2025 Budget Tank Build Exhibition

[Reefer Madness]

Shouldn’t it be treated equally? If my spouse gifted me a complete 250 gallon setup with all the bells and whistles on January 1st, vs if I got gifted a heater? If we are saying the gifted heater adds $0 to the budget, why should a gift of greater value add any more?

I didn't ask for the right things for Christmas!!!

 

[MichaelB]

I didn't ask for the right things for Christmas!!!

You have to be on the super duper extremely nice list to ask for a 20 gallon tank. I'm not sure what list you have to be on for that type of tank lol. Probably along the lines of here honey are the keys to the new house.

 

[ReyDeFarts]

Is there a way I can “reset” my tank? I filled it yesterday to act as a QT; if I drain it and dismantle completely on Jan 1 and do the whole setup process again can it count as new

I never considered that. If you feel like that is an acceptable entry then I'd leave it to the rest of the club or the few folks that are chiming in to give a vote of yes or no.

Do we have to include the cost for items given to us as Christmas gifts?

I also had not considered that. I suppose as Michael mentioned, it would be like a PIF item. In theory folks can get a complete build at $0 spent I suppose.

Shouldn’t it be treated equally? If my spouse gifted me a complete 250 gallon setup with all the bells and whistles on January 1st, vs if I got gifted a heater? If we are saying the gifted heater adds $0 to the budget, why should a gift of greater value add any more?

If this is the approach that folks take, it takes away from the point of this exhibition IMO. I share my finances with my spouse, so any "gift" would be like I purchased it. That's how I would list items on the build. If finances are separate and you want to participate in the exhibition, that certainly is a strategy to stay under the budget cap.

 

[Reefer Madness]

You have to be on the super duper extremely nice list to ask for a 20 gallon tank. I'm not sure what list you have to be on for that type of tank lol. Probably along the lines of here honey are the keys to the new house.

Lmfao right!!! I think i have her convinced because she has always wanted an anemone but I never wanted to risk it moving around and murdering everything in its path lol I'm going to have to make a post for everyone to post their anemone and be like man these are so cool I wish we could get one.

 

[ReyDeFarts]

I'm thinking of upgrading our nem tank and using this exhibition as the excuse to do it!

 

[Reefer Madness]

I'm thinking of upgrading our nem tank and using this exhibition as the excuse to do it!
View attachment 63623

See this is what I need for convincing lol

 

[richiev]

My opinion is trying to be over pedantic about the rules will make it not enjoyable to manage or judge, since no one wants to write a book of rules in their free time. If you're doing/getting something that feels like maybe it's not in the spirit of a $200 spend, good natured, friendly competition, then ... don't do it.

The baseline seems like it's imagine you get $200 to spend on a reef tank, and you have nothing to start with (similar to how most of the people in the world getting into the hobby are); what can you pull off?

Freebies or deals on Craigslist/marketplace seem freely in the "build from bootstraps" spirit. Pulling $4k of stuff out of your garage, having your wealthy spouse buy you a CDA peninsula, and picking it up from the factory in a cybertruck with an overnight at a Ritz-Carlton doesn't.

Lots of gray area. Seems like "new" acquisitions as gifts fall closer to out of the spirit.

But I also can't setup one more aquarium, so I can't participate, so my opinion doesn't matter!

 

[MichaelB]

My opinion is trying to be over pedantic about the rules will make it not enjoyable to manage or judge, since no one wants to write a book of rules in their free time. If you're doing/getting something that feels like maybe it's not in the spirit of a $200 spend, good natured, friendly competition, then ... don't do it.

The baseline seems like it's imagine you get $200 to spend on a reef tank, and you have nothing to start with (similar to how most of the people in the world getting into the hobby are); what can you pull off?

Freebies or deals on Craigslist/marketplace seem freely in the "build from bootstraps" spirit. Pulling $4k of stuff out of your garage, having your wealthy spouse buy you a CDA peninsula, and picking it up from the factory in a cybertruck with an overnight at a Ritz-Carlton doesn't.

Lots of gray area. Seems like "new" acquisitions as gifts fall closer to out of the spirit.

But I also can't setup one more aquarium, so I can't participate, so my opinion doesn't matter!

Totally agree with the Spirit of behind the budget build. Was pretty much a Joke mentioning a gift of a 8k tank. I think the heart behind this implies someone new to the hobby should have a slightly better than avg chance at doing or getting a similar set up going. A custom built tank given as a gift probably won't fall into the princible of likey to happen on a budget build. Someone giving away a used tank for free that does happen pretty often.

Also in the Spirit of the contest once my new 200g is up and running I will be offering my currrent 65gallon tank including plumbing, stand, and canopy minus the return pump/ lighting for free. I have no definitive time line as to when but hopefully in the next month or two.

@ReyDeFarts

 

[The_Lazy_Reefer]

I’ve been mulling this over and I think the concept is awesome!!! 500$ into a full build livestock included would be a fun thing to watch play out over a year.

My suggestion is maybe keep it like a video game new save file type of thing. No digging in the crates for gear to help the setup, just an even playing field of what you can scrounge up for the build that you currently don’t have livestock and all.

Using DBTC is an awesome idea forsure and I’d be stoked to see what 500$ gets most of us in a years time.

 

[MichaelB]

Tanks, and more random equipment

1.) Various fish nets 2.) Filter socks ×5 These are the larger ones I didn't bother measuring them but I could if your intrested. ***Tanks priority to anyone intrested in using one or both for the budget build contest.***...

www.bareefers.org

Just cross posting this if anyone is interested in this as a budget build option. I gave my thoughts on the two tanks on the pif post.

 

[ReyDeFarts]

I've been thinking about this exhibition more, and more hurdles keep coming up for me.

Picked up a used IM Nuvo 40 for $75 today! Stoked for that. I definitely do NOT want to start a new tank though. If anything, I want to reduce the number of tanks I am managing. Intention with this 40gal find is to upgrade my nem tank. This would mean reusing some equipment. Would it be used now? Or do I value it as a new item, since I bought it new? Also, I'd like to transfer livestock into it, so now that starts adding to the budget. This makes it really tough to join this without starting from scratch as @The_Lazy_Reefer mentioned.

Also, I have been thinking about how others wanted to be a part of this with their existing system that they consider to be a budget build already. How does everyone feel about that? Right now, I have it in the rules that this exhibition starts Jan 1st. Is this too stringent of a rule for this? Or stick to it? I'm kind of feeling like we're only going to end up with a few folks actually doing this.

 

[boun11]

I am adopting some livestock from a retired school teacher in Berkeley. She wants to give her tank and equipment away. It is an old glass tank; I don't think it has a sump. Nothing fancy. Let me know if anyone wants to pick this up as their budget tank. I can take some pictures when I pick up the fish. She is still attached to them. Live rock and some GSP too.

 

[PjFish]

It was mentioned you need to commit by June I thought but can start Jan 1st?

 

[PjFish]

Everyone has until next June to start, so if you're interested, you have plenty of time to prepare or collect equipment.

?

 

[ReyDeFarts]

It was mentioned you need to commit by June I thought but can start Jan 1st?

The initial post talks about the exhibition starting Jan 1st. As in, if you have sourced all your equipment, you can start as early as Jan 1st. But folks can join in as late as June 1st. I hope that clarifies it better.

 

[AndynotDrew]

I think it’s a great way to show how creative we as reefers can get on a budget, and a way to show people it doesn’t cost as much money as they might think.

Also think this will be a great way to show how amazing this club is with the buy/sell forum, pif, dbtc, and especially the knowledge and community. I was lost when I started my tank, and just winged it for a year before finding bar. Now I’m still winging it but at least have a community to reach out to for correction lol.

It is hard to iron out all the rules though. We will all have vastly different approaches to a system and access to equipment. Maybe the equipment could be excluded from the budget, but rules in place for what type of equipment is allowed? I think the livestock definitely should count as part of the budget. If there’s enough participants maybe there could be price brackets? Just my initial two cents for whatever it’s worth.

I’m loving the idea of this contest, but I may be biased. I have a tank I’m starting regardless, and based on the way my bank account is setup I’m always reefing on a budget lol.

 

[MichaelB]

I've been thinking about this exhibition more, and more hurdles keep coming up for me.

.

For me i agree with the starting a new tank thing i definitely need to get rid of tanks. Starting the 200gal got it for 1k used so already over budget cap. Also I will be starting a new used 50gallon low boy frag tank to the mix (I could possibly use), but even using that puts me right at 60% of cap. If I add lights I already have means I would probably be over budget as well.

I have used biocube32 but same issue with the equipment I have for them.
Would leave me with $100 under budget left. I have lots of nems already add those and probably over budget.

So all that to say I would totally have to add another tank which isn’t looking like a good/smart idea at the moment. I could very easily get in over my head.

I'm planning to get rid of two tanks, and replacing them with larger tanks, hard to even consider adding a 5th tank to the mix without calling myself a idiot before anyone here could lol.

Me and another member even joked and kicked around the idea of a non traditonal budget build using a jar, vase, or some random goodwill container to as a tank.

Given that you have allowed untill june to commit makes me not wanna fully give up on the possibly of maybe joining in at some point.

I do think some of the rule will make it challenging for many people to join in using equipment or things they already have that could blow the budget if they are giving a honest and fair estimated market valve on used equipment.

 

[Fish Boss]

For me i agree with the starting a new tank thing i definitely need to get rid of tanks. Starting the 200gal gotnitnfor 1k used so already over budget cap. Also I will be starting a new used 50gallon low boy frag tank to the mix (I could possibly use), but even using that puts me right at 60% of cap. If I add lights I already have means I would probably be over budget as well.

I have used biocube32 but same issue with the equipment I have for them.
Would leave me with $100 under budget left. I have lots of nems already add those and probably over budget.

So all that to say I would totally have to add another tank which isn’t looking like a good/smart idea at the moment. I could very easily get in over my head.

I'm planning to get rid of two tanks, and replacing them with larger tanks, hard to even consider adding a 5th tank to the mix without calling myself a idiot before anyone here could lol.

Me and another member even joked and kicked around the idea of a non traditonal budget build using a jar, vase, or some random goodwill container to as a tank.

Given that you have allowed untill june to commit makes me not wanna fully give up on the possibly of maybe joining in at some point.

I do think some of the rule will make it challenging for many people to join in using equipment or things they already have that could blow the budget if they are giving a honest and fair estimated market valve on used equipment.

I was thinking of doing a “free” build that is a vase of majanos on the window sill lmao

 

[Srt4eric]

I was thinking of doing a “free” build that is a vase of majanos on the window sill lmao

The last episode of Reef Beef the guest was talking about a program for his students where they take home jars of aptasia. I was thinking that would be a cool contest. See who can grow the most aptasia

 

[MichaelB]

The last episode of Reef Beef the guest was talking about a program for his students where they take home jars of aptasia. I was thinking that would be a cool contest. See who can grow the most aptasia

It's different idea for sure. Which kinda makes it acool concept trying to grow them opposite to trying to get rid of them.