My first Aquashella trip

[mrpontiac80]

So I made my first trip to Aquashella in Dallas TX today. It’s a 5.5 hr drive but it was worth it.
I met Ernesto with @TopShelfAquatics and made a small purchase with a $30 gamble,, they had a section of corals with cheaper stuff to higher end stuff and for $30 you spun a wheel to see which frag you won.

My wife found a Goni she had to have with Reef Aquaculture Specialists, and we got a really cool orange non photosynthetic sea whip from The Coral Emporium. And best of all I got a decent sized frag of Walt Disney acro for $60 from The Coral Syndicate.

Although I didn’t really talk to many people, I did see several guys and girls we all see online. Lots of cool stuff.

 

[Roatan Reef]

They moved the Florida one to November and at Daytona Beach...not a fan.

 

[mrpontiac80]

They moved the Florida one to November and at Daytona Beach...not a fan.

Not a fan of the change or event? I had a good time. I wish there was more saltwater livestock aside from corals but it was cool.

 

[zoomonster]

I've been to a couple things there at the Ocean Center and not the best of venues with limited parking and fairly small. Home, boat, RV, gun etc. shows there are always second rate. I may go this year for the first time but looking at ticket prices you would think it was being hosted at Disney. You bring your kids and even they have to pay.

 

[mrpontiac80]

I've been to a couple things there at the Ocean Center and not the best of venues with limited parking and fairly small. Home, boat, RV, gun etc. shows there are always second rate. I may go this year for the first time but looking at ticket prices you would think it was being hosted at Disney. You bring your kids and even they have to pay.

So at Dallas, the line to get in blew me away at first, but it really did move quickly…. Like less than 30 minutes. But the prices were not bad. $30 bucks each for early bird access. So once I got in the doors, I’d say we were there for about 4 hrs and saw everything I wanted to see. Now if I had went with some friends and wanted to see the speakers and such it would have been an all day trip and possibly a 2 day trip… but with my wife and limited fun money it was definitely a good day. I will say, you could probably get the early bird ticket and show up an hour after doors open and get in with little to no line.

 

[paragrouper]

I went yesterday as well. I was pleased to run into a couple of local vendors, such as Dinkins and Coral emporium. I managed to pick up a couple of RFA’s and a small bunch of Dragons Breath Algae.

 

[mrpontiac80]

And I wore my @Battlecorals Rainbows Army grow out contest t-shirt, and got a few comments on how great a guy Adam is and the status of my contest frag…. It’s the small things that start conversation !

 

[mrpontiac80]

I went yesterday as well. I was pleased to run into a couple of local vendors, such as Dinkins and Coral emporium. I managed to pick up a couple of RFA’s and a small bunch of Dragons Breath Algae.

Nice! There were a few vendors with some really nice RFA!

 

[calhoun3186]

I'm not far from Dallas, maybe an hour and half. I went last year, it was really cool and busy. Was going to go this year, but grad school has money a little tighter than usual. Thanks for sharing the pictures, looks like a fun time.

 

[To(meany)Tang]

So I made my first trip to Aquashella in Dallas TX today. It’s a 5.5 hr drive but it was worth it.
I met Ernesto with @TopShelfAquatics and made a small purchase with a $30 gamble,, they had a section of corals with cheaper stuff to higher end stuff and for $30 you spun a wheel to see which frag you won.

My wife found a Goni she had to have with Reef Aquaculture Specialists, and we got a really cool orange non photosynthetic sea whip from The Coral Emporium. And best of all I got a decent sized frag of Walt Disney acro for $60 from The Coral Syndicate.

Although I didn’t really talk to many people, I did see several guys and girls we all see online. Lots of cool stuff.

So cool you got to experience it as well. I also got a rasta zoa from TSA.. was definitely worth the trip! Didn't get to go Sunday ..did you see vendors dropping prices or saying they're selling it cheaper because it's the last day or end of the show?

 

[To(meany)Tang]

Nice! There were a few vendors with some really nice RFA!

I grabbed one but it was so hard to choose from all the colors. There was an Asian couple with a large table of them. I also bought a glaxea from there idk if that was a mistake now reading how aggressive they can be lol.

 

[mrpontiac80]

So cool you got to experience it as well. I also got a rasta zoa from TSA.. was definitely worth the trip! Didn't get to go Sunday ..did you see vendors dropping prices or saying they're selling it cheaper because it's the last day or end of the show?

I was there for Saturday only but I hear the best deals are near the end

 

[mrpontiac80]

I grabbed one but it was so hard to choose from all the colors. There was an Asian couple with a large table of them. I also bought a glaxea from there idk if that was a mistake now reading how aggressive they can be lol.

I have a couple of RFA and they don’t bother anything!

 

[mrpontiac80]

Figured I’d share my purchases. Walt Disney, cool colored Goni, CB Bling cyphastria, and an orange sea whip. Full pic after mounting under blues… the last pic is the true color under my daytime lights prior to mounting

 

[Opus]

I was there for Saturday only but I hear the best deals are near the end

I don't know if that holds true anymore. Most have this down to a science so it is no big deal to take it back home. Also, several of the vendors are local.
I went to RAP last year on Sunday and stayed until almost closing and they were still asking the prices that were marked in the tanks. Now many will do deals if you are buying several things and/or paying in cash. I always take cash and that is my "budget". Still have the CC if I find that great deal I can't live without. I was actually surprised to see a few tables that weren't taking credit cards. It was payments thru apps only such as venmo or paypal.
I won't go into what I bought. I feel like I went crazy compared to what everyone else is posting.

 

[Opus]

So I made my first trip to Aquashella in Dallas TX today. It’s a 5.5 hr drive but it was worth it.
I met Ernesto with @TopShelfAquatics and made a small purchase with a $30 gamble,, they had a section of corals with cheaper stuff to higher end stuff and for $30 you spun a wheel to see which frag you won.

My wife found a Goni she had to have with Reef Aquaculture Specialists, and we got a really cool orange non photosynthetic sea whip from The Coral Emporium. And best of all I got a decent sized frag of Walt Disney acro for $60 from The Coral Syndicate.

Although I didn’t really talk to many people, I did see several guys and girls we all see online. Lots of cool stuff. /QUOTE]

The whole "gambling" thing was new to me this year. There were a couple of vendors that had what appeared to be corals already bagged and in little boxes. It was basically blind bags for corals. I'm to the point I'm going for certain corals so that kind of stuff doesn't peak my interest.

 

[Opus]

I grabbed one but it was so hard to choose from all the colors. There was an Asian couple with a large table of them. I also bought a glaxea from there idk if that was a mistake now reading how aggressive they can be lol.

I wonder if that was Frost Corals? They were on a corner and had probably 5 or 6 tanks of corals? They bring in a big coral shipment before each show and that is what they sell. They don't really have a "coral farm" where they are growing out corals. There are a lot of RFAs at our frag swaps in DFW. I guess they must sell well. They always have great prices, especially to what a lot of the online vendors want. My son actually bought a few corals from one vendor and he told him to pick out a RFA for free.

 

[Opus]

So at Dallas, the line to get in blew me away at first, but it really did move quickly…. Like less than 30 minutes. But the prices were not bad. $30 bucks each for early bird access. So once I got in the doors, I’d say we were there for about 4 hrs and saw everything I wanted to see. Now if I had went with some friends and wanted to see the speakers and such it would have been an all day trip and possibly a 2 day trip… but with my wife and limited fun money it was definitely a good day. I will say, you could probably get the early bird ticket and show up an hour after doors open and get in with little to no line.

They did a better job this year. It worked out well with them coming out before the show started and scanning tickets and handing out the attendance bracelets. Last year it took me probably well over an hour to get in. I was at the back of the line to the right in your picture and once the doors opened I bet it was maybe 5 or 6 minutes and we were inside.

 

[To(meany)Tang]

I have a couple of RFA and they don’t bother anything!

I was referring to the galaxea lol

 

[To(meany)Tang]

I wonder if that was Frost Corals? They were on a corner and had probably 5 or 6 tanks of corals? They bring in a big coral shipment before each show and that is what they sell. They don't really have a "coral farm" where they are growing out corals. There are a lot of RFAs at our frag swaps in DFW. I guess they must sell well. They always have great prices, especially to what a lot of the online vendors want. My son actually bought a few corals from one vendor and he told him to pick out a RFA for free.

Definitely on the corner by the entrance. I couldn't believe the prices they had. So cool your son got a free one!!! i had the hardest time choosing what color I want lol