Buying from local reefers or LFS

[Stephen8169301]

Curious would you rather buy coral from a local person and help support that persons addiction or from a LFS to help support the shop. I would feel you get more bang for your buck from a local hobbyist then local shop but get stuck in the middle because you want to help the store

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I am New to reefing, spank $$$$$$$$ at **c. Then was introduced to someone who has a garage full of classic coral. Two people can barely fit at a time lol! They have frag tanks stacked floor to ceiling. I'm getting colonies at a fraction of the price of a small frag or head. I will only buy elsewhere if she doesn't have a special coral I'm looking for, but I didn't think that will happen anytime soon

 

[Hemmdog]

Local reefers are a much better deal, and you can potentially make a new friend

 

[vetteguy53081]

With the crazy prices and cost of shipping if applicable, My first choice is always local and I just stocked an entire 400g from a near local person at huge fraction of retail/frag costs

Under $500

 

[Stephen8169301]

Local reefers are a much better deal, and you can potentially make a new friend

@Hemmdog Couldn’t agree more with this

 

[Stephen8169301]

With the crazy prices and cost of shipping if applicable, My first choice is always local and I just stocked an entire 400g from a near local person at huge fraction of retail/frag costs

Under $500

Incredible!

 

[Stephen8169301]

I am New to reefing, spank $$$$$$$$ at **c. Then was introduced to someone who has a garage full of classic coral. Two people can barely fit at a time lol! They have frag tanks stacked floor to ceiling. I'm getting colonies at a fraction of the price of a small frag or head. I will only buy elsewhere if she doesn't have a special coral I'm looking for, but I didn't think that will happen anytime soon

@Cichlid Dad thats an awesome find I’m still exploring the people around me maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to find something similar

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Incredible!

Maybe we should stop this thread before too many people figure this out and we have to start paying retail prices from our local reefers! LOL!

 

[Cichlid Dad]

@Cichlid Dad thats an awesome find I’m still exploring the people around me maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to find something similar

The greatest part is she ran a local reef store prior and practices same care if not better than I've seen In brick and mortar!

 

[Stephen8169301]

Maybe we should stop this thread before too many people figure this out and we have to start paying retail prices from our local reefers! LOL!

@Cichlid Dad haha I hope not I need them for the prices! This hobby will make me broke!

 

[Cthulukelele]

I need to meet more local reefers in North Carolina.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Curious would you rather buy coral from a local person and help support that persons addiction or from a LFS to help support the shop. I would feel you get more bang for your buck from a local hobbyist then local shop but get stuck in the middle because you want to help the store

I'm lucky to have an awesome lfs that always has awesome corals at great prices, but I usually purchase the most from local reefers at frag fests a couple times a year. I'll spend a few hundred bucks in one day, but go home with some amazing deals and WAY more pieces than if I bought the same things online or in a store. Here and there I'll also shop online though from a couple vendors I have had good experience with. Actually there is one I order a lot from. But I really prefer to support hobbyists and hobbyists- turned- business- owners when at all possible. I've found they often sell bigger frags as well.