Livestock Budget Increase Poll (Contest Members Only)

[rocketlily]

Would the contest then be open to people who like the new budget but originaly did not join because of the old limit? Would those not in favor of of a budget change (if it was to be voted in) be allowed to leave the contest due to the change in rules, with a refund of entry dues?

I really have to think about this, as I am sure some people, including myself, sat down and thought about the original budget and what they could achieve before signing up for the competition. If I had thought in the beginning that I couldn't do a tank for $300, I would not have entered.

I would have thought that those who alloted a major portion of their budget for equipment would have realized that it left very little for livestock. Changing the rules seems to me to be rewarded people for bad budgeting.

Quote: "I've done the best I can to alter this contest for fit into our forum here on Canreef, but the fact is that not everyone will be happy with the contest rules as they've been established. If you don't think that you can participate under the established guidelines, then your time and $$ is probably best spent on a tank that you truly will enjoy and keep in the long run."

If this change in budget happens, when will the next change be voted on and when do we stop the changes?

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by rocketlily

If this change in budget happens, when will the next change be voted on and when do we stop the changes?

Rules change, this is true for every part of life. This is a good idea but never done before therefore I think everyone is learning as we go. I think increasing the budget will prevent people from cheating and producing fake receipts, plus it will produce a better variety of livestock and a little more freedom in the competition. If you budgeted for $300 nothing has changed, you don't have to use the full budget.

I've done the best I can to alter this contest for fit into our forum here on Canreef, but the fact is that not everyone will be happy with the contest rules as they've been established. If you don't think that you can participate under the established guidelines, then your time and $$ is probably best spent on a tank that you truly will enjoy and keep in the long run.

Not sure if this quote helps or hurts your argument.

[Ryan_Lap]

Spend the money or dont. If the budget is indeed raised to $450......o well I guess thats just more options on filling the tank with coral or whatever else you need. Even with the budget possibly going up I may not spend it all as other may not aswell, but its always nice to have a bit of a cushion.

[Chaloupa]

I'm kinda with Rocketlilly...if my budget had been bigger I might have gone for a MH on my tank...but couldn't with the budget so bought a brand new fixture that I might not have otherwise bought. I thought the challenge was to have a budgeted amt. and work with that...yep, it will be tough....but doable? Absolutely! Could I work with more money, yes.....do I want to have that and waste the way I've tried to go already....not so sure. I'm gonna be thinkin on it too.

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by Chaloupa

I'm kinda with Rocketlilly...if my budget had been bigger I might have gone for a MH on my tank...but couldn't with the budget so bought a brand new fixture that I might not have otherwise bought. I thought the challenge was to have a budgeted amt. and work with that...yep, it will be tough....but doable? Absolutely! Could I work with more money, yes.....do I want to have that and waste the way I've tried to go already....not so sure. I'm gonna be thinkin on it too.

We're all in the same boat, I may have done things different to but having the extra money for livestock still works to your advantage.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I voted for $100 more, but I'm fine with any decision.

[JDigital]

Originally Posted by michika

Should I be voting?

Nope.

Originally Posted by rocketlily

Would the contest then be open to people who like the new budget but originaly did not join because of the old limit? Would those not in favor of of a budget change (if it was to be voted in) be allowed to leave the contest due to the change in rules, with a refund of entry dues?

I really have to think about this, as I am sure some people, including myself, sat down and thought about the original budget and what they could achieve before signing up for the competition. If I had thought in the beginning that I couldn't do a tank for $300, I would not have entered.

I would have thought that those who alloted a major portion of their budget for equipment would have realized that it left very little for livestock. Changing the rules seems to me to be rewarded people for bad budgeting.

Quote: "I've done the best I can to alter this contest for fit into our forum here on Canreef, but the fact is that not everyone will be happy with the contest rules as they've been established. If you don't think that you can participate under the established guidelines, then your time and $$ is probably best spent on a tank that you truly will enjoy and keep in the long run."

If this change in budget happens, when will the next change be voted on and when do we stop the changes?

This is the one and only change I am putting up for vote. Like I said in my original post, some people think its a good idea, and I know others entered the contest based on the original budget.

If members are going to drop out of the contest because of this change, then I will shut this poll down, and we'll stay where we are at. There also won't be any changes made to others entering the contest. It was a headache to keep track of everyones payments the first time, I'm not doing it again.

This increase is only for Livestock. It's not meant for extra equipment and such.

Originally Posted by Chaloupa

I'm kinda with Rocketlilly...if my budget had been bigger I might have gone for a MH on my tank...but couldn't with the budget so bought a brand new fixture that I might not have otherwise bought. I thought the challenge was to have a budgeted amt. and work with that...yep, it will be tough....but doable? Absolutely! Could I work with more money, yes.....do I want to have that and waste the way I've tried to go already....not so sure. I'm gonna be thinkin on it too.

Again, This increase is for Livestock Only. It shouldn't affect how we have built our tanks up to this point.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Originally Posted by JDigital

Again, This increase is for Livestock Only. It shouldn't affect how we have built our tanks up to this point.

Just playing devil's advocate here (and because I understand Chaloupa's point), but the original budget didn't differentiate between money spent on hardware and money spent on livestock, did it? It only stated that you had $300. So if I chose to spend $200 on a light, I'd have $100 left for fish & corals....but if someone else spent $50 on a light, they'd have $250 left. Correct? So how do you say it's only for livestock when the $300 wasn't initially divided into hardware/livestock, and so on?

[rocketlily]

Quote "Again, This increase is for Livestock Only. It shouldn't affect how we have built our tanks up to this point."

So if we went with expensive equipment to start, we now would have extra to spend on stock, but if we went thrifty on our equipement to start to allow ourselves with extra funds for livestock and our tank is now full, we cannot upgrade or add better equipment?

[sphelps]

This latest point is mostly my fault I made the suggestion originally for the extra money to be for livestock only. However that's basically impossible since only one budget exists and it includes both equipment and livestock. So unless JDigital has something else in mind the only way to do this increase would be to increase the one and only budget which is for both equipment and livestock, but the idea was to allow for more livestock not equipment.

I also agree that if people really feel that strongly about the initial budget that they'll quit the contest we should forget about the increase. Honestly the idea was to benefit all equally and although I might argue with you all to the death if in the end you still feel no increase should take place then I guess the only fair result will be to keep things as originally decided. But remember despite some of the previous arguments this is for fun and try and think of the other people in the contest rather than just yourselves.