2010 Nano Build-Off Contest! - sponsored by Amazon Stingrays

[jimsflies]

sponsored by:

CaptiveReefs is hosting a nano tank build off contest. If there is enough interest, we're hoping to make this an annual event here on CR. There is a $20 buy in with 100% of the pot going to the winner. The winner will also receive an 8 gallon biocube donated by Amazon Stingrays!

CaptiveReefs Nano Contest

Important Contest Dates

Begin Stocking: January 3, 2010
Receive Contest Frag Pack: January 25, 2010
Last Day to add Livestock: April 30, 2010
Last Day of Contest: May 28, 2010
Judging Complete: June 21, 2010

Judging

Overall Best Nano - The prize will be awarded to the overall best nano and will be voted on by CR general membership. To qualify you must update your contest thread at minimum as specified below. Better documentation will likely impact your chances of winning.

System Requirements

Tank: Display tank with a water volume of 30 gallons or less may be used

Sump: Total water volume may not be more than 30 gallons (e.g., 30 gallon display may not have an additional sump, a 10 gallon tank could have a 20 gallon sump).

Equipment: You may use any equipment (pumps, powerheads, skimmers, reactors, etc.) that you want.

Additives: Any additive is also allowed.

Livestock Requirements

Spending Limit: The spending limit on corals is $250. Corals purchased from CR sponsors count half toward the spending limit. For example if you spend $100 from non-sponsors, you can spend another $100 from sponsors and will have spent the $150 limit. You must post a receipt with a picture of the stock to allow for others to see what you have spent. Receipts will be necessary to prove source of purchase for corals that are purchased from sponsors.

On hand Livestock: You may stock your nano with livestock you already own from another system. You need to clearly identify which pieces you are adding and document the size. You will also need to post a market price for the piece which will count against the $250 spending cap. Live stock obtained "free" from other sources also is subject to this requirement. A generic price guide is presented below to help determine value of livestock.

Temporarily Exceeding Spending Limit:You may temporarily exceed your limit if for some reason you need to move stock from another system to your nano or use it for a quarantine tank. This will not automatically disqualify you from the contest. However, by April 30 (one month before the end of the contest) you must show that you haven't spent more than the contest limit based on the purchase price or determined value when the coral was added to the tank. In other words if you spent $20 on a colony of zoas and it doubles in size by April 30, this colony will still count as $20 toward your limit.

Trades: You may trade any corals in your tank with other CR members. All trades will be public knowledge, this means that after the trade you must make a post stating who you traded with, what came out of your nano and what you got in return.

Fish and Inverts: You may add any other non-coral livestock you wish to your tank. These additions must be documented on your build thread. The last date any livestock may be added is April 30, 2010. Fish and other livestock do not count toward the coral spending limit.

Lost Livestock: Should any stock die, this should also be noted in the build thread. Excessive deaths would likely impact winning the Overall Best Nano Category. As the goal here is to build a healthy sustainable nano tank.

Additional Contest Rules

• You may start your construction and cycle at any time. You may not stock the tank with corals until January 3, 2010. To insure this on January 3, 2010 at 12AM EST, an announcement will be made about an item that must be placed in the tank and photographed showing the tank is not yet stocked. This picture must be the first photo in each members contest thread. It will be a common item e.g., canned food, a key word written on paper and placed in the bottom of the tank, each member giving a thumbs up next to the tank, etc.

• You may also start with cured rock if desired.

• Tank stocking may begin on January 3, 2010.

• You are welcome to start late on the contest, up to Febraury 26, 2010. Of course starting late will likely be a disadvantage.

• Each participant will need to start their own build thread in the contest forum. At a minimum each participant is REQUIRED to update their contest thread at least 2 times a month WITH pictures, updates can be whenever the member would like. The update must be made at least 7 days apart (this is to track growth during the contest). Participants can post updates as often as they like.

• No additional livestock can be added within 30 days of the contest end, April 30, 2010.

Contest Entry Fee

The contest entry fee is $20. 100% of this goes towards the cash prize for the contest winner. Entry fees must be received by January 31, 2010 or if you start late, entry fee must be recieved asap up to February 26, 2010. Please note, Captive Reefs is not making any money from the contest.

Prizes

The winner will get the cash pot from the contest buy in and an 8 gallon biocube donated by Amazon Stingrays!

[jimsflies]

The following is a list of prices to help determine value of on hand corals or free corals obtained from other reefers.

Zoa/Palys-
No names- $1 PP
not really colorful at all
Common- $2 PP
EE, Whammin' watermelons, red skirts, dragon eyes, pink panthers etc.
Nice- $5 PP
Nukes, PD's, Tubbs blues, Bam Bam's,AOG's, RPE etc.
Rare- $20 PP or more depends on what one
Magicians, PPE, Hornets, Captain America
LPS-
Fungias- any color $45 to 60
Brains frags 1 1/2 inch- $25
Frogspawn/Hammer/Torch/duncans- $10 per head being nice on this one well sell the them for $20 per head and the duncans $15 per head
Trumpets any color- $10 per head
Blastos- $10 to 50 per head depends on color
Micromussa per polyp -$30
Favias frags 1 1/2 inch -$25
Gonipora 5" -$50 <- Poor Survival rate
Dendros- $25 per head
Sun Coral frag-$10 to $25 depends on size
Acans-
--Common -$5 per head
--Nice -$10 per head
--Rare -$20 per head some may cost more.
Chalice-
--Common -$10 per SQ inch
--Nice -$10 per eye
--Rare -$50 to $400 per eye
Leathers/softies-
Mushrooms - $10 per polyp some may cost more
Ricordea $20 per polyp and up depends on color
Yumas- $30 and up per polyp depends on color
GSP- 10$ per 1 inch square
Kenya trees- 10$ per Sm frag
Xenia-
--Pom Pom -$10 per stalk
--Blue xenia - $10 per stalk
--Anthelia frag 1 1/2 inchs - $10
Other leathers frags brown $10 green leathers $25 and up depends on size and where it comes from
green Clove polyps - $10 per polyp, Reg cloves $10 per inch
SPS-
Any Morph- branching, encrusting, caps etc.Some may cost more!!
1/2" -1" -$10
1"-2" -$20
2" - 3" - $40
3" - 5" $60
Other inverts-
Feather dusters- $10 to $30 depends what kind of duster
Gorgonians, sea fans, sea whips, sea rods-Sm frags $10,and up to a $100 depends on size
Sponges-$20 and up depends on size

Nems- - $30 and up depends on what kind and size
Macros-
Any Macro - $2 a sandwich bag
Mangroves- Sm $10 MD $20

[jimsflies]

Just a reminder, you can still enter up to February 28. Any new members that want in on this, just start your thread in the nano contest sub-forum. If you need any help, just ask...

[jimsflies]

For those that are in the nano contest, a payment link has been set up for the buy-in for the cash prize.


Payment Link Here

[jimsflies]

We are at the 1 month remaining mark on the nano contest!

You shouldn't be adding any more livestock from now till the end of the contest.

Be sure to get your final $$'s tallied up and posted in your contest threads.

I haven't seen as many updates lately, so don't forget to update your threads with photos, etc.

[jimsflies]

Just a heads up...this is the last day of the nano contest! I think we are down to only three remaining partcipants: handlevandal, thefishgirl and iyachtuxivm. If you haven't submitted your final photos and price lists you will need to do that today.