Why isn't there more demand on trading Frags!

[thirty6]

never have gone to a swap and dont think I ever will, its not a swap, its convention with a door fee and from what I read, very expensive frags in many instances.

I will never remember the names of anything.

Tried trading but realized many that trade are looking trade pieces that are not of equal or less than optimal health.

i understand your thinking on this. i cant speak for the MR swaps because the one in NOV is normally on or near my wifes birthday and i have not made it to the other ones. I did go to the one in edison last spring/summer and it was good. small fee at door and in return you go gc vouchers to fosters/smith. the vendors were for the most part priced reasonably, some higher than others of course. I liked the fact that i was surrounded by mini fish stores and they were all in one place. someday ill get to check out the mr swap and say hello to the people here and chat in person for a change. if you think about it were all warped slightly as majority of people would think were out of our minds so a convo with some fellow reef peeps is nice once in awhile

 

[jackson6745]

i know, im totally into the hype. If its ugly i dont buy it only what my eyes tend to like.

:thrash::thrash::thrash::thrash::thrash:

 

[kres1024]

:thrash::thrash::thrash::thrash::thrash:

Colonies rule!!!

 

[FocusReefing]

I personally dont have frags to trade yet, but how would one start trading if they dont have anything rare or uncommon to trade? I imagine most of the popular frags up for trade are already had by most... correct me if im wrong. As for coral prices/names they are as ridiculous as these so called "designer" clown fish that have popped up. $200+ for ocellaris clowns seems a bit much!

 

[Jenna X]

These are valid points thus far.
Personally I find scheduling the biggest issue with trading. Life happens and having a lfs to go to is more convenient: knowing that they have healthy corals/fishes. What I've learned is that it seems, more often than not it's better to trade with fellow reefers you've been acquainted with.

 

[Pseudo]

I only sell frags maybe once a year. Often times I give them away for ridiculous prices or free. If I set a price on a coral it will be because of a few factors. 1. Initial purchase price 2. Time spent growing out coral (ESV Bionic, carbon, GFO Fish food and my time maintaining my tank are factors)

I never sell nubs. I never sell infested corals (I might give them to friends ) And I always try to think like a hobbyist first.

Trading I do with friends because they are thinking like "Friends" and not someone trying to get the best deal.

 

[Dre]

Things and time have changed. We have the web we can research anything people don't have to meet unless to trade. With all this new tech. the hobby is growing fast. There are more people coming in now than ever before young and old therefore more selling less trade. Have you noticed, there are more venders than members on here lately? People would trade more if the trade is worthwhile. Most of the stuff members here trade these days, seasoned reefers already have it or don't care to own it. Some wouldn't even consider take curtaint corals for free.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

I am the same way. I prefer to trade but since my tank is fairly new and still going through several updates. my coral collection is dwarf compared to others. I think moat people are the same and someone who has been in longer or more established already have the frags that the newer reefer may be trading with.

 

[Dre]

Oh, and there is nothing wrong with selling. Hobby or no hobby you better believe that. Trade, buy, sell and give away is all part of the hobby not just this one. If there are buyers there are sellers. That's how it goes. As for me, i buy, sell, trade and give away. It doesn't bother me either way..

 

[piranhapat]

I met people and actually got into SPS threw trade market. Yes, expensive hobby but its part of my life now and I look at it as other expense. Older and wiser and married. I find myself not throwing my dollars at T bar any more. Some how it still goes to fish......

 

[BioMan]

AS a newbie everything I read was somewhat enlightening. It's like these things grow in the ocean and you want to sell them for 10000$ a polyp!! I bit my lip and bought 2 Rasta polyps for 20$ each (wife thinks they're a buck) and I just liked the color, but a month later I've got 8 heads glued to this little disk I laugh to think do I have 160$,,no,, I rather people glue these things to little pieces of live rock so I can "set it and forget it" and keep building my tank!

 

[Rob&Gab]

BioMan, You always have to do your research when buying polyps. One person can try to sell it to you for 100$ a polyp mean while there only 40$. always make sure, When i was New i bought a freaking seafoam paly cause i thought it looked cool for 10$, i remember who i bought it from too and he let me buy it.. :/ wish you never DID THAT TOO ME! lol. but anyways. When your new you like everything. when your IN the game tfor a while you still like everything but not as much.

Just keep an eye out for market prices there are some people that will try to get over on you. and some people that will do nice for you. But that's awesome. How long ago did you buy your Rasta frag? 2-8Heads already is FAST!

the market right now for rastas range from 5-15$pp at the most.

 

[Ralphy4321]

I am new here I don't have anything to swap. So I usually pay money for everything I bought here.

 

[prattreef]

I am very old school and remember, as do a few others in this thread, that the idea of selling frags was viewed with scorn. If you were fortunate enough to have coral growing well enough to be in a position to frag it, you did so and happily gave it away.

For me, there are really only 2 reasons to frag a healthy coral:
1) because is so grown in it needs to be pruned for the health of the colony or a neighboring colony.
2) Because you want to share some of it with a friend.

The LE designer collector craze is a corollary hobby to the one I know and practice, and sadly ( to me at least) it is now the dominate part of the hobby--vendor and $$$ driven. If that is what gives you enjoyment, it is fine with me, but some of us prefer to see how beautiful a fully grown colony can get and how a tank full of fully grown colonies can pull together into a unified whole rather than worry about the market value of the individual pieces or individual polyps.

 

[Rob&Gab]

I am very old school and remember, as do a few others in this thread, that the idea of selling frags was viewed with scorn. If you were fortunate enough to have coral growing well enough to be in a position to frag it, you did so and happily gave it away.

For me, there are really only 2 reasons to frag a healthy coral:
1) because is so grown in it needs to be pruned for the health of the colony or a neighboring colony.
2) Because you want to share some of it with a friend.

The LE designer collector craze is a corollary hobby to the one I know and practice, and sadly ( to me at least) it is now the dominate part of the hobby--vendor and $$$ driven. If that is what gives you enjoyment, it is fine with me, but some of us prefer to see how beautiful a fully grown colony can get and how a tank full of fully grown colonies can pull together into a unfired whole rather than worry about the market value of the individual pieces or individual polyps.

well said on that. But just a question here. If the person is not worrying about the market value of a poly/SPS then how is he/she gonna no the value of that piece to buy it? will she/he get ripped off? buy at there own liking cause it is nice so spend the money? or look around the value of that piece?

 

[rookie07]

Randy (prattreef) was saying that he wants to grow a coral frag into a colony and let it get as big as his tank can handle (based on placement and surrounding corals), not to grow a few polyps and worry about how much the polyps are worth now after the new growth. Just let the coral growww!!!!!!

 

[piranhapat]

If you don't know value of something you are about to buy. Would be pretty shame on you for not at least knowning what it goes for. Little lost on that but I think I understand what you were trying to say.

 

[rookie07]

I started out with a 5 polyp frag, grew it to this:

.
I have the white tiles there to stop it from growing into the overflow (once the tiles are full I remove them and sell them as frags, this is the only fragging I ever do to this coral).

After more time passed, the coral got to this point (I just took a pic this very minute & granted it's 1:30 and the polyps are all closed you will still get the idea)....grow it out!

I will only frag to prevent the coral growing into the overflow or to atop them from out growing another coral.

 

[piranhapat]

What has happen to Frag Swapper 1. No one is selling frags or coral anymore from here?

 

[troywalkerphoto]

Its funny. This thread comes up every couple of months with the same ppl saying this or testifying to that. Basically its up to each member of the hobby to create a circle. I have a Harlem thread for trades bcuz I want to know who is near me and who I might be able to call on in a pinch. I also hate having to drive here or there for what turns out to be a sales pitch as opposed to a just a trade option.

Selling is good as the hobby costs and the additives and upgrades are not cheap. On the flip side there are ppl who for whatever reason think coral is gold. I avoid them. Call me cheap. I am. I Frankenstein stuff to suit my needs all the time and I would never pay full or close to full boat on a used item. Its just not smart. Hell for that you might as well go to the worst LFS and let them hold your wallet.

Trading is good as it takes the power from the LFS and drives down prices. I trade as often as possible coral for coral, coral for equipment, etc.
I strive to be as fair as possible and try to exceed expectations and here and there.
I pay it forward with a freebie here or there.


Its up to us! Don't wait for swap meets where the vendors are hawking their wares, START YOUR OWN!
Now get out there and start a swap thread for your zip code, hood, borough, city, state, and planet!
On a different note. could we please start using and reusing small Tupperware containers for trades? Im guilty but I think that if we do this as a group maybe we can cut down on the plastic waste, the smothered coral, and the drips/wet spots on the floor, car seats, etc.
Nothing I hate more than a sloppy bag job!