Reefer Madness
Supporting Member
I didn't ask for the right things for Christmas!!!
Featured 2025 Budget Tank Build Exhibition
- Thread starter ReyDeFarts
- Start date
MichaelB
Supporting Member
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.
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.
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.
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
Supporting Member
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.
I'm thinking of upgrading our nem tank and using this exhibition as the excuse to do it!
Reefer Madness
Supporting Member
See this is what I need for convincing lol
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!
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 $4k of stuff out of your garage, having your wealthy spouse buy you a CDA peninsula, and picking it up from the factory in a cybertruck with an overnight at a Ritz-Carlton doesn't.
Lots of gray area. Seems like "new" acquisitions as gifts fall closer to out of the spirit.
But I also can't setup one more aquarium, so I can't participate, so my opinion doesn't matter!
MichaelB
Supporting Member
Totally agree with the Spirit of behind the budget build. Was pretty much a Joke mentioning a gift of a 8k tank. I think the heart behind this implies someone new to the hobby should have a slightly better than avg chance at doing or getting a similar set up going. A custom built tank given as a gift probably won't fall into the princible of likey to happen on a budget build. Someone giving away a used tank for free that does happen pretty often.
Also in the Spirit of the contest once my new 200g is up and running I will be offering my currrent 65gallon tank including plumbing, stand, and canopy minus the return pump/ lighting for free. I have no definitive time line as to when but hopefully in the next month or two.
@ReyDeFarts
The_Lazy_Reefer
Supporting Member
I’ve been mulling this over and I think the concept is awesome!!! 500$ 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.
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
Supporting Member
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.