Tank of the *** 2024 and beyond

[robmcd]

I prefer gouda.

 

[Gatorhunter 1919]

+1

 

[MrPythonSS12]

+1 tho

 

[koltsixx]

It’s all happening now C Chicxulub is back on the scene.
Maybe a contest every 2nd month that can be a tank, a photo or a fish?
It seems like 2 months is enough time to get some entries in and by removing the criteria of either a tank or a photo it doesn’t restrict anyone who wants to try their luck. I always thought photo of the month favours someone with a nice camera as opposed to a crappy old phone.

if a notification could be sent reminding people to enter it might help with the amount of entries too.

I always found the Tank of the Month contest a bit limiting since most people only have a few tanks or even just one. It would therefore make sense to reduce the frequency of the competition in order to have more participation per competition. But I think every 3 or 4 months is better than just once a year.

You could also do just one per year and have 4 additional categories corresponding to the most visited subforums:
-Ancient Fish
- Cichlids
- Bottom Dwellers
-Other Monster Fish
But I understand that this would at least require a little more work for the moderator, as he has to check whether the images fit the category.

I had been thinking of doing a category based POTM, so the idea of making that its own contest sounds like a good idea to me.
Say it were “characin of the month,” users could email a picture, the fish’s size, age, and species. You’d basically be voting on both the pic itself as well as how well the keeper did getting it to that point.

I really feel Ogertron3000 , Milingu and Deadeye ideas. It all depends on how much Deadeye and whoever else would be involved feels they can handle comfortably. Tank of the Month Quarterly? Every third month. I also really like the suggestion by Milingu to have one for the different primary subforums. I think that could play into Ogertron3000 secondary suggestion as well as the pics could not be so much about just the pic but the quality of the fish featured which is a good reflection on the member keeping it. People who don't have good cameras, etc can also compete with their most impressive wet pet.

 

[McSpuds]

How about going to "Tank of the Quarter" and trying this for a 3 month event? Year is too long and one is maybe too soon. Try the middle?

 

[jjohnwm]

I've got no business voicing an opinion regarding a contest I'll never enter, but...wouldn't it be a lot easier if there were simply one contest per month, and then one yearly winner, with no categories or subcategories or restrictions? Complete free-for-all, with only one rule: the photo must be in some way aquarium-related. Aside from that, anything goes; fish pics, tank pics, fish room pics, filter pics, plant pics, pond pics, you name it. If it has any relevance to the aquarium hobby, it's fair game.

Deadeye has been doing a great job of keeping this ball rolling, so he can be entrusted with the veto regarding those pics that are marginal in terms of acceptabiity. There's always going to be somebody who tries to break/bend/flex the rules a bit, but I think that most people will behave reasonably.

The benefit, IMHO, would be simplicity. Any time that someone happens to get a great shot...whether it's taken with a pro-grade camera and careful preparation and staging, or simply is a lucky grab taken with a cell phone...that pic can immediately be entered for that month's contest. No waiting for the next XXX-of-the-month, no fretting about categories...just look at the pic, say to yourself "I like it!" and send in the entry. Voting and everything else would remain as it is now.

This simplicity would...I think...increase the number of entrants. Or not? I mean, I've been wrong before...

 

[Deadeye]

A bit late but my opinion on the matter:

As you all know I’m somewhat lax with the rules (as long as it’s not a flagrant violation). I don’t have a problem with people submitting tanks to POTM. It was always meant to be anything aquatic. People usually just do fish, but I don’t care if it’s a turtle, coral, shrimp, or penguin (the latter of which I’ve either submitted or at least considered doing so). As long as the picture is your own, it’s fine by me. Aquariums are totally fine too, but may have trouble competing (more later).
My problem with one catch-all contest, however, is that it would be difficult to judge. In a POTM contest, you’re voting for the nicest photo, whether lighting, timing, clarity, etc.. A very well framed shot of an aquarium can certainly win, but it would be rare. At least my opinion on a TOTM, scape is most important. It doesn’t have to be the greatest photo (though that goes a long way), but it does have to be a good looking tank to win. You can have the most aesthetically pleasing tank, but if it isn’t as good as the best taken picture of a log (sorry - bichir), it wouldn’t win. Even comparing tanks can be tough. We’re freshwater oriented here, but to an outside observer, the world’s best planted tank with the rarest fish falls short of a poorly done reef setup (because pretty corals and clownfish).

 

[Midwater]

As you all know I’m somewhat lax with the rules

Just stop there, that's enough.