Advice needed for Reef-A-Palooza newbies

[SkipperBill]

Hello,

My wife and I are registered to attend Reef-A-Palooza in Chicago later this month. It will be the first reefing event of any sort that we have attended. We have two-day tickets and are wondering about the procedural aspects of purchasing corals or other livestock at the event. If we see something on day one that we like, will vendors typically hold the coral until the second day? Do people just buy the corals as they go and keep them alive throughout the event? Any suggestions for best practices and what is typical would be a big help.

Thanks!
Bill

 

[Funston07]

Hello,

My wife and I are registered to attend Reef-A-Palooza in Chicago later this month. It will be the first reefing event of any sort that we have attended. We have two-day tickets and are wondering about the procedural aspects of purchasing corals or other livestock at the event. If we see something on day one that we like, will vendors typically hold the coral until the second day? Do people just buy the corals as they go and keep them alive throughout the event? Any suggestions for best practices and what is typical would be a big help.

Thanks!
Bill

Haven't been to reef-a-palooza but usually any events that are multiple days vendors will hold purchases you have made until the final day. Hope you have a great time, hear nothing but good things about the event itself. Make sure you take a cooler with you to bring everything home with you after its all over.

 

[Staghorn]

Make sure you take a cooler full of cash.

 

[SkipperBill]

Haven't been to reef-a-palooza but usually any events that are multiple days vendors will hold purchases you have made until the final day. Hope you have a great time, hear nothing but good things about the event itself. Make sure you take a cooler with you to bring everything home with you after its all over.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Dvanlier05]

Hello,

My wife and I are registered to attend Reef-A-Palooza in Chicago later this month. It will be the first reefing event of any sort that we have attended. We have two-day tickets and are wondering about the procedural aspects of purchasing corals or other livestock at the event. If we see something on day one that we like, will vendors typically hold the coral until the second day? Do people just buy the corals as they go and keep them alive throughout the event? Any suggestions for best practices and what is typical would be a big help.

Thanks!
Bill

Yes most will hold them for you if you explain your situation and are happy to.
I would also take a picture of the purchased coral just incase any mix ups happen and for record of what you bought already. There is so much to see and new products to learn about. Have fun and don't let your wife talk you into going to Michigan Ave for some shopping, you need the money for corals.

 

[SkipperBill]

Yes most will hold them for you if you explain your situation and are happy to.
I would also take a picture of the purchased coral just incase any mix ups happen and for record of what you bought already. There is so much to see and new products to learn about. Have fun and don't let your wife talk you into going to Michigan Ave for some shopping, you need the money for corals.

Thanks! I need to prepared in every way possible. ;-)

 

[shakacuz]

i went to RAP NY this year and brought a cooler with me. as i walked around i put the corals in the cooler. i was about an hour away so i figured bringing a cooler was a good idea. what i was unprepared for was the costs! i saw so many things i liked and wanted, some stuff were cheap some expensive. it’s good you’re going early so you may find the good stuff first! just be ready to THOUROUGHLY dip, inspect and even QT what you buy. i had a small strain of bryopsis make its way into my tank even after dipping.

 

[SkipperBill]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Shakacuz!

 

[Reef A Palooza Texas Verified Sponsor]

Hello,

My wife and I are registered to attend Reef-A-Palooza in Chicago later this month. It will be the first reefing event of any sort that we have attended. We have two-day tickets and are wondering about the procedural aspects of purchasing corals or other livestock at the event. If we see something on day one that we like, will vendors typically hold the coral until the second day? Do people just buy the corals as they go and keep them alive throughout the event? Any suggestions for best practices and what is typical would be a big help.

Thanks!
Bill

Hi Bill,
Early welcome to Reef-A-Palooza to you and your wife. When making a coral purchase make sure that you are clear on what the vendor policy is for holding corals as well as what payment method each individual vendor excepts since it can vary from vendor to vendor. We have found over the years that most vendors do take credit cards and most will hold the coral in their tank for you to pick up next day. Also plan to stay late for the raffles. They are scheduled both days at 5:30PM and the prizes are amazing.

 

[ShrimpBandit]

Thanks for asking! I'm also a reef event newbie and the Chicago RAP will be my first time going. Is there programming all day, or is it basically just an expo-style thing? I can't find a schedule of speakers or presentations.

I'm planning on bringing a cooler and battery-powered aerator (I'll have a 7-8 hour drive home), but I'm mostly looking at this as a recon mission for next year. I have a FO tank, but am mid-build on my first reef tank (finally have all the parts, now to assemble!). My plan is to make the FO tank into a QT once I can move my existing fish and shrimp, crabs, etc.to the new setup. Bringing home my first coral this weekend is probably a really terrible idea, right? Right?