores that carry Aquarium supplies. (PetCo./PetMart etc.) The 2.5 Mini-Bow is available at the same places above as well as WalMart any number of online vendors. The Mini-Bow is acrylic so it ships well.

 

Q: So who is judging this contest and what is the criteria?

A:This is something that is still up in the air. There is plenty of time to agree on something concrete. Hopefully this will be worked out before the official rules are posted.

 

Q: Is there a anything else I should know?

A: Yes! There is a slight twist with this contest!!

To make things more interesting, and to really sniff out who has the "sea green thumb" and the gift of Reef zen visionary forethought, there will be a period near the end of the contest (both Basic and Custom categories) where no corals or livestock can be added to the tank to be sure that there are no empty tanks till the last week and then $1000 of coral thrown in at the end for a nice pic (HEY IT COULD HAPPEN!!).

 

Official rules will be posted before the official contest start date. Again, thank you to our sponsors for donating the prizes and making this contest possible!

 

Feel free to discuss the upcoming Pico Contest in this thread including your take on the format, etc...

 

This post is a contest announcement. This post isn't the official set of rules. If at any time this announcement contradicts the official rules posted in the Pico Reefs Forum (due to whatever reason), the Official Rules will be honored.

 

 

 

 

Rules Update....

 

I have only had a little bit of time to work out rules this weekend. I plan on spending more time tomorrow, and hopefully having them posted by early next week. I will be going over the rules with the mods to be sure they are proofread and they make sense.

 

I have spent most of the time so far concentrating on the Basic Category since this is the category that will be much more constrictive as far as rules are concerned. If someone isn't happy about any of the particular rules in the Basic Category, then it will more than likely be best to stick to the less rules restrictive Custom Category.

 

**************************************

 

Here are a few outlined rules from the Basic Category to answer some of the questions that have been asked here. The Basic Category will indeed be the Standard 2.5 tank only. The lighting restriction on the Basic Category will be 18watts of pc only lighting or less. There will be a group buy for lighting in both categories. Please see the Group Buy thread that is stickied in this forum.

 

Entrants will be allowed to use a custom built stand/canopy for your standard 2.5 in the Basic Category, but your tank will NOT be judged on the stand/hood appearance.

 

**************************************

 

Here are a few outlined rules from the Custom Category . Custom Category entrants will be allowed to use ANY 2.5 gallon tank, custom or otherwise. Custom Category entrants will be allowed to use ANY lighting, pc, MH, LED, Sunlight, Nuclear Radiation, or otherwise.

 

The largest restriction on the Custom Category will be the Sump Space. Entrants will be required to use the SAME basic sump space for the competition. Entrants will be allowed to do anything they wish with this space (refugium, sump, etc). Entrants will also be allowed to plumb their setup any way they would like. The decided sump space in the Custom Category will be a standard 5.5 gal tank which will bring the possible total system volume to around 8 gallons. It may be that smaller sumps (for instance another standard 2.5) are also allowed if someone wishes to use less volume. If that was the case, only standard tanks under 5.5 gallons would be allowed.

 

**************************************

 

In order to create some semblance of reason behind the judging when it comes to that time, I really thought that there needed to be some likeness between all contestants entries. The rules I listed above create that likeness in both categories, yet still allow people to excercise creativity (especially in the custom category) with their pico project.

 

Hope this answers more questions than it brings up......

[adinsxq]

can i play?

[Gilman]

Originally posted by adinsxq

can i play?

 

dunno. depends who's doin the judging i guess..

 

if you aren't judging then I would go with a yes.

 

ps. thanks to Phergus for hooking me up with the backbone for the above announcement.

[adinsxq]

fair enough

[jmorris]

woo hoo! it's official!... Count me in (of course)!

 

So what kind of "original" entry photo do we need to snap? Let's see, NC6 contest they used veggies... hey, maybe a big steak inside the tank?

 

Oh, and wouldn't a series of pics posted along the way work instead of the cutoff for aditions? For example, what if the cutoff comes, and a day or two later the coolest little frag/clam/shrimp/whatever we have been looking everywhere for becomes avialable? Even if we have been keeping up our tank, and doucumenting/posting it as we go along, we still couldn't add anything?

 

Just a consideration. But I can see where the restriction is coming from, so whatever. just my $0.02

 

Cheers,

Jared

[Daemonfly]

For the stock category, I'd think the standard & simple fuge mod should be accpetable as it's pretty much a standard for basic nano reef configs, i.e. baffle installed for any rubble/sand/chaeto setup with an accpetable small light.

 

I'm doing custom category though, so no bias on my part.

 

I agree that if we had a requirement of sequential pics along the length of the contest time, the "put tons of stuff in at the end" shouldn't be a problem. I do slightly agree with not putting in anything torwards the end though. There should be a cutoff so you have to work with what you have and maintain it properly. I'm sure it wouldn't be too long of a cutoff though.

 

For the initial pic, we should combine this with a Bonsaikitty contest! Extra points for the best Bonsai Kitty-in-a-2.5g pic! Ok, just kidding

[icenine]

Sounds great... I'm kinda thinking the sequential pic posting is a good idea, at least one FTS a month... It would kinda level the playing field and boost competition between contestants and in general keep more people following the contest.

[icenine]

oh... and the 8th is a Saturday.....

[deacon hemp]

i just bought a 2.5 without trim and was wondering if this would be acceptable?its not aga brand,but the dimensions are the same.

[Fishfreak218]

i say let Deacon Hemp join...if it the same dimensions than i think he should be able to...and for those of you who think he will have an advantage or somthing b.c. it will look better..than let deacon hemp but black acrylic or black tape along the tank....also..i think i will be joining but there is one MAJOR problem..i dont know how to posts pics....can someone PLEASE help me out here....also if i wanted to build a canopy and a base.. and a Aquaclear fuge shouldi be in the OPEN catagory???? thanks in advance...

Josh

[timb000]

if deacon can join. Can I get a custom tank built by socal creations with the same exact dimensions?

[Tigahboy]

Originally posted by timb000

if deacon can join. Can I get a custom tank built by socal creations with the same exact dimensions?

my thoughts exactly, bro. haha.

[Tigahboy]

and count me in on this contest as well. =)

[Fishfreak218]

nooooooo...now i may not be able to win..lol...oh well.....which subject thingy are you going into..i wil be the exact oppositeof what you go into...lol...what i mean by subject thingy i mean the OPEN or STOCK....im guessing the open right???...Oh well...at least i have a reason to set-up a tank.....and there are 2nd place winners

[Casabubu]

And can I build a tank inside a 12" cube with the exact same dimensions? Obviously I would border off a little bit to take the total volume below 6 gallons.

[Tigahboy]

Definitely OPEN. I don't have much pico experience, so no worries, my friend.

[aleiodubua]

Me and my girlfriend are in as well.

[Tigahboy]

that's not fair. 2 minds are better than 1. it's a scientific fact. haha.

[Casabubu]

Uh OH!!!!! tigah's in the house!! (Better join stock now!)

[Gilman]

hmm......Using other tanks...I think in order to both keep the playing field more even and to make the judging criteria much less confusing when that time comes, the same tanks should be used.

 

Maybe we could have the Custom category use any 2.5 gallon tank (up to the reefer), and basic would be limited to the 2 tanks mentioned. Just throwing an idea out there.

[Casabubu]

I like that idea. I just think the 2.5 gallon tank is too darn thin!

[dweakl01]

I'm in.

[Fishfreak218]

if i wanted to build my own canopy and a Aquaclear fuge.....would i be in OPEN or STOCK...im guessing OPEN....

HEY TIGAH....

i've seen your 6g. NC....it looked amazing BTW....i have no experience w/ smaller tanks...i have a 30g reef....so i know there is a slim to none chance that i could win..but i have to represent the kids...in this...(im 13yrs old...) i want to see how creative i can be...and also if people are expecting to see something so great (LOL) from a 13 year old's tank...if my dad lets me join (i have to ask him tonight)....i was planing a 5.5g desktop but hey....i am going to go w. the 2.5g instead...also is there any other kids in this contest or even interested in this contest.....i think i will have to go to OPEN though but hell even if i dont win i still have my tank....lol...im going all out on this one.....probably unlimited funds on livestock...just nothing unreasonably expensive...like some kind of fish or somthing that is not coral....also i am going fishless....is anybody else???? if anything i would go w/ a SMALL goby...

[Tigahboy]

fishless is a good way to go, fishfreak218. =)

[EtOH_is_good]

i think i can do this one. someone tell fred. this is the one we wanted to originally do.