Frag Swap; Frag tank setup question

[Secret Asian Man]

I will be setting up my first frag tank for an upcoming local swap.




I'm thinking about putting all my frags on 2 racks that came with the display frag tank in a bagged Styrofoambox filled with existing tank water as for the transport part. I was wondering if most folks use existing tank water or fresh mix water for the display frag tank?


The frag swap will be about 5hrs total. I invested in a 20x20x8 frag tank AIO, Reef Breeder Lux set at 40%, 1 return pump Cobalt MJ1200, heater, and a Jebao WP 10 for circulation. Do you guys think I need anything else? I figure I won't need a skimmer or placed any live rock in it since its just a temporary setup. Please correct me if I'm wrong about that.


Thank you in advance for your input.

 

[mike oglesby]

Following

 

[jgraz]

Don't worry about the jaebo. Chances are it gonna be over the top and you want people to be able to see into the tank from top. So as little water movement as possible for that the return pump will be more then enough. Bring about twice as much water as you will need to fill the frag tank. What I did is i made a rack for the frag tank that just so happened to fit inside a cooler. That way all I had to do was pull the rack from the cooler and place it in the tank. Use existing tank water from your DT for the swap. Both for transport and setup at the swap. You don't want newly made water for this at all. And don't use the transport water for the frag tank either. Chances are its gonna get all cloudy. Cloudy water is a fine way to make people pass you by. Ultimately and above all else have fun. I did my first one early this year and plan on going back next year as well.

 

[Bradguy]

interested in possibly trying this in the future

 

[zybergoby]

AI Led Nano, CPR mod to led, Sicce Pump 7.5g Acrylic tank, Deep Blue HOB

 

[tuna_bullet]

I was thinking a system that could fit in a suitcase and fedex the goods? I would like to check out other parts of the country and whats going on

 

[zybergoby]

My setup fits nice in a suitcase

 

[that Reef Guy]

I was thinking about selling at frag swaps.

Do you guys make a lot of money doing it?

 

[zybergoby]

Depending on what i have fragged with my small setup I can make up to $500

 

[that Reef Guy]

Depending on what i have fragged with my small setup I can make up to $500

Nice.

What do you normally charge for Frags?

Do you try to keep them one price or are prices all over the place?

What do they charge to sell at a Swap?

 

[zybergoby]

All my zoa 3-5 heads $10-15 monties 1.5-2in frag $15-20
Acons per head $10
Acro 2in frag $20
Duncan's $10 per head
Lobo's $15-20 per head depends on head size

 

[Opus]

There is a guy that sells the racks so they fit in a salt bucket and they stack. That is what I was thinking of getting.

If you start getting very far away, it is harder to make money because of the travel costs. We had some come to our last swap from out of town and you have to sell a lot to cover airfare and hotel costs. Our last swap was nice because they had the room the night before so you could setup then and everything had time to settle in over night.

If you are selling zoas, try and setup as early as you can. Sometimes they can take an hour or 2 to open back up. Also be ready to get haggled to death. It can get really frustrating when 1 person stands there for 30 minutes trying to talk you down to a ridiculous price on every frag.

 

[that Reef Guy]

All my zoa 3-5 heads $10-15 monties 1.5-2in frag $15-20
Acons per head $10
Acro 2in frag $20
Duncan's $10 per head
Lobo's $15-20 per head depends on head size

What kind of Zoanthids do you sell at that price?

 

[that Reef Guy]

There is a guy that sells the racks so they fit in a salt bucket and they stack. That is what I was thinking of getting.

If you start getting very far away, it is harder to make money because of the travel costs. We had some come to our last swap from out of town and you have to sell a lot to cover airfare and hotel costs. Our last swap was nice because they had the room the night before so you could setup then and everything had time to settle in over night.

If you are selling zoas, try and setup as early as you can. Sometimes they can take an hour or 2 to open back up. Also be ready to get haggled to death. It can get really frustrating when 1 person stands there for 30 minutes trying to talk you down to a ridiculous price on every frag.

People do that?

I would tell them to get lost.

I mean think of all the paying customers you lost because one guy took 30 Minutes of your time up.

That is ridiculous.

I bet the people after him see what he is doing to and then they get into the haggling game themselves when they would have paid full price otherwise. Am I right with that assumption or am I wrong?

 

[zybergoby]

Luner, rasta's, bam bams, gold dust, AOG, frute loops, la lakers, blue and purple hornets. Orange pp, pink pp, red pp, tubbs and papa smirfs.

 

[Opus]

I don't know if the haggling affects those waiting or not. I'm guessing it does. We had so many vendors some would just walk off and come back later. You also get the people that don't buy anything until the end and try to get stuff for nearly free. This usually happens more to the vendors from out of town. The people are hoping the vendors don't want to take anything back. We have had some of the bigger names come to a few of our frag swaps and they are willing to take stuff back with them instead of selling at rock bottom prices. I think it is also more keen to our area. We seem to have a lot of cheap people for such a big and rich town. Maybe it is just they've spent all their money on their homes and cars.

To get off topic but on the subject of haggling. I was in a local store a couple of years back and was looking at purple tangs. At the time they were in the $130 range. The owner was helping someone and I was waiting my turn. The guy had bought a couple of corals and he told the owner he would give him $75 for a purple tang and the owner was sure and bagged him one. When it was my turn I said I would take one for that price and he said no. I said but you just sold him one for that price and he said yes but he bought 2 other corals and you aren't. I was like, well I actually had around $300 in coral picked out to buy but now I'm not buying anything. Maybe I was in the wrong but I felt like that was a bad decision on his part. I know it goes on but to publicly display different pricing is not good business in my book.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Luner, rasta's, bam bams, gold dust, AOG, frute loops, la lakers, blue and purple hornets. Orange pp, pink pp, red pp, tubbs and papa smirfs.

Wow.

I wish you were closer.

Most people charge 30 to 40 for what you charge 10 to 15 for (Usually it is 10 a Polyp not 10 a Frag Plug).

Some people even charge 20 a Polyp for that stuff.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I don't know if the haggling affects those waiting or not. I'm guessing it does. We had so many vendors some would just walk off and come back later. You also get the people that don't buy anything until the end and try to get stuff for nearly free. This usually happens more to the vendors from out of town. The people are hoping the vendors don't want to take anything back. We have had some of the bigger names come to a few of our frag swaps and they are willing to take stuff back with them instead of selling at rock bottom prices. I think it is also more keen to our area. We seem to have a lot of cheap people for such a big and rich town. Maybe it is just they've spent all their money on their homes and cars.

To get off topic but on the subject of haggling. I was in a local store a couple of years back and was looking at purple tangs. At the time they were in the $130 range. The owner was helping someone and I was waiting my turn. The guy had bought a couple of corals and he told the owner he would give him $75 for a purple tang and the owner was sure and bagged him one. When it was my turn I said I would take one for that price and he said no. I said but you just sold him one for that price and he said yes but he bought 2 other corals and you aren't. I was like, well I actually had around $300 in coral picked out to buy but now I'm not buying anything. Maybe I was in the wrong but I felt like that was a bad decision on his part. I know it goes on but to publicly display different pricing is not good business in my book.

I do not like the concept of haggling myself (I am sure Prices get raised to offset Haggling so people like me that pay the asking price get screwed - And we are the Good Customers).

But at least the haggling didn't go on forever in your case.

The other person said people will haggle for 30 Minutes at Swaps.

In your situation the guy asked for a deal and got it you asked and didn't get it.

But neither of you argued for half an hour holding up the line and causing customers to outright leave.

That is more what I was curious about.

Not Haggling itself but long drawn out haggling.

If the dealer says no then drop it and move on to the next table.

Don't overstay your welcome and annoy the dealers for a half an hour as well as those in line behind you.

That is what I am shocked by.

I know people ask for deals but I didn't realize some were relentless like that.

I would be so embarrassed to do something like that.

What is wrong with people?

Don't they get embarrassed doing that?

 

[zybergoby]

Yeah I think my prices are the fair way and thats why I always sell out in 2-3 hours. If not sooner. I try like hell to keep my prices fair for everyone in the hobby. Not just a few who can afford it.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Yeah I think my prices are the fair way and thats why I always sell out in 2-3 hours. If not sooner. I try like hell to keep my prices fair for everyone in the hobby. Not just a few who can afford it.

I am curious do those Dealers that sell for more get mad at you?

Do they say anything to you because you undercut them?

It seems like everyone tries to Price Set things at the Swaps like most Zoanthids being 10.00 a Polyp.

- For Instance When I was looking for Purple Hornets I went to 40 Dealers looking for them and this is what I found.

30 Dealers didn't have them
8 Dealers Wanted 10 a Polyp
1 Dealer Wanted 20 a Polyp
1 Dealer actually wanted 15.00 for 3 Polyps (5.00 a Polyp) (That is where I bought them of course).

I find a couple people like you that give great deals (My Favorite Dealers).

But it seems like the majority of people charge much much more.

Selling 3-5 Polyps for 10.00 instead of 30-50 might upset a lot of other dealers.

What has been your experience regarding this?