Re: contest basics

["Mortimer Snerd" <n9720235@cc.wwu.edu>]

> Limits:  Will the competition be limited to freshwater planted tanks?

I'm thinking that that would make sense, seeing as the idea for the contest
originated on the APD.  Also, how do you eliminate the bias most of us
probably have towards plant tanks when it comes time to judge, say, a reef
tank.  It seems to me that part of the idea behind this contest is to
promote the concept of the planted tank in the US.

> Endorsement:  We've referred to this a an AGA contest, with lots of
> references to AGA membership, ownership and so on.  Has AGA made any
> actual move to endorsing a contest?  This contest?  Maybe that should be
> resolved.

Either way, any proceeds left over after shipping or whatever should be
donated to the AGA.  Do we have any important AGA people on this list?

> For starters, maybe we can use a
> name that doesn't stress the competition.

I like this idea.  I think the competition aspect is important, because it
seems more likely to get people to participate.  However, I think that we
should try our level best to keep things of a "doing this for fun" level, so
that we don't scare away many of the people that don't feel their tanks
could ever have a chance at competeing against those of the APD
heavyweights.  No or inexpensive prizes strike me as a good way to further
this.  If we keep the stakes low, people are more likely to be mellow about
things.

On a final note, what kind of timeline are we looking at for a final
submission date.  I don't know about anyone else, but I recently set my tank
up and am still working out several points in the aquascaping I don't like.
I suspect there are many people who are more likely to make submissions if
they have at least a month to get their tanks in shape.  While such a long
timeline does open it up to those people that may simply set up a tissue
paper tank for the contest, I think those submissions are valuable anyway
for the ideas they present.  To me, at least, this would be more about what
people are capable of conceiving and producing, even if it is in the short
term.

Justin Collins, who apologizes for the long post.