VOTE : March 2009 Tank of the Month

[Reefscape]

Welcome to the March 2009 Tank Of The Month competition.


Voting is now open to everybody, one vote only per person.


There will be a limited 14 days voting period, followed by the selection of a winner with the highest number of votes from AquariaCentral.com . If in the instance of more than one winner is selected (same number of votes), a secondary 7 days voting would be held to determine the winner.


The winner of the previous months TOTM contest will not be eligible to enter another Tank of the Month Contest for the next three months, and win the prize for 12 months, to ensure fairness and opportunity for other participants to win.

Prize on offer - 12 Month's Digital Subscription to TFH





1.

82247


2.

82248


3.

82249


4.

82250


5.

82251


6.

82252


7.

82253


8.

82254

9.

82779

10.

82780

[Reefscape]

Stunning entrys folks....good luck to everyone...

[noodles62]

tough choice! Nice tanks everyone. ;)

[rsanz]

Wow, the entries this month are incredible! The competition is stiff...

[irishspy]

So many lovely tanks, both fresh and marine. I love the use of rocks to create plateaus in #3, and the antlered skull in #7 is a nice touch. Number 9 looks like a gorgeous reef. So hard to choose... :nilly:

[ChrisK]

I went with Number 4 all great entries

[Jag1980]

Much better competition then the last TOTM. :thm:

[Mokomon]

BEAUTIFUL tanks!!
I'm really partial to #1

[Cory Keeper]

wonderful tanks everyone, even though I'm partial to planted tanks myself, #9 got my vote, very very nice reef there.

[starrystarstarr]

#1 got my vote but it was a close call with a few others

[WandaA]

Beautiful tanks all. Good luck

[svf]

I'm impressed with them all!!

[rich311k]

Wonderful tanks!

[sara_dancer]

I'm partial to number 3. I know this tank's owner in person and know that he/she keeps that tank immaculate, and works extremely hard on it. Plus, I love the hardscape design.

[cam191919]

^ hmmm, you kow them in person but dont know their gender?

10 got my vote

[petluvr]

I voted for #3 because I have seen the evolution of this tank:) Looks good.

[rsanz]

^ hmmm, you kow them in person but dont know their gender?

10 got my vote
She probably didn't want to give away any clues as to whose it is by specifying gender.

[Fordtrannyman]

#4 Is definitely the nicest tank, but I'm sorry to say I had to vote for #1 to pull ahead of #9 one more vote.

[Riiz]

Go number 9!

[Mindcrime121]

Definately some amazing tanks this month. I just wish competition could be split up into fresh and salt tanks, and perhaps even split them into size catagories so we'd have like 4 or 8 competitions total. Maybe do fresh one month and salt the next. It's so hard comparing fresh vs. salt tanks, and the bigger the tank the more it seems can be done with it in either case, so it seems the bigger tanks have an edge. Lots of BEAUTIFUL tanks this month though, that's for certain!

[Reefscape]

Definately some amazing tanks this month. I just wish competition could be split up into fresh and salt tanks, and perhaps even split them into size catagories so we'd have like 4 or 8 competitions total. Maybe do fresh one month and salt the next. It's so hard comparing fresh vs. salt tanks, and the bigger the tank the more it seems can be done with it in either case, so it seems the bigger tanks have an edge. Lots of BEAUTIFUL tanks this month though, that's for certain!


We tried the split last year..did not work...so we went back to combined.. :)

[Squawkbert]

I love the Bolbitis in 5.

[mel_20_20]

I agree #1 is stunning. They all are beautiful, but I voted for 3.

I just love the multi-level look, and the way those low plants draw the eye from the front left side under that shelf, across the tank and up that slope and back to the grouping of plants in the background.

Very nice!

[sue711]

Wow, tough decision. I loved 1, 4, 5, 9, and 10... LOL :) ... but the Discus made me vote for #1. I agree that it is really hard to judge fresh and salt tanks in the same contest. Curious as to why it did not work out last year when AC tried them separately though. Anyway, great work everyone!

[rinmouse]

Congratulations on the beautiful tanks. It really was difficult to choose this month! They are so beautiful and different. I had a really hard time choosing between 1 and 9... I finally went with nine asI liked the angle of the shot as well as the lovely tank. Also, not that I know for sure why the contests didn't work when split up, it makes sense when you look at the number of entries. I mean, there's only 10 this month, and out of the ten few of them were salty, not enough for a contest really. Actually, I've always been kinda surprised by the seemingly low level of participation for a site with so many members.

[Mindcrime121]

My guess would be the perception that it's a popularity contest in large part, rather than exclusively being about the nicest looking tank. There are almost always posts from people commenting on how they had to vote for this tank or that because they know the owner, or to make sure this tank beats that tank despite openly stating that a 3rd tank is the best, which they didn't vote for. There are unquestionably cliques on any forum, and most people don't belong to one, or at least don't think they do, and therefore assume that they have no chance of winning, so don't enter. Also, those who don't enter or know anyone who did tend not to bother voting, so all the neutral voters don't show and just reaffirm the perception of it being a popularity contest, in a way making it a self fulfilling prophecy in my opinion. Januray was kind of an oddball contest I think.

[rsanz]

My guess would be the perception that it's a popularity contest in large part, rather than exclusively being about the nicest looking tank. There are almost always posts from people commenting on how they had to vote for this tank or that because they know the owner, or to make sure this tank beats that tank despite openly stating that a 3rd tank is the best, which they didn't vote for. There are unquestionably cliques on any forum, and most people don't belong to one, or at least don't think they do, and therefore assume that they have no chance of winning, so don't enter. Also, those who don't enter or know anyone who did tend not to bother voting, so all the neutral voters don't show and just reaffirm the perception of it being a popularity contest, in a way making it a self fulfilling prophecy in my opinion. Januray was kind of an oddball contest I think.
That's just the risk you run by having an open poll decide the winner instead of a panel of pre-selected judges. That's the nature of the animal. Any open poll will always have prejudices, even the US presidential election! Wouldn't you convince a bunch of your buddies to vote for your entry if you had an entry? There's nothing wrong with that, IMO.

That's what happens when you vote, and I like it that way. Keeps things informal and friendly instead of so competitive. :)

[Mindcrime121]

Yah, I'm just saying that it's probably got a lot to do with why there is so little participation comparatively to how many members could be getting in on the action. Just like back in everyones school days, there was the clique members who had a lot of friends ad then there were the rest of the kids who had a couple good friends and hang out buddies. When it came to who ran for class president, it was always the kids who had the big cliques behind them. The rest sat back and watched, or didn't even bother to do that. This provides a better shot at winning than a competition for class president though, that's for sure. I think a lot of people just don't realize that, so they don't enter their tanks.

[wesleydnunder]

Yah, I'm just saying that it's probably got a lot to do with why there is so little participation comparatively to how many members could be getting in on the action. Just like back in everyones school days, there was the clique members who had a lot of friends ad then there were the rest of the kids who had a couple good friends and hang out buddies. When it came to who ran for class president, it was always the kids who had the big cliques behind them. The rest sat back and watched, or didn't even bother to do that. This provides a better shot at winning than a competition for class president though, that's for sure. I think a lot of people just don't realize that, so they don't enter their tanks.

So implying it's just a popularity contest within cliques means that the 46 people who voted for #9 only did so because they know who owns tank #9. I think that's a little far fetched. I know people with beautiful tanks who've been members here for years who don't enter the contests because that's not why they keep fish. I guess implying some sort of favoritism or foregone conclusion to the TOTM and POTM contests provides a convenient excuse not to enter.

Mark

[jpappy789]

I like 1,4,9 the best.

[Kashta]

Looks like this one is going to be close right down to the end. Two tanks very close leading with a third not far behind. Should be interesting to see which one wins.

Beautiful photos everyone. They're all gorgeous tanks. Congrats to all entries for having such nice tanks.

[Cluunox]

Just had to say I had to vote for #3. The multi level hard scape, Lots of places to hide yet still very open, very clean healthy multi lvl planting and substrate colors and contrast to me are just stunning. If I ever have a tank that looks as good as any of the entrants I would feel very proud of it, all are very nice tanks. But for me #3 is just stunning very very well done.

[spunjin]

I do love freshwater tanks but #9 is incredible. Great work.

[addicted2fish]

I think 10 ia amazing , I love the black on black contrast ,. and thier are others I liked, but this one got my vote :)

[soobie]

The #9 reef is amazing.

[addicted2fish]

i am SOO mad, I put the wrong pic in this !!! da--it ~~~ LOL ~~ well I will know better BEXT time !! I have a great shot for POTM< so I cant wait for that one ethier , God I cant belive I let this slip threw as my entry , horrid ~ AARRGGHH~~~

BUT # 10 got my vote, wish I could cite more than one time, bacuse I love that tank !!!! and yes the discus are nice, and SW is cool. BUT I am partial to planted tanks, so I guess that doesnt hep the sw out too much , not that my little vote means anything , looks like the pretty one is going to win !!! ~~~~ LOL ~~

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE, I WILL HAVE MORE TO OFFER LATER, YOU JUST WATCH OUT !!!

[tonergirl]

I think that ALL entrants should be congratulated on a job well done :bowing:. Absolutely stunning tanks :woot::woot::woot:. Good job people!!!

[msjinkzd]

What a close race! Some really great entries this month!

[Cory Keeper]

I call for a run off between the top 3.

[jrvs23]

I had a tough time choosing between nice tanks that were mature or nice pics w/ immature tanks. I think if some of those are entered again when mature they will have a even better shot.

[yhbae]

Wow, the top two are only differentiated by 1... Nice job, guys. :)

[BreezeRuehls]

where do i vote at??????

[BoCoMo]

Great tanks. It was between #1 and #10 for me. That black background and black substrate combined with the plant health on #10 cinched it for me though. Great tanks! Hopefully I will get a tank looking good enough to enter soon!

[BoCoMo]

where do i vote at??????

go to first page to view tanks. go to poll at top of first page, click on button next to tank number of tank of your choice and then click now.

[Sandrade]

Number 9 takes it all....beautiful...

[BreezeRuehls]

ok, thanks!

[mdwalt1]

Tough choice! I managed to narrow it down to #1 and #9. I chose #1.

[Reefscape]

WOW.......only 1 vote in it at the moment....voting closes tomorrow folks...whos gonna get pipped at the post huh?????



:popcorn:

[j_chicago]

close between 1 and 9.

planted tanks of 3, 5, 6, and 10 just need more time to grow out and fill in after some trimmings (toughest part of planted, trimming and keeping it natural looking).

4 was also on my list, little too heavy on right far as the carpet goes, but well grown in and healthy, maybe trade the angel (and the beta, black blotch in the right corner?) for more cardinals (or neons?) and keep the rainbows.

[NorCalFish]

it is definitely a tough call....hmmm