February nTOTM Contest - looking for entrants

junkitu · #1 02/06/2007, 11:52 AM

This month's contest will be a little different. Since the last two winners have been larger nanos let's focus this contest on smaller ones.

Here are the rules for entry and criteria for selection of finalists:

- Tanks must be 15 gallons or smaller
- Since I love colorful tanks the more colorful your nano the better
- Extra consideration will be given for creative aquascaping
- Finalists will be selected and voting will start on February 15

To enter post a pic of your tank to this thread and note its size. Let's see those awesome nanos and picos!

Illuminati · #2 02/06/2007, 12:26 PM

As the guy who started the Nano Of The Month I am disapointed by the new rules for this month.

A good "nano" is a good nano, regardless of size. It should be open for all.

Honestly I doubt you will even get enough entry's to make this month worthwhile if you exclude the majority of the 24 gallon and new 29 biocube owners plus the fact is the vast majority of people have larger nano tanks.
There are plenty of smaller nano's that get their props on here, Heck I put CoralFiend and his 7 gallon tank in the finals in November which is proof, a good tank is a good tank regardless of size.

junkitu · #3 02/06/2007, 01:41 PM

I'm sorry you feel that way colinadam. Victoria encouraged me to be creative with the Feb contest. nTOTM runs every month and I thought it would be fun to try something different this month as a change of pace. I chose smaller tanks since the typcial challenges (e.g. space, coral selection, water quality, etc.) are magnified. I think the nTOTM contest is a lot of fun and wouldn't want to ruin it in any way. Let's give it a couple days and if there aren't sufficient entrants then I'll open it up to all tank sizes.

blackheart · #4 02/06/2007, 01:54 PM

I think this is a good idea junk you should have all kinds of contests like this. The best halide tank the best PC tank the best no filtration tank. This way you are not comparing apples and oranges. Sure a MH tank would win against a PC tank most times, but put them against each other then we have a fight.

Clarkii3 · #5 02/06/2007, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by blackheart
I think this is a good idea junk you should have all kinds of contests like this. The best halide tank the best PC tank the best no filtration tank. This way you are not comparing apples and oranges. Sure a MH tank would win against a PC tank most times, but put them against each other then we have a fight.

i think the seperate PC and MH is a pretty good idea

calvin415 · #6 02/06/2007, 03:36 PM

What the heck, I'll enter...

Here's my self built 10 gallon with 5 gallon total volume sump (3 gallons of actual water). It's wall mounted, running only carbon filled HOB fiter pads and chaeto filled refugium. 3 54w HO T-5's 2 11k 1 Actinic

Live stock is as follows:

Fish
• Target Mandarin

Inverts
• Asst. Snails and Crabs
• Emerald Crab
• 3 Harlequin Shrimp
• 3 Peppermint Shrimp
• 1 Pistol Shrimp
• 5 Crocea Clams
• 1 Derasa Clam
• Asst Stars for Harlequins to eat

Corals
• Emerald Zoanthids
• Green w/ brown skirt Zoanthids
• Red Ring Zoanthids
• Fire & Ice Zoanthids
• Pink Mouth Red Skirt Zoanthids
• Orange Mouth Green Skirt Zoanthids
• Green Mouth Green Skirt Zoanthids
• Yellow w/ purple mouth Zoanthids
• Yellow Mouth Green Skirt Zoanthids
• All Green Zoanthids
• Red w/ Purple Mouth Zoanthids
• Bubble Gun Zoanthids
• Green w/ Yellow Skirt Zoanthids
• Orange w. Yellow Mouth Zoanthids
• Green Polyp Toadstool Leather
• Orange w. Blue center Candy Cane
• Purple w/ Blue center Candy Cane
• Neon Yellow Candy Cane
• Green/Purple Hammer
• Yellow Tip Torch
• Green/Purple Frogspawn
• Puple/Blue Acan
• Neon Green Acan
• Green/Red Acan Lord
• Peppermint Acan Lord
• Oranage Enchinada
• Rainbow Enchinada
• Alien Eye Enchinada
• Puple Blue Micromusa
• Tri Color Acan
• Blue Mushrooms
• Green Stripe Mushrooms
• Tri Color Ricordia Yuma
• Green Florida Ricordia
• Orance Florida Ricordia
• Teal Florida Ricordia
• Blue/Orange Florida Ricordia
• Blue Florida Ricordia
• Rainbow Florida Ricordia
• Pink Green Blasto Merletti
• Red Blue Blasto Merletti
• Red Purple Blasto Merletti
• Pink Yellow Blasto Merletti
• Light Pink Neon Green Blasto Merletti
• Purple Green Blasto Merletti
• Pink Green Blasto Welsi
• Purple Blasto Welsi
• Purple Blue Chalice

tinyreef · #7 02/06/2007, 04:16 PM

nice one calvin! very impressive!

i agree with jun on the selection/criteria. there are other months. a subsequent one might be "aquapods or biocubes-only", or everything between 15g~30g, etc.

i don't see anything wrong with making the criteria a little easier for the viewers to "digest". considering it's a monthly thing, there's plenty of opportunity to be inclusive over the course of the year imho.

blackheart · #8 02/06/2007, 04:41 PM

great tank

Paladin · #9 02/06/2007, 06:18 PM

That's the shizzle! Very nice tank calvin415! Seeing the first picture, you'd think, "He broke the rules! It has to be a tank under 15 gallons! No 300g tanks allowed!" Magnificent job.

hanner · #10 02/06/2007, 07:33 PM

nice tank!! did you have to add extra wall support for the 3 brackets? what are the dimensions of that beauty?

my guess....36x12x6...am i close?

-paul

Fishfreak218 · #11 02/06/2007, 07:56 PM

no.. its deffinatly 48x8x6"

junkitu · #12 02/06/2007, 08:35 PM

Very nice Calvin! But one entrant does not make a contest. Let's see those beautiful nanos and picos!

Rosseau · #13 02/06/2007, 08:40 PM

For what it's worth I like the idea of a smaller nano contest. Maybe fewer out there, but stocking/maintaining them is different from the larger nano's. The difference in working with a 10 to a 20 even is huge in my opinion.

Mine's too young at this point to enter.

chrisstankevitz · #14 02/06/2007, 10:06 PM

Calvin is pulling our leg. I think he just took a picture of a 100G tank and shrunk it in photoshop!

calvin415 · #15 02/06/2007, 10:38 PM

Thanks guys, LOL! Here's some pics to show a little more and proof of the size.

And here's the inner workings...

And here it is on the wall. Each bracket is powder coated steel capable of hold 500lbs each (1500lbs with 3) and they are bolted (3 each) into a 2x6 stud. Tank full weighs under 180lbs.

goldenmean · #16 02/06/2007, 11:42 PM

1 YEAR OLD 12 gal nano
1st livestock added Jan. 22 `06
3 blue leg, 6 triColor, & 3 Scarlet hermit crabs
5 Astrea & 6 nassaris snails
1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp
1 green star polyp colony (Pachyclavularia sp.)
1 purple mushroom colony, Blue Mushrooms
Orange Zoanthids, Green Yellow Zoanthids
HH teal with brown skirt Zoanthids (1 polyp now 100 and growing)
Multi color Zoanthid rock.
Small red Zoanthid frag
Dark green Zoanthid rock
1 orange ricordia yuma
Red Open Brain (Trachyphyllia geoffroyi)
1 magenta mouth fungia sp.
2 tank raised Amphiprion Ocellaris
1 Acanthemblemaria sp. (barnacle blenny)
5 Ricordia Florida
small frag pulsing Xenia (Xeniidae sp.)
1 pagoda cup- light green polyps (Turbinaria sp)
HH beaded anemone - I think

chrisstie · #17 02/06/2007, 11:50 PM

I doubt this would be in the runnings for such a contest, but nevertheless this thread is at least a good excuse to show off a recent full tank shot of my nano.
There are so many things wrong with it right now though it bugs me! I had temporarily had an echniphyllia frag in here while my 55g cycled and it decided to grab and eat my green ricordia- it is on the left healing. I also have mushrooms doing some funky twisted stuff right now.. Oh well here she is anyhow

I have a bicolor blenny, 2 ywg living with their pistol shrimp, cleaner shrimp, sexy shrimp and my giant turbo snail is int here to clean up some algae. What a mess but at least i think its still pretty to look at

Pico1 · #18 02/07/2007, 12:27 AM

Here is my 10 gallon nano. There are 2 naked occ. clowns in there. It is lit by a single 40W CF bulb. Someone on another site gave me a link and suggested I enter.

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Pico1 · #19 02/07/2007, 12:28 AM

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Pico1 · #20 02/07/2007, 12:28 AM

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smoney · #21 02/07/2007, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by colinadam
As the guy who started the Nano Of The Month I am disapointed by the new rules for this month.

A good "nano" is a good nano, regardless of size. It should be open for all.

Honestly I doubt you will even get enough entry's to make this month worthwhile if you exclude the majority of the 24 gallon and new 29 biocube owners plus the fact is the vast majority of people have larger nano tanks.
There are plenty of smaller nano's that get their props on here, Heck I put CoralFiend and his 7 gallon tank in the finals in November which is proof, a good tank is a good tank regardless of size.

How bout this time we do 15g and smaller, then the next time we do a 15-30g nano contest, that way we get the best of both worlds.

Anyone think its a good idea?

hambalid · #22 02/07/2007, 01:48 AM

I have to agree with the others regarding contests with themes. Without some kinds of parameters around the contest you'll get the same type of winners every month like the main TOTM. Don't get me wrong, those tanks are *awesome*, but how many times can you see a gigantic SPS dominated tank and not start to feel a little bored?

Mix it up, and we'll be treated to the depth of people's creativity--like that awesome long yet shallow tank of Calvin's. It's a minimalist's dream.

mikellini · #23 02/07/2007, 03:20 AM

that tank blows my freakin mind! that is probably the coolest tank i have ever seen Eric... really really cool. So cool.... it's cool, that's for sure lol... I want one. Actually, I want to make a custom tank now. You've inspired me! And beautiful pics in pico1's entry, very nice

How much LR is in that 15 gallon??? Looks like 50lbs lol

ezcompany · #24 02/07/2007, 04:07 AM

i guess i'm automatically ruled out.

calvin415 · #25 02/07/2007, 11:37 AM

I guess I'll add some closer shots too.

and one of my harly's eating...