pico contest rules thread.

[aggieMEDIC]

Rules:

Budgets:

1. Tank: $150 - unused goes to “slush fund”
2. Livestock: $100
3. Corals: $150
4. Equipment: $150
5. Salt, Chemi pure, Purigen and things that are necessary for livestock health, including supplements and other additives do not count towards this budget, simply for the health of inhabitants.
6. Any free items received from any source must be deducted from the allowed dollar amount, unless all participants receive an identical item.
7. Items posted for free in the “Free” section of the forum will not be deducted from the budget as all participants have access to those items.
8. Live rock will deduct $3/lb and live sand will deduct $1/lb from the EQUIPMENT budget.
9. The costs for shipping and taxes do not count against your budget.
10. You may not increase your budget by selling equipment/livestock/corals from your system. (ex. AIO owners may not sell the original light and add the value to your budget)

Modifications

1. Modifications to the aquarium (DIY or AIO) are not required but are allowed, the costs incurred will be deducted from the equipment budget.
2. Plumbing should not be used to increase the total water volume.
3. The cost for plumbing fittings will be deducted from the equipment budget, the plumbing itself is not deducted. Fittings include LockLine, bulkheads, elbows, JACO’s and the like.
4. Participants may not modify or add anything to the aquarium that will increase the water capacity by more than 2.5 gallons. The rear sections of an AIO system are NOT considered a sump.
5. Any used or re-purposed equipment is allowed, cost will be deducted at fair market value unless proof of cost is provided.
6. Use of a controller is allowed but full cost is deducted from your EQUIPMENT budget. (including costs of DIY controllers with the exclusion of wire costs)
7. Heaters, fans, chillers, ATO’s all count against the Equipment Budget.
8. Any circulation pump, powerhead or HOB filters are allowed. HOB filters must conform to the sump rule. If you purchased an AIO and wish to upgrade your filter or return pump you must deduct the cost of the new/used pump (or any mods) from the equipment budget.
9. Any method of lighting is allowed, and will deduct from your equipment budget. Upgrading from the original AIO lighting will deduct the cost of the new light from the equipment budget.
10. Any hardware used to elevate the light above the water is done at no cost.
11. Stand and Canopy are optional and NOT required and do NOT deduct from the equipment budget.

Livestock

1. All corals added to the aquarium must be aqua-cultured. In simplest terms this means you must use frags or grow out from an existing system, nothing straight from the ocean
2. Fish additions are preferred to be aqua-cultured but not required.
3. The aquarium may be set up as a reef or fish only as long as all items are marine.
4. The utmost importance must be placed on the safety and health of all inhabitants. DO NOT use anything that cannot survive long term in the pico environment (year+).
5. All tanks must be set up no later than February 15th, and no sooner than January 15th.
6. FMV price should be assigned to all livestock taken from another of the owner’s tanks. Frags obtained in this matter must begin as a frag less than <1” either tall or round.

Documentation

1. Each participant will be responsible for a build log (min 3 photos) as well as photos at the beginning of each month (min 1).
2. Final photos (left, right, FTS, and 2 “freestyle is required for final judging. You may include a short (no more than 60 sec) video in addition to the required photos.
3. The aquarium as a WHOLE must be original. Any issues must be addressed during the initial set up and the related photos. 51% vote is required to disqualify an aquarium.
4. Stocking and equipment lists must be finalized 30 days prior to voting.

General Rules

1. Any tank under 6 gallons is acceptable. Any disputes will be settled by Manufacturers rated volume or measurements for DIY tanks.
2. Each individual may start any number of aquariums but may only submit one (1) for judging.
3. Anyone breaking the rules or not resolving a problem for any of these rules will be excluded from voting and disqualified from the contest.
4. HAVE FUN AND BE CREATIVE! This is supposed to be enjoyable for all, so please be
   considerate when making any decisions about what to do (in short, be honest).
5. The contest will end July 4, 2013. Voting will begin the following week.
6. The winner will be announced the same day as the July meeting.
7. You must be a member to participate.
8. Popular vote will decide 3 finalists, a panel of 3 guest judges will determine the winner from the 3 finalists.

[ckyuv]

[Scutterborn]

Awaiting with baited breath!

-Ben-

[scubasteve92]

I NEED TO KNOW THE RULES I WILL BE LIVING BY FOR THE NEXT 6-7 MONTHS OF MY LIFE!!!

[+Capt. Obvious]

They are coming momentarily.

[aggieMEDIC]

ok rules are posted. please discuss the rules here, Rules will be finalized in 10 days (30 days prior to contest start date)

the red on the coral budget is because the idea was brought up to not have a coral budget. Mainly because of the difficulty in deciding what a coral is worth. Capt. obvious can explain more on that if needed.

[+Capt. Obvious]

I am happy to announce Roger from Tunze has agreed to donate 3 Tunze coffee mugs and some catalogs to the prize pool

[victoly]

you are not allowed to use the tunze mugs to increase total system gallonage.

[+Capt. Obvious]

I kinda want a Tunze mug at my desk here at work...I am tired of drinking out of my bright orange mug with my companies logo on it

[jestep]

Looks really good. I like a coral budget cap, just to even the field. Is the concern mainly over moving corals from existing tanks?

Do they make the Tunze mug in a 5 gallon version? +100 points to anyone who makes a reef tank in a tunze mug or any mug for that matter.

[scubasteve92]

I like the cap as well. What if you were to add shrooms or zoas? I have a frag i bought from petco for $12 that has a ton of polyps.

[esacjack]

what is meant by 'or no limit' next to coral budget

[+Capt. Obvious]

what is meant by 'or no limit' next to coral budget

"he red on the coral budget is because the idea was brought up to not have a coral budget. Mainly because of the difficulty in deciding what a coral is worth. Capt. obvious can explain more on that if needed. "

[ATXJayhawk]

I like the cap as well. What if you were to add shrooms or zoas? I have a frag i bought from petco for $12 that has a ton of polyps.

Which petco has frags?

[+Capt. Obvious]

all petco's...thye are kept in the tanks with the fish and they are ...meh

[mFrame]

all petco's...thye are kept in the tanks with the fish and they are ...meh

The Petco in Sunset Valley (just south of Ben White on Brodie) has a dedicated frag tank. I talked to the manager there for a while and was told that due to high sales in that store as well as persistent staff members, they were allowed to set up the dedicated frag tank as a proof of concept for the other stores. For a chain they are trying really hard to be a little different and to foster the hobby. Hat's off to them.

[+Capt. Obvious]

The Petco in Sunset Valley (just south of Ben White on Brodie) has a dedicated frag tank. I talked to the manager there for a while and was told that due to high sales in that store as well as persistent staff members, they were allowed to set up the dedicated frag tank as a proof of concept for the other stores. For a chain they are trying really hard to be a little different and to foster the hobby. Hat's off to them.

I'll have to check them out, the one in La Frontera is not so stellar

[sifuentes31]

So what is the max gallon size for the Picos?

[jestep]

So what is the max gallon size for the Picos?

It's 5 gallons which is defined as up to but not 6 gallons.

[esacjack]

5 gal 1 gal sump

[sifuentes31]

OH cool. So a six gallons max total water. I can work with that......

[(Bio)³]

The rules thread is posted. based on this thread and other similar questions, it was decided using manufacturer's specs 5 gallons or under. which is the same as under 6 gallons. if the mfgr says its 5 gallons and it is actually 5.5 then fine its not going to hold the whole 5.5 anyway due to rocks etc. if the actual is less than what is listed then that may be something you want to account for. its less about the amount of water in the tank than what you make of all that open space. decisions decisions decisions

So are we defining this as <6 or <5? because from the other thread I thought it was 5 gallons and under. meaning something like the ecopico listed at 5.1 is not suppose to go in. If they list it as 5 gallons and it truly holds more is a different situation.

[jestep]

The rules read right now:

Any tank under 6 gallons is acceptable. Any disputes will be settled by Manufacturers rated volume or measurements for DIY tanks.

And the sump must be less than 2.5 gallons.

[scubasteve92]

I like the cap as well. What if you were to add shrooms or zoas? I have a frag i bought from petco for $12 that has a ton of polyps.

Which petco has frags?

I agree that most of the time it is meh, but the one in Kyle had 3 heads of duncan for $12.99 and a huge colony of what I think are greenbay packers zoas that they were selling for $50-60 but they had 2 good sized chunks break off and they sold me one for $12

[cMidd]

Aqua-cultured only may not be fair for those who wish to participate but do not have existing coral tanks (doesn't apply to myself), also the $ sign may be a bit higher when ordering if that's the case.

Just something to consider, I'm pretty excited!!