Is it possible to “cheat” in an acropora grow-out contest?

[Miami Reef]

This question is more for fun.

So, imagine this: you are a bodybuilder trying to compete in an all-natural bodybuilding competition. When they test you for anabolic steroid usage, you come back positive and, thus, are disqualified.

Now, let’s get back to Acropora and grow-out competitions: Is there any scenario in which doing something in a grow-out competition would be considered cheating?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I would personally feel fine doing anything Short of switching frags. As long as it's the same frag you received for the contest alls fair. Maybe there is something I'm unaware of.

 

[Asagi]

Halide

 

[Miami Reef]

Halide

Do you believe people using halide lighting shouldn’t be allowed to participate in grow-out competitions?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Do you believe people using halide lighting shouldn’t be allowed to participate in grow-out competitions?

I do, using that old technology should be outlawed! I'm mean it's unfair! They are making us all look bad....

 

[Miami Reef]

I would personally feel fine doing anything Short of switching frags. As long as it's the same frag you received for the contest alls fair. Maybe there is something I'm unaware of.

Yes. I love this answer. That’s a great example. Imagine someone tries switching a tiny frag into a very large colony in a day lol. It would be very obvious because monthly photos are required.

Are there other examples of fouls in a grow-out competition?

Shouldn’t “Reef Roids” be disqualified?

 

[Asagi]

Do you believe people using halide lighting shouldn’t be allowed to participate in grow-out competitions?

You should try Halide. Bulletproof

 

[Mschmidt]

There may be a way to splice dead skeleton between pieces of competition coral; like growing an encruster on a stylo corpse for the shape. When the comp frag starts encrusting it would cover the other skeleton. This probably wouldn't disqualify you, but may not help you either, as growth pattern is also a factor in judging.

You also run the risk of killing the frag entirely if you do that.

 

[bbak]

Besides switching frags, I feel like someone could photoshop their frag to be bigger and get away with it because, it's not like they have to show their winning frag in person. There are lots of people that are really good at photo editing, unfortunately in not one of them. Not sure there are to many other ways, that we know of yet.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Other than swapping a frag out for another one, or adding something to it, I can’t think of anything physically for the coral itself. There are ways to make acros grow, like cutting the tops off the branches. But it’s a gamble sometimes.

 

[GARRIGA]

Don't know but inviting Tom Brady to the competition would surely expose every plausible strategy

 

[D3DPrintedThingz]

a few small scale EMP power outages , located specifically around each competitor's house or business in the competition , on the same day the pictures need to be submitted....

 

[penguinexdeus]

Good growout contests have their rules laid out. But beyond swapping out the frag I don't think there's much you could do that would be considered cheating... maybe some really good photoshop or something.

That's the beauty of these constests... seeing everyone's different approaches, parameters, and how many ways there are to be successful

 

[Mschmidt]

a few small scale EMP power outages , located specifically around each competitor's house or business in the competition , on the same day the pictures need to be submitted....

You mean like holding someone's alk mix so theirs drops too far? He's in Alaska, what's he gonna do about it?

 

[Jasonak]

You mean like holding someone's alk mix so theirs drops too far? He's in Alaska, what's he gonna do about it?

Thank you again for shipping that up to me, My PH is back to normal again.

 

[Jasonak]

This question is more for fun.

So, imagine this: you are a bodybuilder trying to compete in an all-natural bodybuilding competition. When they test you for anabolic steroid usage, you come back positive and, thus, are disqualified.

Now, let’s get back to Acropora and grow-out competitions: Is there any scenario in which doing something in a grow-out competition would be considered cheating?

If there was steroids for corals we would be using them all the time
I think majority people are in it for fun. I dont know of anything outside of picture altering or swapping frags that would be considered cheating.
Like mentioned above its cool to see everyones parameters etc. Im impressed with the growth some people get. Just blows my mind.
My local fish store runs his nitrates at 40 which seems crazy to me but his stuff looks great.
Im always interested in everyone's setups, parameters etc.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Yes. I love this answer. That’s a great example. Imagine someone tries switching a tiny frag into a very large colony in a day lol. It would be very obvious because monthly photos are required.

Are there other examples of fouls in a grow-out competition?

Shouldn’t “Reef Roids” be disqualified?

Only if you use a syringe

 

[Battlecorals]

This question is more for fun.

So, imagine this: you are a bodybuilder trying to compete in an all-natural bodybuilding competition. When they test you for anabolic steroid usage, you come back positive and, thus, are disqualified.

Now, let’s get back to Acropora and grow-out competitions: Is there any scenario in which doing something in a grow-out competition would be considered cheating?

I got one! its a little diabolical but one could hypothetically make a "copy" of the ruler and scale it down.

 

[Reefer Matt]

I got one! its a little diabolical but one could hypothetically make a "copy" of the ruler and scale it down.

 

[Mschmidt]

Thank you again for shipping that up to me, My PH is back to normal again.

Sure thing.

I got one! its a little diabolical but one could hypothetically make a "copy" of the ruler and scale it down.