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

[Daemonfly]

I say let the MB back in the stock category. It's a stock tank and the judges should be objective enough to judge properly. Some people think the MBs look good, while I personally hate them due to visual warpage you get from the curved glass. Many people probably already bought the 2.5g MBs for the contest as well.

 

Just allow the same equipment for the MB. Decent HOB filter/fuge & decent lighting upgrade.

[Joseph14]

Oh yeah Um There is no limit as to what we put in there

for it stil to be in the Stock cat. is there?

[Fishfreak218]

i think all the people with Minibows would be pretty mad when they only have 10w of light when eveybody else has 18-36watts./...have you seen the minibow with the 10w light....check out doncb's tank and You'll see what i mean....like 3/4 of the tank has light while the other part doesnt...(it looks really bad untill he added an extra light to the hood..which would be moding...they would have to go in the OPEN category)

[deacon hemp]

I dont even see why anybody would want to enter the stock category anyway.....how boring is that going to be?Picos are all about the mods.

[MinibowMatt]

well how much light is considered stock for a standard AGA 2.5? I was thinking less than 20W PC.. like the 2x9 fixture, or a single screw in coralife 20W PC bulb...Personally I was planning on the screw in bulb for my stock 2.5

[Fishfreak218]

i think it should be the 36w light at MOST..for basic (or stock..whatever you want to call it)so anything 36w and under is ok...i was thinking the 20w screw in to..but i already have the 2x9w by coralife....36w sounds good to me....

[tylernt]

I don't think there should be a cap on the light level for the OPEN category, as some will want to do SPS tanks and limiting the light is not fair to them (or to the SPS ).

 

Also, I say bring back the Minibow!! A 2.5g MB is just as valid of a tank as a 2.5g AGA or 2.5g of other dimensions. I think the judges can cope with this difference.

[Gilman]

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.

 

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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.

 

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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......

[Fishfreak218]

yes...FINALLY and answer...i can make a hood and base...i will be doing this...but i have another question....i already have a 18w Coralife light...and i was wondering...i droped mine in the water a LONG time ago and it still works....the lights are a little bit blackend at the ends...is it still safe to use....if i replace the bulbs...the balast dont have any visable things wrong with them

[MinibowMatt]

Looks like Im out of this one. I am too poor to buy a new light for my 2.5g. *maybe* if the group buy is cheap enough, but i dont think it will be. I already have all the parts i needed for the 20W screw in... Have a good time all-- I will be watching!

[tylernt]

Originally posted by MattC

Looks like Im out of this one.

Just enter the open/custom category. Won't hurt to try.

 

Gil,

 

Why 18w? Why not allow the 20w (screw-in) since it is such a popular and easy way to light a tank? If not, can MattC at least wrap some electical tape around the bulb to reduce it's output to 18w equivalent?

 

Just curious. Thanks!

[sdbeazley]

could you at least make it 26 watts for 13 watt bulbs, they are only like an inch longer then 9 watt bulbs.

[Fishfreak218]

i think...it should stay at no more than 20w...b.c of what tylernt said

[sdbeazley]

A 20 watt screw in has alot of restrike making it alot less intense then something comporable and adds more heat.

[Tigahboy]

Man. I just went to 3 local Petco's and 2 LFS's...couldn't find a single AGA 2.5g tank. =/

[jmorris]

have an LFS order it... or don't you have a wholesale license?

 

Also, try the evil Wall Mart

[Snoop]

what does the aga 2.5 look like i think i am getting the mini bow

[Snoop]

or is the aga 2.5 a mini bow

[Fishfreak218]

SNOOP:

than if you get the minibow you have to go in the OPEN category..

[Snoop]

dough give me a link to the aga 2.5

[jmorris]

The All Glass Aquarium 2.5 gallon is just a little rectangular glass tank, with the dims (LxWxH):

12 3/16" x 6 1/8" x 8 1/8"

 

no pic of it on their site, but pretty easy to picture I should hope.

 

Oh, and the minbow 2.5 is also made by All Glass Aquariums, but, ironically, is made of plastic. here is a link to their site's page on the 2.5g Golfish Mini Bow (I am using the goldfish model since it is the only one that comes in black... just toss all the crap that it comes with, lol!).

 

Cheers,

Jared

[Snoop]

so is it rectanguler or a bow for the stock

[Gilman]

Originally posted by Snoop

so is it rectanguler or a bow for the stock

 

Rectangular.

 

Standard AGA 2.5

12 3/16" x 6 1/8" x 8 1/8" (thanks jmorris)

 

As far as bringing lighting up to 20watts as a cap for the Basic competition, that is definitely a possibility.

 

Im out for the night folks. May check in later this evening (after 1am pacific or so....).

[icenine]

umm... what is the reason behind the 18w limit to the stock catagory?

[Snoop]

will any tank with those specks work