TOTM, why not Bi monthly, or weekly?...

Discussion in 'General Reef Topics' started by Todd_Sails, Apr 10, 2014.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. Todd_Sails

    Todd_Sails Giant Squid

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2011
    Messages:
    4,732
    Location:
    A Texan in S.E. Wisconsin
    Hello all, mods., etc.,
    I think I remember this being brought up about having a Tank of the MOnth maybe soon on 3Reef?
    However, wouldn't it be cool to have a weekly, of bi monthly award for this instead?

    I mean, TOTM- it's being done over on the Dark Side.
    In fact, a few months ago, they awarded someone who IMHO, never really had a very nice DT to begin with, had a crash, and started another tank- which also was not overly impressive- and he got TOTM for that! NO sour grapes here, no, no. ;-)

    But it would be nice if it were something like;
    -3Reef's DT of the week! An award which would basically help keep peoples pride in their DT. Think of it- 52 Awards a year!
    Is this hobby only for the filthy rich?

    I once started a thread about how to be TOTM over on the Dark Side, only to be told that if I wasn't using many of the sponsors products, and hadn't spent at least 10K on my DT- don't even think about it.
    Many of the replies were- oh, if you're nominating yourself- you won't win, and then most would also add- Nice DT you have there.


    Well, not that a $10K + DT isn't a nice DT, and a possible winner,
    how about more newbie types who have a nice set up- using sound advice, and are keeping healthy livestock and corals, etc?
    What about people who haven't written a book, or had a pump or device named after them? Might they still have a nice tank?

    This site can easily surpass that sites TOTM, with many of the DT's right here, right now.

    I would be more than happy to volunteer my time to spearhead this and get it rolling.

    Matt?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 10, 2014
  2. Click Here!

  3. kstafford003

    kstafford003 Feather Star

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2010
    Messages:
    769
    Location:
    Austin, TX
    Great suggestion to help showcase our tanks. Another good way to keep the community active. I think this would be fantastic, expecially if you are going to manage it as well :)
     
  4. FatBastad

    FatBastad Zoanthid

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2012
    Messages:
    1,133
    Location:
    MA
    BMSS

    Bi Monthly System Showcase

    52 tanks a year seems a bit excessive where 24 seems a bit more realistic for here.


    The other sites tanks of the month do seem prestigious for the most part, which, isn't necessarily entirely a bad thing to an extent. It would be silly and embarrassing to showcase a system that crashes not long after making it to the podium...
    You wouldn't want to say a new car has an excellent crash safety rating and then find out it explodes when it hit from the rear!

    But I do concur, it would be nice to showcase the well balanced average systems that a majority of us have.

    ~FB
     
  5. gcarroll

    gcarroll Zoanthid

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2010
    Messages:
    1,117
    Location:
    Anaheim Hills, CA
    I would much rather see something original rather than a rehash of what the other forums are doing. I enjoy 3Reef because it's not like the others. Its a combination of blog with a forum.

    If Matt adds something to the site, I would like him to continue bucking the trend. I feel we should come up with a unique showcase idea. Maybe something like "Reef Photo of the Week."
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2010
    Messages:
    19,652
    Location:
    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    It almost like you read my mind. :thumb_up:

    I always really liked the coral/invert/fish of the month.
     
  7. norg.

    norg. Kole Tang

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2009
    Messages:
    1,766
    Location:
    Muskego WI
    I would second Greg's statement. This way it allows some perspective and the some of the coolest tanks can be seen in multiple photos. IMO it would be better than just FTS pictures. Maybe doing something with video monthly or every other month would be cool too. Plus every forum has TOTM. 3reef isnt like every other forum and thats what makes it great.
     
  8. Click Here!

  9. Servillius

    Servillius Montipora Digitata

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2011
    Messages:
    1,062
    Location:
    Houston, Texas.
    Here's my suggestion. Do 12 catagories with one winner a year for each catagory (one catagory announced each month). If you can come up with 24 interesting catagories, do 2 awards a month.

    The idea is to simultaneously increase the number of interesting tanks we see and not dilute the quality of the tanks getting prizes (right, if we did 52 tanks, we might highlight some tanks that still need time before they really deserve to be TOTanything).

    Some catagory ideas in no particular order and with no particular preference.

    1. SPS reef.
    2. LPS reef.
    3. FOWLR
    4. Seahorses
    5. Seagrass
    6. NPS
    7. LED lit, or MH lit, or t5 lit.

    You get the idea.
     
  10. Matt Rogers

    Matt Rogers Kingfish

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2000
    Messages:
    13,466
    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    Hi all -

    I've posted on the supporter board about an 'aquarium showcase' I am considering for the new site. It is similar to TOTM. See below.

    If I go this route - or any of your suggested routes - I would speculate that the frequency would be monthly due to staffing.

    Who is the Dark Side anyway? :)

    matt

    [​IMG]
     
  11. FaceOfDeceit

    FaceOfDeceit Hockey Beard

    Joined:
    Jun 24, 2010
    Messages:
    2,076
    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    I like your idea Matt. And I would guess the 'Dark Side' is in reference to Reef Central.
     
  12. gcarroll

    gcarroll Zoanthid

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2010
    Messages:
    1,117
    Location:
    Anaheim Hills, CA
    Pictures are what drew me into this hobby. The whole thing is we want to increase the volume of photos that we see. I just don't think the website has a large enough population to support a TOTM long term. Another forum I am on did this and soon, they moved to tank of the quarter and now they just change the tank whenthey find a tank worthy. One tank was there for almost a year.

    Photo of the month allows even noobs to get involved. When there are great tanks on 3Reef, Matt does a good job of linking the thread to the homepage. If you see a thread that you feel needs a spotlight, just shoot Matt a PM. I know I have!