What would be some fun aquascape contests we could run on Reef2Reef?

[Daniel@R2R]

I've been thinking about different ideas for how we could hold aquascaping contests on R2R. What are some ideas you guys have for how this could work? What are some things we could do? What are some things we should NOT do? Give us some of your best ideas!

 

[Doctor Derp]

First place goes to whoever figures out how to safely ship a pre-built 'scape consistently

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Here's just a few ideas off the top of my head: Best minimal aquascape, best use of space, most unique aquascape, or maybe a most covered aquascape (like one that is filled with coral etc..)

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Any other ideas?

 

[JonoH]

Best overhang/ cantilever

 

[Katrina71]

Most original scape, best DIY rock, vertical scapes, back wall scapes, and maybe innovative scapes using recycled or upcycled objects.

 

[DartTanks]

How about "best beginner build" starting with similar-ish rocks (20 or 40 lbs) and what you can do in ~2 hours tops?

 

[Readywriter]

I'll contribute some possible contest themes:
-Floating islands
-most obnoxious use of sand
-replica of a real place
-unconventionally unique scape

 

[tbrown]

Best Pile of Rocks

 

[Readywriter]

Do a themed contest just to get people to make butt awful aquascapes. Bridge pylons.

 

[Readywriter]

Do a themed contest just to get people to make butt awful aquascapes. Bridge pylons.

Uh I just googled to make sure I spelled pylon correctly and saw that there was a major incident involving a bridge in baltimore. I've been pretty sarcastic lately so I just want to say that post was not intended as some sort of joke about that.

 

[tbrown]

Do a themed contest just to get people to make butt awful aquascapes. Bridge pylons.

 

[JoJosReef]

Best Pile of Rocks

 

[KrisReef]

Setting up a “scape” is similar to doing the plumbing on a build. Once it is installed you test it and then move on to the next steps of cycling adding fish & coral monitoring parameters etc.

Not sure how you can include reefers who have already set up their scape unless you are judging finished products, or only dealing with people who are in the process of making a new scape that they can tune up to compete on the parameter(s) of the contest?

Unless you have a “Fail-Scape” contest where folks explain what they hoped to achieve and provide images of what they ended up with?

Otherwise you will just have another beauty contest where folks with the most eye candy will get all the attention.

I was just in a well known reef shop and they had a coral that was getting covered with Cyanobacteria amongst many other high quality specimens that were all otherwise healthy and thriving. Careful photography of the tank could have made it the envy of the internet or the bane of reefer hood if I focused upon the bacteria issue. I took no pictures because I know keeping a reef perfect is impossible and I think that the scape contest would be difficult to arrange and avoid another beauty contest.

Good luck, it might be fun.