Tank Of The Month

Should we Implement a TOTM Competition in Planted tanks?

  • No, TOTM are a hassle.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes, if entries are anonymous until the winner is announced.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes, if moderators are not allowed to enter.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes, I'd love to see TOTM with no conditions.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Yes, if nanos and larger tanks are judged seperately

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0
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lljdma06

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If you have any additional comments or rationals, please state below. I want to keep it fair, and I'm just testing the waters right now. The mods have been discussing this and SH (nano saltwater) and I were interesting in putting a poll in our sections.

llj
 
I don't think so, If anything it will be a walk away by someone like Dave or George.
 
I think its better for this forum to run an annual competition rather than tank of the month. TOTM on APC looks a little bit of 'Show off our favourite people's tanks' to me as it is always the same people. I do think the members planted tanks pics could be tidied up a little though as there are some pics that the owner has obviously moved from their photopucket etc.

APC does a TOTM and then an interview with whoever the tank belongs to.

You could do 'interviews' though with people like George, Zig etc and others on here that really know their stuff. Fixed format questions so that other people can see the difference in opinions on several things between the top guys, differences in taste etc and a little about the kind of people that have gotten into the planted hobby like musical tastes other hobbys etc. This is one feature of APC I quite like.

Andy
 
How about New to the Hobby TOTM to endear more newbies to the sport and a TOTM for all the oldies, for the first year so we see all the best and from then only on new set-up's or redesigns or new members.

Seems a little complex but I think really quite worthwhile...
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

What about mine will I win, will I, will I, will I ???
 
Trouble with this is that you don't know how long someone has been in the hobby other than their word so not so good an idea.
 
I think it would be great. You would need some way of keeping the same person from winning every time. Maybe say that a tank can't be entered twice in a certain amount of time unless it has undergone significant changes...

Or for a twist... Do mods pic. Each month the mod could pick one to spot light for either most improved or what ever makes it stand out... Doing that would keep it from being the same one all the time. :good:

I would never win, but I would love to see it. (unless you did "best algae growth") :rolleyes:
 
Does it have to be a competition? Could we not just have a tank of the month each month to highlight a particular tank? That way people can get more in depth into a particular tank and it will mean that its not the same people being shown all the time. A totm also doesn't necessarily have to be an excellent scape, rather it could be a tank that suffered heavily from algae to start with but that the owner overcame that, the article would outline how they did that and what they've learnt, etc.

Just my 0.02p worth :)

Sam
 
Having seen this topic presented in many other forums, I know how easily it can get out of hand lol

It is a great idea, and would give others ideas, however, I think it would be hard to classify a TOTM. Where would you start and how do you compare a natural tank compared to someone who may have tat galore or gimmicks (I say with my tropical tank with a marine look), or even someone who prunes their heavy planted aquarium every day. It cannot really be based upon looks alone as a planted aquarium would potentially win over a natural tank any day.

Also, one needs to consider newbies just starting off, knowing how far they may potentially be to getting to the stage of entering TOTM demoralise them? surely the point in case should be to encourage them.


Too....many.......variables......head...going.........to......explode......#pop#
 
It is a great idea, and would give others ideas, however, I think it would be hard to classify a TOTM. Where would you start and how do you compare a natural tank compared to someone who may have tat galore or gimmicks (I say with my tropical tank with a marine look), or even someone who prunes their heavy planted aquarium every day. It cannot really be based upon looks alone as a planted aquarium would potentially win over a natural tank any day.

Also, one needs to consider newbies just starting off, knowing how far they may potentially be to getting to the stage of entering TOTM demoralise them? surely the point in case should be to encourage them.

This is exactly my point too. Why does it have to be a competition? Can the two mods not just chose a tank for that month and thats the tank of the month. Then you'd get a variety of tanks. You could also have a newbie tank, so that you can highlight the probables/issues newbies have when venturing into the planted side of the hobby, the extra kit, problems with a new set of guideline re ferts, light, and all the jargon we all use! :lol:

I know on other forums that have this, its not about one tank being better than another its about showcaseing a particular tank, be that due to the great scape, use of a particular plant, issues the tank has had and how these were overcome, etc.

Sam
 
I think its better for this forum to run an annual competition rather than tank of the month. TOTM on APC looks a little bit of 'Show off our favourite people's tanks' to me as it is always the same people. I do think the members planted tanks pics could be tidied up a little though as there are some pics that the owner has obviously moved from their photopucket etc.

APC does a TOTM and then an interview with whoever the tank belongs to.

You could do 'interviews' though with people like George, Zig etc and others on here that really know their stuff. Fixed format questions so that other people can see the difference in opinions on several things between the top guys, differences in taste etc and a little about the kind of people that have gotten into the planted hobby like musical tastes other hobbys etc. This is one feature of APC I quite like.

Andy

IMO, the members planted tank section has sufficient information that constitutes the "interview" portion that you are speaking of, and it is under-utilized, I think. We've not had new scapes in quite some time. I really do agree that in some forums, the TOTM becomes a continuous showcase for tanks created by the same member over and over again. It can be unfair. I will work on tidying up the "Member's Section" and I'm considering merging George's wonderful topics into one thread, so members have the articles all in thread. The posts together, actually form a great generic article on setting up a planted aquarium. I think that rather than have the TOTM do an in-depth interview, this may be better suited for the possibility of an annual competition.


Does it have to be a competition? Could we not just have a tank of the month each month to highlight a particular tank? That way people can get more in depth into a particular tank and it will mean that its not the same people being shown all the time. A totm also doesn't necessarily have to be an excellent scape, rather it could be a tank that suffered heavily from algae to start with but that the owner overcame that, the article would outline how they did that and what they've learnt, etc.

Just my 0.02p worth :)

Sam

I see where you are coming from. The problem I could see with executing a TOTM is that we may run out of tanks to profile, and we would begin repeating ourselves. I do agree, however, that it could also be a tank that has overcome many obstacles. Perhaps a TOTM could spotlight that, and we could also have the annual "competition" that Andy and I kind of like, where members can have their scapes seriously evaluated by a small panel of judges and scored as a sort of "stepping stone" to the actual competitions that exist. That may be a feasible solution. I certainly don't mind the extra work.

Having seen this topic presented in many other forums, I know how easily it can get out of hand lol

It is a great idea, and would give others ideas, however, I think it would be hard to classify a TOTM. Where would you start and how do you compare a natural tank compared to someone who may have tat galore or gimmicks (I say with my tropical tank with a marine look), or even someone who prunes their heavy planted aquarium every day. It cannot really be based upon looks alone as a planted aquarium would potentially win over a natural tank any day.

Also, one needs to consider newbies just starting off, knowing how far they may potentially be to getting to the stage of entering TOTM demoralise them? surely the point in case should be to encourage them.


Too....many.......variables......head...going.........to......explode......#pop#

Don't worry, I don't think your head will explode. So far, only a few mods are considering TOTM for the individual sections that they moderate, which in my case, the TOTM in this section would be limited to Planted tanks. I think the different varieties that you are speaking of would best be covered in a more general TOTM, which I think, would be too difficult for TFF to execute at this time. There are too many possible categories, and there will always be some category that is left out. SH and I are the only ones so far who are putting feelers out, and our sections are much more specific than others.

Breaking down into categories for TOTM (nano, beginner, regular, low-tech, high-tech) would, IMO, be too much of a hassle. Categories like that are better saved for a "competition" should we decide that we want one. In addition, TOTM should only represent tanks that have had pictures submitted for that particular month. We don't want a scape from a year ago winning just because the thread was bumped, which sometimes happens, especially when we are looking updates.

I am very pleased with the imput so far. The suggestions and feedback have been well-thought-out, and I'm considering things very carefully. We have a reputation for being very well-behaved in this section, and if something like TOTM and/or annual "competition" is implemented, I would expect that we would remain well-behaved. :lol:

Though only one person objected to a moderator entering, I would not submit my tanks for any of the above being considered. Though I trust my fairness and objectivity, people could see my participation as a competitor as a conflict of interest. Besides, I have my journals to show my work and I think I would better serve as an administrator of the events or a judge should the need arise.

Just thought I'd comment, since I let this topic sit for a while. I wanted to see opinions first. I took a while to vote too, as I wanted to make sure opinions weren't swayed by what I voted.

llj :good:
 
I see where you are coming from. The problem I could see with executing a TOTM is that we may run out of tanks to profile, and we would begin repeating ourselves.

Yes I had also thought that we might run out of tanks to profile, which is a shame if you think about it. Perhaps we could have a bi-monthly or quarterly TOTM then, spread things out a bit and stop it becoming repetitive.

I do agree, however, that it could also be a tank that has overcome many obstacles. Perhaps a TOTM could spotlight that, and we could also have the annual "competition" that Andy and I kind of like, where members can have their scapes seriously evaluated by a small panel of judges and scored as a sort of "stepping stone" to the actual competitions that exist. That may be a feasible solution. I certainly don't mind the extra work.

That would sound like a sensible compromise. If its a 'just for fun' type competition, it would be a sour person that objected to someone winning on grounds that 'they always win' it wouldn't be about the winning really.

This would also work, as I said previously, if a tank for example won on the basis of the dogged determination of the owner to overcome a particular problem. Heaven knows, my nano journal reads like a 'what not to do' but I've certainly learnt a lot doing it and hope others have learnt a bit by my mistakes along the way :)

Keep up the good work Llj :) I'm here if you need any help with setting this up.

Sam
 
It sounds good to me. Mine are not that good, but some on here are awesome (including yours llj) and deserve to be recognized as such every now and then. We all like to be told that we are doing good some times. We work hard to get our plants to grow and the tanks to look good. It is good to hear that all that work was not for nothing.

The only problem I would have with it would be that I wouldn't want my tanks compaired to some of the tanks on here. I am just a beginner. Most of the tanks on here make mine look like crap. I don't even show half of my tanks, and they are all planted. I would never enter a compatition, but I would love to see the others... :good:
 
that is essentially what I was saying before. newbies....not sure I like that term, people just starting off in the wonderful world of fish keeping should be encouraged, TOTM may do the opposite....potentially.

i do however think it would need to be various tanks, not just planted, otherwise you then rule out a large percent of online readers, myself included. if the tank of the month excluded tanks that interest me or is something that i cannot myself enter, would negate me even considering reading/viewing that section.

this is unfortunately one of those topics, that presents more questions than answers lol
 
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