# talk about the DIY contest



## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

Aww found this post too late.. will there be another one for October or November?


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## ram50 (Sep 21, 2010)

SinCrisis said:


> Aww found this post too late.. will there be another one for October or November?


 
you still have time. The dead line is the end of the month!!!! Now get to it!!:-D


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

haha, the project I had in mind requires at least 2 weeks i think, i also need to do some research about how to bond acrylic panels safely for aquariums, so I dont think a week is gonna cut it :-/


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

thought this would be a good idea to have a thread for talk or questions about the DIY contest. this way the other thread stays open for entries only .. thanks all


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## iamgray (Jul 16, 2010)

Does a major overhaul/refurbishing count as DIY for this contest? Also, does it count as DIY if I designed things (specifically the lid) but didn't personally do the welding to put it together?


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

hmmm i would say yes if you could provide a method ofr design and a way to obtain a person to help you .... my only issue is really is it DIY if you dint do it???
over haul??? please be more specific... for example i had a major tank crash in my 29 gallon that resulted in an upgrade to a 50 gallon how ever the only "DIY" projects involved were the stand and the over flow not the transfer and all the work in aqua scaping..


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

Well I think I'm bowing out of this one ;-) I'm running out of time and really dont have the money right now, plus my new idea is going to take at least a month of research before I'm willing to give it a try.

Depending on the turn out you get for this one, might I suggest planning a contest like this quarterly like every 3 months or so.



iamgray said:


> Does a major overhaul/refurbishing count as DIY for this contest? Also, does it count as DIY if I designed things (specifically the lid) but didn't personally do the welding to put it together?


In my non-official opinion it would, as long as you are building/modifying something to be useful (or useful once again). With the lid I would say yes to because designing it is apart of making it plus there might be other people here with welding skills that would like to see what you had constructed and how! Of course these are just my opinions, bear is the master and commander!


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

zof said:


> bear is the master and commander!


if it were only so my friend.. 

hmmm quarterly huh??? i dont know let me bring that back to talk with te other mods and the admin and see how we vote on that one.. you make a valid point with time frame and all... i will post about the teams decision in the near future....


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

after putting forth the suggestion of having the contest run a bit longer the Team has decided that it is in fact a great idea!!! that said we will extend the dead line for this one until October 30th and start votes on November 1st.... 
a big thank you to zof for the recommendation and please folks continue to put those ideas forward....


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

Ohhhhh.... now im gonna get in this contest, I should be able to get it done in time...


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## greenkiwi (Sep 16, 2010)

SinCrisis said:


> Ohhhhh.... now im gonna get in this contest, I should be able to get it done in time...


Nice! :-D Welcome to the club.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

Ordered my stuff today, fyi for everyone here who works with or wants to work with acrylic, weld-on is a bit pricey and hard to find in stores, had to order mine online, 4 ounces of it was 6 bucks.


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## ram50 (Sep 21, 2010)

I like seeing all the projects that are popping up!! lets keep it up!!!!


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

we still have plenty of time for entries into the contest folks.... the more we have the better it gets...


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

18 days left o enter the DIY contest!!!!!


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

What happens if we do not complete our projects before the nd of this month? Do we get rated on how far we got or do we get disqualified? I was looking at what i want for my project and I am not so sure I will make the deadline. Work has been busier than usual and the reduced daylight hours make working on this difficult. :-/


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

let me look at your thread again (i understand busyness) and i will post later today on that....


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

unfortunately because this project is one (that is to say you are not doing two or more projects combined into one build) i would have to say that it would be put out of the running for this one but could be entered in the following contest... this would only be fair as i am sure once you are complete you will want to show off the whole project from start to finish... keep in mind it does not need to be in operation but it should be done and tested for issues...


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

Well i guess ill just try my best to finish this before the deadline.. It's gonna be tight...


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

i really an sorry man just trying to be fair about the whole thing.. you know? again if you are not able to complete for this one there is the next comp to enter into ....


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

OH i totally understand about the fairness thing. I figured it would be disqualified. There are just some good projects up for this competition and i want to see how i stack up against them.


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

once complete you are going to be a great competition for any who enter!! this project is very innovative and creative.. i can not wait to see it as you move forward...


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## ram50 (Sep 21, 2010)

Hope everyone is working hard to get there project done..... Not long left.


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

HA! All my stuff wont be here until the weekend! I only work good under pressure!!!!


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## ram50 (Sep 21, 2010)

zof said:


> HA! All my stuff wont be here until the weekend! I only work good under pressure!!!!


 
talk about being under the gun!!! I send all the luck and good karma your way!!


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

zof said:


> HA! All my stuff wont be here until the weekend! I only work good under pressure!!!!


Zof, I dont see an entry under your name, what are you making?


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

SinCrisis said:


> Zof, I dont see an entry under your name, what are you making?


:BIGweepy:I think I have ran out of time, I got 90% of my parts but I had to work this weekend so no time for assembly, plus I'm still having doubts about the 10% I don't have will work or not. So until I get that and test it can't go forward. Kinda peeves me I spent all this money and its just all sitting around in piles right now :-?

BTW I was trying to make a somewhat unique canister filter.


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## ram50 (Sep 21, 2010)

hey zof enter it into next months contest. i hope you do!! would love to see it


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## AaronCombs (Feb 26, 2010)

I'm retracking from this contest until further notice. I'm like Zof... he's working... I have to help my mother move... as well waiting if I'm moving or not. I don't want to get started with 1/2 the build then have to move it all with everything else I have. 

So I'll keep working on the design and getting advice for everything until I can build it. I apologize that I can't contend in this one. My wife is even excited about this project of mine.... lol... which says something haha. She's not a huge fan of my hobby .. too many tanks she says.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

yea i hear ya, im not gonna be able to finish mine either. Ive been trying to put in as much time as i can but between work and life i only have a few hours during the work week and not as many hours as i would like on the weekends.


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## AaronCombs (Feb 26, 2010)

even when I get my stand build, I have to test it which will probably be another month before I take down the tank to ensure the stand is strong enough, though I don't think it'll have issues (knock on wood).


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

i am sorry to see that some of you all wont be able to finish in time but i will move your entries to the new contest once it is set up so that you dont lose your spot.... 

happy building everyone!!!!


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

I have a question...

My Guide to a soil substrate aquarium COULD be viewed as a DIY topic... (Part 2,, anyway).

Can I enter it even though I posted it on the Aquarium Plants forum?


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

as long as it falls under the rules then yes .. this does not need to be a "new" project just a complete one that you have done and have a thread for (which you do!)
please by all means enter it....


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

now im kinda glad im not able to make the deadline for this competition since redchigh's guide is pretty darn good...


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

Um, I am still listed in the poll even though my project is incomplete...? Does this mean it will not apply to the next one?


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

no that means i forgot LOL ..... sorry i will move it to be reentered later this month....


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## iamgray (Jul 16, 2010)

This might be a dumb question... but am I still allowed to add extra pictures even though the contest is over/voting has started? The pictures are from before the contest ended, but I forgot my camera at work over the weekend so I couldn't post pics before October ended.


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

i dont have a problem with that.. but keep in mind those who have already cast votes will not be able to change them....


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## iamgray (Jul 16, 2010)

bearwithfish said:


> i dont have a problem with that.. but keep in mind those who have already cast votes will not be able to change them....


 
cool, thanks. Yeah, I'm not too worried about whether or not people can change votes, I just wanted to have the final "complete" picture with the bacterial bloom gone and some fish in the tank.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

Hey bear, is there a way to make the voting pop up or organized like the photo contests? Those show a photo of each picture, and i think the same could be done with the DIY projects, showing the final masterpiece and have it pop up when people browse like the photo contest. Would get lots more votes that way i think


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

LOL .. its kinda funny you brought that up.. the team and i were talking about this just today and at this moment the program we have available to generate the photo contest wont work for this type of contest... its because of the multiple links i believe.. that said i am working on trying a few new things out with the current program for regular posts and what editing abilities i have ....
one suggestion would be to make the "final post" have a pic that you want to show on the main contest entry .. i can then see if i can edit it into that post.. i have a spot i am testing this in now and if it works this would be available to those who enter....
i will keep you all posted as to if it can be done or not as i get all of the tests out of the way....


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

so i played around a bit and this is what we can do (if you all like we can add this to the rules for future contests)
the day of or the day before a contest ends each participant will make a post in their thread titled "final pic" and that pick can be moved to their enty in the contest thread by a moderator (typically myself) ...... if that works for every one let me know and i will amend the rules for the next contest .....


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

yes that would be great, although the work put into the these projects should be represented as much as the final product i dont think voters will have the time to really read through each worklog thread anyway.


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

i would hope that they do take the time to read through.... not only to hopefully inspire some folks to take up the tools and make something or make something better but to help folks explore the potential issues with a build.... i can say from my own experience seeing other peoples builds and struggles helped to work out some of my own issues with various plans in the past... if they dont well i guess that is really a loss to them but for those who worked at the project and for those who are going to attempt them i think the write up and the posting of issues along with solutions (or failures) is incredibly valuable....
not saying you disagree in any way i am just writing for those following along who may take an interest...


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

No i totally agree with you, but its unlikely that every voter will actually read the logs. IE, looking at rechigh's log, i know my setup will now be a soil setup so im debating if i should skip the filter which will greatly impact how other parts of my tank will be modded. since now i will have tons of space if i skip it and my water circulation will be much more manageable.

Perhaps someone can create a subfolder in this forum category for completed logs and a mod can move the worklog minus the comments and close them in the thread so people and look over them in the future to get ideas without having to go through all the comments and suggestions. I mod computer cases too and thats what they setup their forums as.


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

i hear ya but at this time i thin kleaving them in adds a little something to the over all atmosphere ..... it shows all angels....


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

true, but it also discourages people from reading them when theres only 5 or 6 posts of actual work but theres 5 pages to work through because of comments and suggestions. Anyway, i plan to read all the original threads for each project anyway as im always looking for new ways to improve my mods and sometimes people offer up great suggestions that arent used.


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## ram50 (Sep 21, 2010)

for this new contest well we start the thread in the same one we did with this past one our will there be a new one started. I've alread got a new project to start on!!


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

make your thread up and on the 16th i will be creating the new contest thread... so folks dont get confused .... remind people to vote only 3 days left


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

ram50 said:


> for this new contest well we start the thread in the same one we did with this past one our will there be a new one started. I've alread got a new project to start on!!


You animal!!!


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

zof said:


> you animal!!!


+1 lol


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

I vote we start a new thread to talk about the new competition, it will become a pain when this thread reaches 20 pages, maybe even lock this one down for historical reference. Btw congrats green, it was quite an interesting idea you had that worked out really well.


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

Zof - what would i do with out you??? LOL will create each one with the months listed like the contest... and edit the link give me a few minutes to get it done!!!!!!!!!!!


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## zof (Apr 23, 2010)

:-D My goal in life is to make life easier, so these things just naturally occur to me :-D


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

:yourock::notworthy::notworthy:


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