Small Tank Contest

Rava said:
So wait, UNDER 5 gallons or 5 gallons and under? I'm confused about the spending limit, too. If what I SHOULD'VE paid for it is OVER $50, may I still enter? Because one realizes you can't buy a 5 gallon for less than about $40 (new)! Great idea! :)
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5 gals and under...Dont know where you are shopping, but I can get a bare 5 gal (no hood light, just a plain glass top) for 10 bucks here...And im in CANADA!
oooh, this is getting confusing lol :) Total limit 50 bucks, everything in...If you should paid 50 bucks, then that is the number you put down, so you have blown your whole budget. It isnt just a contest, but hopefully will form an archive that will help new people and give them an ACCURATE idea of how much they will have to invest in a small set up. I probably have 6 air pumps, 8 heaters and god only knows what else kicking around here...I could set someting up for 10 bucks by using the stuff I already have, but that would not give a new person (who doesnt have 20 years worth of fish junk) an accurate idea of the cost.
 
CajunCC said:
My big Malawi setup is 55 gallons with 7 fish. The 2 fry in this tank were spawned in the 55.

Here's a question. Any chance we could up the gallon limit to 5.5? :) A 16x8x10 glass aquarium is 5.5 gallons and cheap. The next smallest size is 2.5 gallons and it's less than a dollar difference. Right now I'm planning on the 2.5, but having a few extra inches of space would be much easier to work with. All my other components would stay the same. Or can i just lie and say that it's 5 gallons because the rocks, gravel, and filter take up half a gallon? :D
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I have a feeling all "5 gal tanks" are probably a bit over 5 gals, so that is cool...My 2.5 gal is actually 2.33 gals...As long as the tank is a standard size and not something that you have built custom, it is ok with me.
 
Making a 5gal is pretty cheap, go out buy a 10gal tank ($10) get a cheapo Glass cutter, ($2-3), dissasemble the tank, cut the sides and bottom in half (follow the directions though, you actually only score the outside of the glass enough so when you put pressure on it, the glass cracks along that line you made) Then silicone your new tank back together. Viola, 5gal tank for under $20 ;)

Also Pixie, how would you view using existing fish, or fish spawned in my own aquaria? Some I can't buy locally :) So should I use an estimate on how much it cost me to raise them to young adults, or find some prices?
 
Ok, there seems to be a little confusion....Although one can easily put together a 5 gal set up for under 50 bucks, i realise that some people may not have access to really good cheap lfs, like Big Als...So i am now officially saying

SCREW THE BUDGET.

Use whatever you want, just be sure to account for it accurately..If using old equipment, state the price to buy new...As far as fish and plants go, put a retail value on it. I realise some may have clippings from other tanks, and that is cool...However a new person wont have that luxury...As well as the luxury of having their own young stock.
REMEMBER- the whole point of this contest is to open the eyes of new fishkeepers and produce a useable archive...
Good luck!
 
TheMightyQueenPixie said:

SCREW THE BUDGET.
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:dance: :dance:
OK newbies, here is an exaple of a nice little 1 gallon tank you can easily set up in a small space, all it takes is a little time, effort and about $500 initial investment(not including fish) he he, juuuuuuust kiddin!
 
TheMightyQueenPixie said:
Ok, there seems to be a little confusion....Although one can easily put together a 5 gal set up for under 50 bucks, i realise that some people may not have access to really good cheap lfs, like Big Als...So i am now officially saying

SCREW THE BUDGET.

Good luck!
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I liked the budget it added a nice challenge to the project. Anybody could set up a nice tank with unlimited resources but the spending cap made it a little more interesting.
Too bad there was so much confusion – human nature I guess, people will always what-if you to death.
 
Screw the budget?! Son of a... That was the key to the whole thing, IMO. $50 was a hair short though, so I converted the $70 CAD to give myself just under $60 US. :D I had a perfect, unique little 2.5 gallon tank planned out.

Maybe up the spending limit by just a hair? Maybe $75ish US? That way we don't have to use bottom-shelf components that would likely be replaced as soon as we qualified for the contest. Heh.

All things considered, I think i'll end up doing a 5.5 gallon tank if there's no spending limit, and a 2.5 gallon if there is a limit. I'd like to see the limit stay, as it's what really make me think about how I'd do something unique and interesting, while staying within size and budget constraints.
 
Personally, I think 50 dollars was an ample ammount of dough, however some people were getting confused by things...I will be sticking to my commitment of under 70 bucks CDN...
YOU GOTTA THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BIG BOX STORE PEOPLE...
DIY stuff can save mucho bucks...HINT HINT

CAJUN: The reason for the descrepency in the exchange is we pay a TON of sales tax...15 percent in Ontario alone
 
Ok to throw a nother angle into this. I have a 2 gallon plexi tank that I made to mimic my 60 gallon tank. I even bent the front corners so that the front and sides are one piece (yeah I know I am a little touched in the head). I presently use it for my guppy fry, I have a heater and small underground filter (home made). I have been considering making a homemade canister filter to match my full size one on the big tank (like I said I am a little touched in the head ;) ) But I have been considering a betta lately, but will probably convert one of my 10 gallon tanks to a double tank and have two (we all know 2 bettas are better than 1). Now back to the original question how would you like to price a home made tank that I got all the materials for free. Would you like the cost of materials, or cost to have somebody make one, or just ball park it. I know it is getting technical but hey I just wanted to be one of the crowd ;) In all honesty I will only enter the contest if I find a cool betta by then. I could put one fancy male guppy in the tank but they seem real happy in the 60gal.
 
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