Prices in this hobby

[ApoIsland]

be the change he wants to see.

This is one of my favorite lines. I have used it multiple times with my employees through the years. You can either continue to complain and get swallowed by negativity, or start planning and strategizing and working towards changing things.

 

[Olefreebe]

Corals are still the same. Its the same corals 5 years ago and its still the same corals 10 years ago. What you’re paying is the crazy name and who has the best photographer. You can pick up a GSP from lfs/hobbiest for $5 or pay $50 for a “ultra rainbow kryptonite green star polyps”.

So you're saying you know somebody I could get those Ultra rainbows from?...lol

 

[Saltyreef]

Is disgusting....truly.

Someone needs a new hobby

 

[lakai]

Everyone is always comparing these kinds of threads with prices in other hobbies. Cmon now, that is irrelevant to these kinds of threads because we aren't talking about other hobbies.

 

[lakai]

Does charging $300 for a 1 inch or less fresh cut, non encrusted frag really need to be a thing?

It seems like a lot of people are charging high prices for a tiny piece that broke off on accident or had to prune the colony because its so big anyways.

I highly doubt anyone is pricing stuff by calculating how much time and money they invested into growing a coral. They're just looking to see how much the other person is selling the same coral for and pricing it that way. Has less to do with supply and demand and more just reference pricing and map.

 

[desagon]

It seems like a lot of people are charging high prices for a tiny piece that broke off on accident or had to prune the colony because its so big anyways.

I highly doubt anyone is pricing stuff by calculating how much time and money they invested into growing a coral. They're just looking to see how much the other person is selling the same coral for and pricing it that way. Has less to do with supply and demand and more just reference pricing and map.

It has everything to do with supply and demand. The second someone pays $500 for a coral, that becomes the standard across the board and everyone will start charging that much (or right around there). Sure, they copy the prices from other people, but that's because of the demand for the coral.
Corals are not appliances, and a lot of people try and relate the two. As an example: TV's come down in value because it becomes cheaper, easier, and faster to produce them over time. The same cannot be said for corals. If you have a dedicated system to growing corals, you know how long it takes for them grow enough to frag. There's also the cost of equipment which we all know is not cheap. Not to mention the costs and time involved in dipping the corals after the cut, gluing the coral to a plug, and then the healing process.

 

[Saltyreef]

Everyone is always comparing these kinds of threads with prices in other hobbies. Cmon now, that is irrelevant to these kinds of threads because we aren't talking about other hobbies.

Everyones comparing to show this isnt the only hobby that cost $$.
You could theoretically make a scrapbook hobby cost more than your reef......

Its about how involved and invested you are and if its ultimately worth it to you...

Sounds like its not worth it for the OP ...clearly ...since we all dont share his opinion lol.

 

[Grimreefer89]

my 2 cents on the price of coral... the most expensive piece of coral in my tank is and elegance ($120) its probably 6in when closed and i have a large toadstool ($80) other than that ive bought frags from 5 bucks to 40 bucks. im new to this hobby (started in dec of 2019) so these prices are the norm for me... i seen a $2000 anemone at the LFS the other day i admired it and kept walking lol. this hobby is definitely tiered im not spending more than $150 on a single piece of anything, im to new to this to kill a $2000 anemone lol. that being said ive bought nearly everything from the same LFS (FJW Houston TX) im sure he recognizes me by now im in there every 2 weeks. (its over an hour drive or id be broke) any time i spend several hundred dollars in there he cuts me a deal or gives me something for free on top of all the knowledge he's shared with me, you cant put a price on that. the man has to make a living selling items for a hobby the first thing that will go if i and MANY others run into a unforeseen financial crisis. its a huge risk for him at least from my perspective. i fish, another tiered hobby i own a boat i spend WAY more than the guy on the bank with a bucket of shiners or live shrimp. in this hobby ive got a bucket of shiners and a zebco 202 but im still gonna have just as much fun. one day ill step up to the next tier (probably sooner rather than later) and i cant complain about cost if i make that decision.

 

[Udest]

There's other ways around alot of it honestly my tank ain't the prettiest by far but I've gotten enjoyment and moderate success from spending less that 100 bucks ,honestly you just need to get creative to get the best bang for your buck.

 

[Ippyroy]

Price of Any hobby. For Me:
Snowmobiling. . . . $10,000+
Boating . . .. $8000
This hobby(3 tanks) . . . . . YOU DONT WANNA KNOW

Let me know if you wanna come snowmobiling in West Yellowstone. Might be able to cut you a deal.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Let me know if you wanna come snowmobiling in West Yellowstone. Might be able to cut you a deal.

Thinking warmer than that- We are Florida bound for good and the word snow is fading away from my list of memories.

 

[Sump Crab]

Prices are not bad if you dont buy into the hype of expensive coral and fish. If you have expensive taste buy corals locally off reasonable hobbyists. Buy expensive equipment used on craigslist, ebay etc.

 

[LRT]

Definitely not for the squeamish at heart.
I've spent more than 10k on my system in the last cpl months and trying to talk my wife into letting me spend another 30. Lol
Knew that coming into this.
As said buy used stuff. Alot of reefers have smoking deals on corals and equipment.
Spend wisely.
DIY everything you can.

 

[Olefreebe]

my 2 cents on the price of coral... the most expensive piece of coral in my tank is and elegance ($120) its probably 6in when closed and i have a large toadstool ($80) other than that ive bought frags from 5 bucks to 40 bucks. im new to this hobby (started in dec of 2019) so these prices are the norm for me... i seen a $2000 anemone at the LFS the other day i admired it and kept walking lol. this hobby is definitely tiered im not spending more than $150 on a single piece of anything, im to new to this to kill a $2000 anemone lol. that being said ive bought nearly everything from the same LFS (FJW Houston TX) im sure he recognizes me by now im in there every 2 weeks. (its over an hour drive or id be broke) any time i spend several hundred dollars in there he cuts me a deal or gives me something for free on top of all the knowledge he's shared with me, you cant put a price on that. the man has to make a living selling items for a hobby the first thing that will go if i and MANY others run into a unforeseen financial crisis. its a huge risk for him at least from my perspective. i fish, another tiered hobby i own a boat i spend WAY more than the guy on the bank with a bucket of shiners or live shrimp. in this hobby ive got a bucket of shiners and a zebco 202 but im still gonna have just as much fun. one day ill step up to the next tier (probably sooner rather than later) and i cant complain about cost if i make that decision.

Well said.

 

[Ippyroy]

Thinking warmer than that- We are Florida bound for good and the word snow is fading away from my list of memories.

I miss warm weather and the ocean, but if never have to sweat again it’ll be ok.

 

[2Wheelsonly]

You're looking at the high end dude. Every single hobby has their "high end". I enjoy motorcycles as a hobby, when I started my first bike was $2,500 and as I got serious it jumped to multiple @ $20,000 each. Ever talk to watch collectors? It will blow your mind, same with guns, fishing, video gaming, home theater, etc...there is no limit to prices in the "hobby" industry because there is always someone willing to pay top dollar. It's just how it goes!

Look at home gyms, my first gym was a craigslist complete setup for $400 and if you saw the price tag for a new setup from a higher end outfitter like Rogue you would be shocked...well over$60k for a full on circuit setup.

 

[S2G]

Thinking warmer than that- We are Florida bound for good and the word snow is fading away from my list of memories.

Dont worry jet ski's are so much cheaper than snow mobiles

 

[IKD]

I pay over $3K/yr for my daughters horse riding lessons and I don’t even get to keep the freaking horse! And The Godfather movies taught me you can’t frag them either ;Dead

 

[Ippyroy]

Dont worry jet ski's are so much cheaper than snow mobiles

Nothing beats a year round toy. But the ability to ride a sled from the front door to the bar and back is quiet amazing as well.

 

[Kaboobie]

These comparisons in this thread... Dudes talking about buying wild coral vs aquacultured frags. There is no comparison one got nurtured in a clean system (hopefully) with all sorts of modern equipment and feeding. The other some dude hoped in a boat jumped in the water and snapped some stuff off the reef what makes it makes what don't oh well very little effort or cost by comparison. I'm new to the hobby but this is just common sense.