Featured 2025 Budget Tank Build Exhibition

[Fish Boss]

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

My thought process was seeing how harsh of an environment they could survive while also having the lowest maintenance tank possible. Would probably manually top off once a day or every other day, so constant salinity fluctuations, lighting would be more heavier red spectrum, possibly intense, and huge temperature swings, from both sunlight as well as being close to a window

 

[MichaelB]

My thought process was seeing how harsh of an environment they could survive while also having the lowest maintenance tank possible. Would probably manually top off once a day or every other day, so constant salinity fluctuations, lighting would be more heavier red spectrum, possibly intense, and huge temperature swings, from both sunlight as well as being close to a window

U could get the water bottle ato just screw in bottle Flip upside down. Pouring water everyday is a no go.

 

[The_Lazy_Reefer]

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.

This is definitely a contest I think we should judge by the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law. It’s certainly fun trying to scrounge up a used system and attempt to get something functional and aesthetically pleasing(my parameters) so in the end it’s going to be cool to see how it plays out for most of us.

I currently almost have everything needed to setup a new(to me) tank and now the only issue is livestock lol. Corals are easy to come by in the club and from fellow reefers just the current cost of fish and inverts makes me want to run it fish less and dose nitrates and phosphates.

Right now my plan is to source corals and livestock from tanks not my own and rely on the generosity of others cause my budget is nearly blown with the equipment.

 

[ReyDeFarts]

I currently almost have everything needed to setup a new(to me) tank

So what is your plan for the valuation of the equipment? Because I'm a little hungry up there too. I have stuff I bought new that has been used. And some stuff that was new many years ago and used in FW setups. At what point is that equipment a PIF item to myself? Or how do we determine a fair but discounted used value? 50% of original cost? 75%?

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

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

Growing aiptasia is actually really difficult in a dedicated tank. I have a 20g I'm trying to grow aiptasia to feed my berghias and it doesn't want to grow like wild fire when I had the problem in my display tank smh lol

 

[The_Lazy_Reefer]

So what is your plan for the valuation of the equipment? Because I'm a little hungry up there too. I have stuff I bought new that has been used. And some stuff that was new many years ago and used in FW setups. At what point is that equipment a PIF item to myself? Or how do we determine a fair but discounted used value? 50% of original cost? 75%?

I went the route of sourcing stuff new to me so for the prices it’s just what I paid for it recently.

If I were to grab something from the bins which I may do for my ATO I’d make the value of it what I would sell it to a fellow member for. Local reefer prices especially in the club are usually very very generous so I think we can all aim a bit low here.

Livestock is a whole new challenge but currently my only focus is to get something running for 400$ and leave 100$ for some discretionary fish/inverts

 

[ReyDeFarts]

I’d make the value of it what I would sell it to a fellow member for.

I like that logic. Makes sense.

 

[ReyDeFarts]

Also folks...I haven't made the journal template yet. I'll try and work on that soon and get that updated for you all to be able to copy and paste.

 

[tribbitt]

This’ll be hard to form a ruleset for. The goal is to show noobs that with nothing, you can create a reef for relatively cheap. I think when deliberating, the judges must take that spirit into account (which tank matches that idea the best)

 

[Fish Boss]

I was thinking that if I used older equipment that I have, I would just use the price I paid, whether it was new or used at the time. For example, I bought a used cube from someone on here for $50 years ago, and if I decided to use it for my build, I would take away $50 from my budget. I also feel like the $500 should be somewhat of a soft cap, like you can go over, maybe up to $1000, but you lose some “points” based on how much you go over. Gives more flexibility, while also encouraging more bare bones setups.

The way I envisioned this contest was a “destruction derby” of sorts, or like how my neighbor ran a contest where his club would invest our same budget of $500 into a car and race them lol.

Even though getting good deals on equipment will give you an upper hand, I feel like better results with a more basic setup should be the goal.

Maybe the numbers/rules could be tweaked a bit? Like lower budget, but only equipment goes towards the budget, livestock is unlimited? Whether you have a green stripey mushroom or an OG bounce mushroom, I feel like they are going to grow relatively the same, the difference will come down to equipment/husbandry skills, which I feel like is the goal. As long as you are doing things right, anyone can grow coral/grow it well, even with basic equipment

 

[tribbitt]

You get +1 point for every dollar saved, and -1 point for every dollar over lol

 

[Darkxerox]

It should be easy to show what used equipment is going for based on eBay auctions or screenshots of listings elsewhere. Then hit them with a slight discount (probably 15-20%) based on what you'd offer other members. Even "new" items you have aren't worth MSRP given how much they've been on sale in the last month.

Heavily used tanks themselves usually lean towards the free category (or $100-200) since most people are just trying to get rid of them now.

The other thing is the virtual equipment auction I'd like to have sometime in January. We can post items and people can bid in the replies.

 

[Patio]

Another grey area- testing water parameters. Even the cheap kits add up, if you like testing all the various params.

 

[yosemiteclimber]

Another grey area- testing water parameters. Even the cheap kits add up, if you like testing all the various params.

Yeah, there’s so much that goes in to it, just limit to the basics: tink, filtration, lighting… livestock, maintenance supplies, is a whole other animal

 

[PjFish]

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

I had a 16 oz mason jar with aptasia rock in window 8 months did fine algae was an issue just had to wipe glass weekly.. . Also had a 2 gallon cookie jar with. Kenya trees, xenia, pom pom crap and margarita snails for a year or so. Only equipment was air pump dialed low, caramic clamp lamp with tuna blue par 38 bulb and reptile heat pad with temp probe. The key was clear glass lid for light penatration think I notched the lid for the air line. The reptile pad worked great but probably wasn't the best use of electricity plus didn't want cords in the jar! That was under 80 bucks

 

[ReyDeFarts]

Out of curiosity, how many folks already everything they need to start their tank?

The poll shows 7 people, including me, want to be a part of this. Stoked to see that! Who else can we convince to do this?

 

[DaddyHook]

Out of curiosity, how many folks already everything they need to start their tank?

The poll shows 7 people, including me, want to be a part of this. Stoked to see that! Who else can we convince to do this

I’ve been on the fence. And have been trying to respond to this thread and the different things that have been discussed. Just can’t find the time to focus right now. Still 50/50. But might join after the new year.

 

[ReyDeFarts]

I’ve been on the fence. And have been trying to respond to this thread and the different things that have been discussed. Just can’t find the time to focus right now. Still 50/50. But might join after the new year.

I definitely feel you there. I really want to do this too. But adding another tank, just wouldn't be a wise choice. Lol

 

[MichaelB]

I definitely feel you there. I really want to do this too. But adding another tank, just wouldn't be a wise choice. Lol

It's where I'm currently at myself. My living room looks like a fish store. So really need some of these tanks gone.