how far would you drive for nice corals w nice prices

tankstudy · Feb 13, 2020

CaBrowne said:
Ok have you been to the Razorback Reef club meetings? They do a Coral frag every month for members and have Frag fests like 2-3 times a year. Most of the members are in the little rock, Cabot, Conway area.

I haven't. They are held the 3rd saturday of each month but because I work weekends, I've never been able to.

showmebutterfly · Feb 13, 2020

If there's an aquarium store in an area I'm visiting, odds are I'll be stopping by if I get half the chance. I've bought corals in Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois so far. I've visited stores in Kansas, Oklahoma and Indiana and hope to visit 1 or 2 when I'm in Texas next month. *ACAC (always carry a cooler) lol

LadyTang2 · Feb 13, 2020

Not as far as I'd drive for a place with clean, neat, relatively pest free corals.

CaBrowne · Feb 13, 2020

tankstudy said:
I haven't. They are held the 3rd saturday of each month but because I work weekends, I've never been able to.

Bummer...it's a nice group of people.

Therinx · Feb 13, 2020

An hour max, and i have about 6 within 20 minutes.

tankstudy · Feb 13, 2020

CaBrowne said:
Bummer...it's a nice group of people.

I've met like 1 of the recent members at a frag swap a few years back but most of the members I use to know left the area about 6-7 years ago.

If the location was more static and in Little Rock, it'd be easier to attend. When I work weekends, I'm also on call, so I can't leave town.

One of these days though I'll stop by and cause a ruckus lol.

ADAM · Feb 13, 2020

ADAM said:
An hour, one way, is about all I’m good for anymore. However that’s more likely when I need a particular dry good and don’t feel like I could wait 4-5 days for delivery or the 1-2 day delivery is not cost effective. Occasionally a hard to find fish or invert pops up and I’ll make the trip, or because I have to be in the area for work and stop by. Two or three years ago that trip didn’t seem nearly as far as it does now. I went probably at least every other weekend. Back then I would generally go planning to shop for an hour or so and be on the way back home..... 3 LFS later I was helping wipe down the tanks at closing time. But most of LFS that were prominent when I started are closed or they have new owners and they just don’t feel like “home” anymore.

Being about “deals” I thought I needed to add to my post to include local hobbyists. I wish there were a larger Reef Club, or at least All Aquaria (even FW too) Group around. If the local meetings were within an hour or so drive maybe monthly or quarterly I’d certainly travel for those. If some members wanted host meetings when they had plenty frags/corals to or sell trade Id probably be good driving 1.5 to 2 hours for a meeting like so.
*A FW based meeting scares me a little, after seeing some of the FW setups with live plants and inverts that are as mesmerizing as reefs, I think it would probably lead to throwing away a couch to make room for another tank.

CaBrowne · Feb 13, 2020

tankstudy said:
I've met like 1 of the recent members at a frag swap a few years back but most of the members I use to know left the area about 6-7 years ago.

If the location was more static and in Little Rock, it'd be easier to attend. When I work weekends, I'm also on call, so I can't leave town.

One of these days though I'll stop by and cause a ruckus lol.

The one for this month is actually going to be on the 22nd due to holiday weekend. Or Maybe you can come to the next frag fest in Benton.

tankstudy · Feb 13, 2020

CaBrowne said:
The one for this month is actually going to be on the 22nd due to holiday weekend. Or Maybe you can come to the next frag fest in Benton.

I'll be working that weekend.

I'm guessing frag fest will be at paradise pets in April? If it's later in the month, I'll be in Japan at that time.

Assuming nothing comes up on april the 4th, tulsa frag swap, I will try to attend that event.

Victor_C3 · Feb 13, 2020

I’d be willing to drive 60-90 minutes each way. Selection is much more important to me than price. As long as SPS frags are $60-100 and I can get a mini-colony of SPS for $275-350, I’m happy with prices

sfin52 · Feb 13, 2020

fishguy242 said:
how far are you willing to go for great deals on fish and corals

You need to add a poll
@revhtree a good discussion question.

sfin52 · Feb 13, 2020

I drive 1 1/2 hour for coral and decent prices. My lfs is double the price

sfin52 · Feb 13, 2020

fishguy242 said:
how far are you willing to go for great deals on fish and corals

I drive to St Louis.

fishguy242 · Feb 13, 2020

thanks guys/gals keep em coming love the feed back will try to set up poll ,happy reefing

fishguy242 · Feb 13, 2020

sfin52 said:
I drive to St Louis.

we have to keep in touch 1 hr from stl

Anchor · Feb 13, 2020

With everything around me being an hour or more away, I guess I drive as far as I need, to get what I want. So as I am only familiar with 2 decent stores in the Twin Cities area...….. I drive an hour.. I am still getting familiar with the local(ish)TCMAS club. Will see if that pans out any.

Maybe a trip to Chicago some time.. do an overnight.. maybe find a tour guide even..

Dragon52 · Feb 13, 2020

1-2 Hrs for me. Aguarium Specialties is 1.5hrs & I've been going to Fishy Business in Columbia, SC ever since Guy's had the shop, over 30yrs. I've been in & out of the hobby since the 70's. Home Reef Tanks were mostly unheard of back then.

lilgrounchuck · Feb 13, 2020

For that reason only? 45 min. However, I travel a lot for work, some of that involves driving for hours, so I throw a shipping cooler in the car before I leave. I’ve gone to local reef shops in some of the spots I’ve been to and peruse Craigslist and this site for things for sale in the area, but nothing has made me jump yet.